Oil Life question
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Pro
Joined: Jul 2004
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From: Anna Ohio
Oil Life question
I bought a 97 about 6 weeks ago and had a question about when to change the oil. I've put about 2k miles on it and the DIC says I still have 49% oil life. Could this be correct?
Le Mans Master
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From: Kelso Washington
St. Jude Donor '09, '13, '15
Earl...er...oil
Sounds about right. I reset my trip B odometer when I changed the oil last to see at what mileages the DIC would give percentages. I don't have the figures in front of me but I'm at about 28% at 4K miles. I'll change it pretty soon but your DIC estimate sounds right.
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From: Virginia Beach VA
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
This would go over so well in OT. 
I would go with what the DIC displays. It does not just tell you to change it based on miles, it takes many factors into account (how hard you drive, temp, yadda, yadda, yadda....) In fact a service writer at a local dealership told me to disregard the "it's tune up time" cards they send out and go by the vehicle's display.
I would go with what the DIC displays. It does not just tell you to change it based on miles, it takes many factors into account (how hard you drive, temp, yadda, yadda, yadda....) In fact a service writer at a local dealership told me to disregard the "it's tune up time" cards they send out and go by the vehicle's display.
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From: Central Ma
The important part not stated is, do you know when it was last changed?
I would say trust the dic also, but if you're not sure when it was changed then maybe it's due now. 49% should be more than 2k miles worth of driving, and somebody could have reset it incorrectly before.
If you changed the oil when purchased, that's some aggressive driving.
I would say trust the dic also, but if you're not sure when it was changed then maybe it's due now. 49% should be more than 2k miles worth of driving, and somebody could have reset it incorrectly before.
If you changed the oil when purchased, that's some aggressive driving.
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There are those who refuse to acknowledge the research that went into this system and will tell you that 3K is still the way to go. I am not one of them. I have taken mine down to 5% several times. I usually change when the DIC says Change Oil Soon regardless of mileage. My 99 has 82K + on it the last 20K have been with a Maggie SC.
In your case I would agree with the above poster who said change it since you don't know when it was done meaning the car could have been parked for a long time. So I would say change it when you can and then follow your DIC
In your case I would agree with the above poster who said change it since you don't know when it was done meaning the car could have been parked for a long time. So I would say change it when you can and then follow your DIC
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Joined: Aug 2007
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From: thornwood New York
I would change it use Moble 1 and reset everthing just to be sure. It's your new toy start out right nick
Race Director
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From: Lake Havasu City, AZ
You should be able to get 8-10K miles out of an oil change based on the DIC. It is VERY reliable and you can safely wait until it says 0% as long as you do your oil change in the next 500 miles...
BUT many of us change earlier than that...
I change every 5 K miles.... only because it makes it easy to remember.
BUT many of us change earlier than that...
I change every 5 K miles.... only because it makes it easy to remember.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2003
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From: Myakka City Fl
Change now-Use DIC later
There are those who refuse to acknowledge the research that went into this system and will tell you that 3K is still the way to go. I am not one of them. I have taken mine down to 5% several times. I usually change when the DIC says Change Oil Soon regardless of mileage. My 99 has 82K + on it the last 20K have been with a Maggie SC.
In your case I would agree with the above poster who said change it since you don't know when it was done meaning the car could have been parked for a long time. So I would say change it when you can and then follow your DIC
In your case I would agree with the above poster who said change it since you don't know when it was done meaning the car could have been parked for a long time. So I would say change it when you can and then follow your DIC
Yep, cheap insurance to change it now then follow DIC. I usually reset one of the trip meters just to check the mileage. I used my C-5 as DD for several years and commuted over 100 highway miles round trip. Highway use will extend oil change intervals compared to city stop n go traffic so the Computer is better than mileage. I know some over the Road salespeople who go way over 10,000 miles between changes but they hardly ever turn off the engine. My car has 94,000 now and uses only 1qt between changes,runs great.Still did a 13.30 a couple months back, A4,2.73 w/bolt ons only. Always GM spec Synthetic, Mobil 1 when I did it, now I use Valvoline Syn-Tech from a good oil change place(67 and hard to get under car now) I take them the GM filter. OGC5
http://home.att.net/~sy13/corvetteogc5.html
Pro
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From: Edmond Ok
I can not tell if after you bought it you changed the oil and reset???
If it has not been chaged I would recommend changing the oil and reseting. If you have changed the oil, you must be having lots of fun with the new ride.
Mine usually last 7k - 10K miles and I replace the oil filter around 50%. I drive mostly highway.
Good Luck
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From: Farmers Branch TX
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I dont know about the Ls1, but as a professional mechanic, I see the insides of engines with 10-15k oil changes, and it is not a pretty sight. I change mine at 5k as most of my driving is stop and go city driving, I may just be wasting money, but it makes me feel better.
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Normally, you can change the oil when the oil life monitor shows a life expectancy of 5% or less. However, if you do not drive your car enough in a year to get the monitor down that far, you can do like I do and change the oil once a year. I do mine just as I am putting it away for the winter.
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From: Charlotte, NC (formerly Endicott, NY)
The important part not stated is, do you know when it was last changed?
I would say trust the dic also, but if you're not sure when it was changed then maybe it's due now. 49% should be more than 2k miles worth of driving, and somebody could have reset it incorrectly before.
If you changed the oil when purchased, that's some aggressive driving.
I would say trust the dic also, but if you're not sure when it was changed then maybe it's due now. 49% should be more than 2k miles worth of driving, and somebody could have reset it incorrectly before.
If you changed the oil when purchased, that's some aggressive driving.
If you don't know when the oil was last changed or if the monitor was accidentally reset after that last oil change then the Owners Manual instructs the owner to change the oil at 3K miles. If the monitor wasn't reset at the last oil change it is showing less oil life than the oil actually has.
Bill
Last edited by Bill Dearborn; Nov 6, 2007 at 12:41 AM.