RCZ51C7

Hello All,

So I change the oil after the first 500 miles last November! The vehicle only has 810 miles (only drove it 310 miles). I just drove it this week and I got a message that the Oil was at 23% oil life.

Now obviously it only has 310 miles of the life span and it has not been the 1 year mark yet.

I am going to change it anyways. Just wanted to know if anyone has been in this situation.

eboggs_jkvl

It counts days too. It will go to 0 in 12 months whether or not you drive it 1 mile.

Elmer

Zymurgy

You changed it last November and it is now September. So, roughly 10/12 (83%) of a year has elapsed. It will read 0% at one year since the OLM was reset.

Lot's of garage queens see this.

05XLRtoC7_San Diego

It's kinda annoying for the warning to be based on time since a lot of Vette owners don't put many miles on their cars.

From a mileage point of view, how far can we wait between oil changes?
If I put 6000 miles a year, can I get the oil changed every 2 years?

Zymurgy

Manual says:

laserdude2215

12,000 miles on Mobil 1? No problem. Just don't expect to have any powertrain warranty.

Patman

While under warranty I would never suggest doing this, but with my C6 I have been doing oil changes every 2 years, the last one I just did was a 10,000 mile interval and the oil analysis results proved that what I was doing was safe.

When I get my C7 I will follow the oil life monitor and will never go beyond 1 year, at least while the powertrain warranty is still in effect.

Steve_R

310 miles in 10 months??? Why own it?

The next owner you're saving it for will like it.

05XLRtoC7_San Diego

Interesting you did an oil analysis.

In the big picture, it's not that expensive to have the oil changed yearly- paying ~$115 is a small investment to prevent problems down the road.

Patman

I have been doing oil analysis for years on all of my cars, it's more of a hobby than anything, it's not to save money by any means. But it has given me the confidence to go longer on my oil changes, because before I started doing that I was doing oil changes every 3 to 5000 miles.

Maxie2U

Doing an oil analysis on an airplane engine has real value but I fail to see any value with a car engine.

Patman

Like I mentioned, it's more of a hobby for me but it has helped me out as well. For instance, on one of my reports on my 2006 Civic I saw 7% fuel in the oil analysis report. After asking around, a few people suggested that I probably had a leaky fuel injector and to try one of the good fuel system treatments with PEA in it. I did a double dose of Gumout Regane and on my next oil analysis that level dropped to zero.

It doesn't happen often but I know of a couple of guys who were doing regular oil analysis on their cars and spotted some coolant leaking into the oil and were able to get the head gasket repaired before it turned into a major leak and possibly hydrolocked the engine.

But I do agree, for the average person, they are better off saving their money and just using that money towards future oil changes.

RCZ51C7

Well I gave my dad a 2016 Z51 as a 60 year present. He only drives it on Sundays to go to the casino or just cruise around. I have told him to use it, but he prefers to look at it every day after work and put some quick detail every week. I do a full detail every time I am home (3-4 months).

We are planning to keep it, our next project is in 6 years get a C2. We want to have both later on. I know that many might say why not trade it or get a GS or Z06.

Well for us the C2 is a Stingray and our a C7 is a Stingray and not a GS or Z06.

Whatever makes him happy! I am the one that uses it every time I can when I am at home.

Foosh

Yeah, it's also kind of annoying that cars that don't get driven have parts that dry rot, condensation in the fluids that doesn't get evaporated with normal use, including oil, and otherwise just sit there and decompose. There is a reason that oil should be changed once a year, even if its been driven 0 miles, in the hopes that someday, it will actually be driven.

Stop the annoyance, drive the damned car.

JerryU

In fact for garage queens it could be worse than changing once a year, which in the C7 the OLM will keep track of for you! Every time the engine is started, the oil must get hot for long enough to burn off the excess blowby that occurs when the a cold engine starts! The blowby forms acids, etc in the oil! The OLM keeps track of starts and the subsequent oil temp! The OLM will shorten the time required to change based on that activity! So if frequent short mileage drives to the store 2 miles away and/or the Vette is often moved to gain access to something in the garage and just moved back, the OLM could say change even sooner than a year! The "good miles" put on a car when cruising for long drives on a highway are not nearly the problem of cold starts!

In my 1988 Vette the Owner's Manual said change at xxx or one year, whichever comes first-for a reason! It's not something new, but the C7 is the first to keep track of time! In fact the Instruction Info for the 502/502 BB in my street rod says the same thing, min oil change once per year. I do it even though it is driven mostly to car shows! Just changed that oil today! I make it a point to try to drive ~20 miles if I have to move it to get something out of the garage it is blocking! Those large forged aluminum pistons have a lot of piston to cylinder wall clearance when it's started. You can hear the piston slap until the pistons get hot and expand! Combined with the rich Holley air/fuel mixture when the automatic electric choke is applied, lots of blowby mixing with the oil!

PS: I assembled the 502/502 Chevy Crate motor from some 30 boxes of parts, including cylinder heads etc. I can "visualize" those nicely honed cylinder walls being corroded by the acid containing oil! Makes me feel much better knowing I'm doing what I can to help!

Pisswilly

What happens to the people who change their own oil and have no documentation when a problem occurs during power train warranty?

Patman

That's why you need to make sure you save all your receipts. That's what I will be doing, as I have no intention of ever letting anyone else change my oil.

Foosh

It means they may have a problem w/ warranty coverage. GM can deny coverage because there is no evidence that required maintenance was performed.

gpotski

I noticed my DIC giving me the oil change warning lately.

It says my oil life is 3%.

I've put 3000 miles on the car since my last oil change 10/06/16.

Looks like the oil is virtually clean on the dipstick.

Time must really be a key variable in the oil life monitor algorithm.

I'll change it soon for the winter storage time.

JerryU

Yep, in your case the 12 month change requirement is probably governing. Should be expected as you're only 15 days away from a year, 15/365 = 4%.

All 5 Vettes since my 1988 and the modified S10 when between Vettes said change at xxx OR ONE YEAR, WHICH EVERY OCCURS FIRST. The difference is the C7 is the first car to use time in the OLM algorithm versus you having to keep track with a calendar!