GM Oil Life Monitor

[KICK]

I do have a question for some of the posters that are so worried about wear and tear on their engines due to oil problems. According to everything that I have read the worst oil related problem that you have on an engine is starting it after it has been sitting for a while even as short a period as overnight. During the initial time that you start it you have parts that are rotating with a metal to metal surface until such time that the oil is pumed into that region. They make electric oil pumps that you can turn the ignition key to the on position and that starts pumping oil through the system. You can leave the key on for a short period of time before you actually engage the starter motor. How many people have installed one of these systems on their vehicle ?

Start up is when the most wear occurs...

don't know anyone that put a priming system into their lube system although technically it sounds like a good idea. that said, I have a pickup truck with 248,000 miles on it, cant imagine how many time its been started.

do remember a company selling starter motors for heavy duty diesel applications that had a built in oil pump on the starter motor, just to prelube the engine before starting.

 

[gemini5362]

I looked into it at one time and there were some electrical pumping systems that you could add to your vehicle. They were wired to the ignition and you could turn your key on and let them build up pressure before starting your vehicle. I thought about it then thought that by the time I have appreciable wear on my engine I am in the mood for a new vehicle anyway.

 

[Doc_Bob]

Changed my oil at 7000 miles with the OLM at 14% and sent it in for analysis to Blackstone. The universal averages they have from the 5.3L are based on 5600 mile change intervals. My oil after 7000 miles of use was at or below those averages with the exception of Sodium but since I had previously used Mobil non-synthetic they feel it may be from the previous oil. Apparently the non-synthetic Mobil oils use sodium as an additive. I guess sodium also can be an indicator of anitfreeze in the oil but since there was no signs of wear they feel its most likely additive left over from the previous oil. They suggest trying 8500 miles on the next oil before changing.

Great information. Thanks, Bob

 

[john_bud]

One thing on oil changes here in Wisconsin. I change in the fall about Halloween or Thanksgiving time to winter weight oil 05w40 synthetic. In spring it goes back to 15w40. That puts the correct oil in the crank case and is about 10-30%remaining on the OLM.

Naturally, not everyone is blessed with 6 months of winter....

jb

 

[Doc_Bob]

One thing on oil changes here in Wisconsin. I change in the fall about Halloween or Thanksgiving time to winter weight oil 05w40 synthetic. In spring it goes back to 15w40. That puts the correct oil in the crank case and is about 10-30%remaining on the OLM.

Naturally, not everyone is blessed with 6 months of winter....

jb

I am so lucky to have 6 months too! I change Fall and Spring.

 

[john_bud]

Oh, forgot to mention. In Wisconsin during the 6 months of winter, you are really really not tempted to be a "recreational oil changer". Those that succumb to that temptation are found and chipped out from under the equipment....I think of it as natural selection.

jb

 

[Doc_Bob]

Oh, forgot to mention. In Wisconsin during the 6 months of winter, you are really really not tempted to be a "recreational oil changer". Those that succumb to that temptation are found and chipped out from under the equipment....I think of it as natural selection.

jb

Too freaking cold!!!!!!!!! But (and there always is a "but") my garage was just finished this summer and is now heavily insulated. Boy does that make a big difference. I even insulated under the cement slab. The garage is always 15 degrees warmer than the outdor temperature. Now the snow melts off the cars and it is sooo much nicer to drive. The only added heat to the garage is from the engines after I park and close the insulated garage door.
Bob

 

[workinallthetime]

kind of fun to see how all you gm owners view your olm, i was a gm tech for the past 15 or so years and now im a service advisor/foreman for a gm shop. In the last shop which was owned by a nation wide company we rebuilt nothing, it was all about numbers, now that im back in a local shop i am seeing more engines rebuilt. since the gen 3 engines came out gm really cut out the demand for engine guys which is why i shifted my specialty to the diesel end of things in the first place. over the years i have noticed on engine failures you see one of 2 things in 90% of the cases. #1 build problem, or #2 a rapid loss of oil due to a leak. That is just what i have been around and my observations.
i had a 99 6.0 with 130k+ miles on it when i sold it that got its oil changed somewhere around the time the "change oil" light came on
04 denali 80k miles same story
my 07 spent the first 10k with a trailer behind it almost everyday, the olm had me do my first oil change at 5200 and my 2nd at 9800 i asume due to the conditions it was in every day. The 08 denali my wife drives had its 2nd 6700 past its first.
im guessin they work pretty dang good.

 

[Doc_Bob]

im guessin they work pretty dang good.

Good to hear from a man who should now! I did change my first oil and filter on my 2007 Chevy Malibu at 3500 miles even the OLM said on 80% left. I felt like splurging! Also, I bought the car with 800 miles. Now, in very cold Wisconsin weather, it is averaging about 100 miles for every 1% drop in oil life on the OLM.
Bob

 

[Kaliburz]

My old 83 F150 w/ the 300 I6, the manual says change oil every 6,000.

I know some people w/ toy 4x4 rigs, either it leaks or burns oil, all they do is top it off and change the filter.

I've seen stuff online where oil bypass filters are added to semi trucks (filter looks like a big roll of TP or hand towels) and it says to just top off the oil. Claims the oil change interval goes up to 25,000 miles, if I recall their claims.

Found it: (not the same one I found long ago, but another bypass filter)
Truck Show Testimonial
Ack.... 25,000 miles is WAY low. These folks are claiming 100,000!!!!!! Lets see, if they say 100,000 miles, and lets just say they drive 58MPH (to factor in when the are idling), that would mean that oil has 1724 hours on it. Granted, this is a on the road truck, very little exposure to dust. They claim to filter out stuff less then 1 micron.

Another site: Oilguard Superior Filtration Systems - Specializing in Bypass Filtration Systems


People on those sites claim to have the oil tested at about $20 per test. Granted, those are on big semi trucks where it takes 6 GALLONS of oil. Most quick oil places are what, in the $20-25 range. They don't have a online life monitor, but they're monitoring it.

I try to change my oil twice a year in the two/three vehicles I use regularly. Then again, I run 15W-40 in all my engines (minus air cooled, that gets 30wt).