How many use the "oil minder"?

[needbigtruck]

As you can see by my sig I have the 6 speed. I have a friend that has the 8.1L with the allison and he has told me that the "change oil" reminder comes on at different intervals. Mine comes on at 7500 miles no matter what. The only thing we can come up with is the use of "tow/haul" mode tells the computer to use the trailer interval and turns on the light sooner. Since I don't have a tow/haul mode the computer just uses 7500 miles. My mother has just bought a new Buick. The owners manual doesn't give an oil change interval, just use the "change oil" reminder, even for the first oil change. Kind of hard for me to swallow. My question is (finally) how are all of you deciding what interval to change the oil at. Also do the 2003's owner manuals even give intervals?

[DMAXED]

I change my oil every 3k miles the change oil light has only came on once in 18k miles.

[conradv]

Do a search on this forum about how often owner's change their oil. And then search for oil analysis & testing.

Some people religously change at 3,000, some people like Alli-Max change their every 10,000 (synthetic)...

I'm a 5,000 mile guy myself.

[JEBar]

count me in with the 5,000 mile group ... the change engine oil light is an option I can do without ... Jim

[mackin]

What is it ?? Never seen it .....
tongue.gif


Wouldn't use it anyway ..... My Erl gets sooty quite quickly ,wonder why ??


Mac

:D :D :D

[Idle_Chatter]

I've had mine come on a couple of times, seemed to hit at about 7,800 miles. I'm on a 7,500 mile change interval at the present time, but my oil analyses have been so good that I'm considering going to 10,000. Problem with the oil change minder if you are a Juice owner is that anytime you reprogram the Juice you reset the minder. I've been setting back and forth between levels 3 and 4 on my Juice lately for towing and just went through three level changes last weekend to show off the process (and the verification "blips") to another DMax owner, so no light for 7,400 more miles now! tongue.gif

[a64pilot]

On the gasoline engine vehicles the change oil light is run on as algorythm (sp)? I think it is called. In other words when you reset it a counter is reset to a certain number, lets say 1,000. Different events decrement the counter a certain number or decrement it at different rates. I.E. cold starts decrement say 10 points, cold operation decrements say 10 per hour, while warm starts decrement say 2 and warm operation say 2 per hour. while operation above 2,500 at a higher rate and so on.
IT does not measure the oil quality in any way directly that I can find, only computes what it should be.
All the gas cars computers, except for the Corvette is calibrated for Dino oil. The Vette is Syn. I've been told. On the gas cars it's really a good system for the vast majority of people as it really does try to determine when the oil really should be changed as opposed to mearley going by miles only. Personally I use it for the wife's SS Camaro. I only use Mobil one and figure the syn vs. Dino calibration gives me plenty of cushion. I don't think it keeps track of calender time though. You still have to remember how long it's been in months.
On my 01 Dmax it is really a sophisticated device. It comes on every 7,500 miles regardless of how I drive. I would have thought it would have been updated in the 03 trucks though.

[ChevysRus]

My "book" says the oil minder is based on engine revolutions and nothing else, includes idle revs and highway revs. They all add up to something that says when to change the oil. I just do it every 5K using Mobile Delvac 1 in the Dmax and same in the cars except it's just regular Mobil 1 in the cars.

Engine revolutions is probably the best way to determine life of the oil and I assume it's based on Dino, so we can get more out of Synthetic. Miles don't mean much if you do a lot of idling and you know what they say about idle hands etc.

Anyway, who cares as I don't need no stinking(badges)idiot light to tell me when to change the darn oil.

Happy Motoring Anyway

[a64pilot]

GM oil life system (http://gm.com/company/gmability/environment/news_issues/news/oillife_qa_041603.html)
Pretty good explaniation from the horses mouth, don't know if it applies to the newer trucks or not. On my 01 it comes on every 7,500 miles

[needbigtruck]

Thanks a64pilot, that is a good article. Isn't the internet a wonderful thing!

[sdaver]

dont use it....6k......in/out shell synthetic :D dave

[Sneaks]

If yer lazy or a geezer like me, get yer Rotella T Synthetic at Wally World, drive around to the service center with yer Baldwin and the oil, and get the express service. The one near me even credits me for not using their oil and filter! And I get two extra quarts to use the next time.

[Cliffee]

I change at 10k. Iam running Amsoil w/ Bypass. I plan on doing oil analysis every 15-20k mi just to be on the safe side.

[chuntag95]

I use it (sort of). I get between 7500 and 7800 between changes, but I run synthetic with a dual bypass on it. Probably overkill, but that is my specialty. :D

[Runaway]

Been changing every 10k except the first one at 5K. Use Rotella T synthetic. Never had the minder come on.