Oil life remaining warning
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 149
Likes: 11
Oil life remaining warning
2004 Z06 owner here for 5 months now. Warning came on, yet oil change was done May 2017 and 5500 miles ago.
Seems kinda early for fully synthetic oil.
How many of you go religiously by the OLM warning?
Seems kinda early for fully synthetic oil.
How many of you go religiously by the OLM warning?
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2006
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You have to reset that. Ignition on , don’t start car step on throttle 3 times then turn off . OR , ignition on , engine off , press trip till oil life displays . Press and hold reset 3 seconds , then key off .
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From: Ideals are peaceful...History is violent...St.Charles, MO.
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I can't comment on your driving style or the duties that your Vette sees on a daily basis but, I would never let my car go that long and with that kind of mileage between oil changes. Full synthetic is "supposed" to be able to last 6000 miles or 6 months but I'm sure the experts did some easy driving coming to that figure, I take that as a guide line. At minimum, I change out the oil twice a year, even if I only drove it 300 miles, which was the case for 2017. Personally, my C5 has never seen below 50% of the oil life since I've owned it 14 years, when I was driving it regularly years ago.
Call it preventative maintenance not waiting till the car tells you to change the oil.
Call it preventative maintenance not waiting till the car tells you to change the oil.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2017
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Either way, I'd never go more than a year eirher, but 5500 seemed low.
Oh well... Might as well start a clean slate.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2005
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From: Carson City Nevada
I can't comment on your driving style or the duties that your Vette sees on a daily basis but, I would never let my car go that long and with that kind of mileage between oil changes. Full synthetic is "supposed" to be able to last 6000 miles or 6 months but I'm sure the experts did some easy driving coming to that figure, I take that as a guide line. At minimum, I change out the oil twice a year, even if I only drove it 300 miles, which was the case for 2017. Personally, my C5 has never seen below 50% of the oil life since I've owned it 14 years, when I was driving it regularly years ago.
Call it preventative maintenance not waiting till the car tells you to change the oil.
Call it preventative maintenance not waiting till the car tells you to change the oil.
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On all my cars I go by the oil life monitor to determine when to change the oil. However, I will usually do the change at around 20% life remaining. On the Vette, I do not put many miles on it each year so I just change it when the car goes into winter storage or shortly thereafter.
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2006
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From: Olathe Kansas
I would NEVER EVER go more than 6 months or 3000 miles without changing my oil.
IT has been proven time and time again that the oil life monitors (esp in earlier models) sucks. Oil is cheap. Why would you risk a 10K engine over a $50 oil change ??
IT has been proven time and time again that the oil life monitors (esp in earlier models) sucks. Oil is cheap. Why would you risk a 10K engine over a $50 oil change ??
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 3,830
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From: Rocky Mountains
From what I have read, the old reliable advice of 3000 miles between oil changes is outdated for today's modern synthetic oils. At least if you're not talking about the most severe use.
I didn't know anything had been proven about the oil life monitors. It's based on an algorithm with rpm and temperature taken into account.
And apparently the earlier model 97-00 oil monitor was conservative because they reprogrammed the oil life to last longer on the 01-04. I assume GM did some serious oil life analysis on the earlier C5s and decided the oil could safely last longer than the algorithm was estimating.
I don't know how anyone manages 10k per change though. Maybe long trips in moderate weather ? I've gotten as few as 4k miles before it went to 0% life, but averages closer to 5k. The owner's manual actually states something like change it within 600 miles after it hits 0%. I feel safe going to 0% before changing it. I typically use Mobil 1 and a high quality filter.
But to be clear, I would still change it at least annually if I wasn't cycling through the oil life meter at least once a year already.
Last edited by Corvette#2; Feb 11, 2018 at 07:02 PM.
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From: Ideals are peaceful...History is violent...St.Charles, MO.
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Race Director
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From: Ideals are peaceful...History is violent...St.Charles, MO.
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There is a reason, and a good one. When a car is stored for months in a garage that isn't climate controlled, the oil sits and condensation from the fluctuating temperatures is the result. So, the oil gets changed. You think it's wasteful, I don't.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2000
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From: Pittsburgh PA
My corvette is changed once a year, I don't put a lot of miles on. I have gone with my other cars 10000 miles for years with out a problem. Mobil 1 in everything. BMW has an oil life odometer in their cars that is set at 15000 between changes. I had an 09 Traverse that broke a valve spring at 35000 miles. The service manger took me back to see my engine once it was opened and he showed me the difference in mine and another traverse that had broke a timing chain. My parts looked like they were brand new compared to the other car who did not change the oil on time and did not use synthetic. He did not know that I changed my oil at 10000 miles. His comment to me was see the difference when the oil is changed when it should be. So i had an eye test to the affect on how Mobil 1 at 10000 mile changes is on a motor. After repair i continued with Mobil 1 at 10000 mile changes and ran that car till 80000 miles with out anymore problems.
Last edited by Fcar 98; Feb 12, 2018 at 09:08 AM.
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2013
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From: Greensboro Nc
In all honesty I usually change mine anytime it's under 50%, it's a nice day, and I have some free time. I don't think it's ever gotten below 35% for me, which may be overkill, but it's dirt cheap and never more than 2 times a year even with the goood amount of driving I do.
Its so cheap and it feels good to know I'm taking care of it, and it's an easy job.
My wifes car (05 corolla) is a lot shorter interval using conventional oil. I do wait until the monitor reminds us on that one.
Its so cheap and it feels good to know I'm taking care of it, and it's an easy job.
My wifes car (05 corolla) is a lot shorter interval using conventional oil. I do wait until the monitor reminds us on that one.
Pro
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 667
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From: Jennings LA
Still have 2 months to go before changing my oil/filter on the Annual Basis. 42% Oil Life left last time I checked.
Amazingly , the guy that donated his 750+ K mile C5 to the Corvette Museum said that he changed oil when the car told him to. LOL I'm sure he was changing it a few times a year even at that pace.
Amazingly , the guy that donated his 750+ K mile C5 to the Corvette Museum said that he changed oil when the car told him to. LOL I'm sure he was changing it a few times a year even at that pace.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 788
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From: Olathe Kansas
Just a NEW LS alone is 5-6K...
I'm not going to risk my "fill in the blank" $$ motor for an extra
$39 oil change per year..
I read of all these LS's having oil leaks, sending units, etc going bad
at anywhere from 25K to 75K miles... Valvesprings, Rockers,, Seals Leaking , And the list goes on..
I bet MANY of these issues are avoided when the owners are vigilant on
preventative maintenance ... SO I'll stick with my "over doing it" and keep getting 200k+ miles out of all my vehicles (including 1 ford).
Pro
Joined: Aug 2016
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From: Jennings LA
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2006
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From: Olathe Kansas