banph

I just noticed my oil indicator life is 24%. My 2017 GS has 2900 miles on it and the oil was changed last July 2017 when it hit 500 miles. The dealer did it.

I am thinking that the technician forgot to reset it. I typically change the oil myself ever 5000 miles and very rarely look at the indicator. My 08 Z06 never came even close to 24% with only 2500 miles. I know that there are a lot of factors driving the oil indicator but thought I would just ask what others see as normal life for 2500 miles. I do not track the car but do drive it like it was designed for. I'm still thinking they forgot to reset it.

Thanks

Skid Row Joe

Your oil is timing out in all likelihood. 24% sounds about right.

coupeguyz51

The oil life indicator operates based on an algorithm that takes into account not only miles driven but passage of time and maybe some other factors....your % drops even if you don't drive the car. Others may have a different opinion, but I don't pay attention to it, just the mileage, especially with Mobil 1 synthetic I don't think you need to change the oil at 2400.

NSC5

The new OLM algorithm includes time so it deducts a percentage each month even if your car isn't driven at all. GM always wanted the oil changed once per year and the old verbiage was OLM or 12 months whichever comes first but now you just go by the OLM.

I preferred the old system where the OLM tracked only the actual operating environment. I have no problem keeping track of when a year goes by so I don't need my OLM to play its time penalty game. Basically with the new system if your car stays in storage for much of the year the OLM may count down to 0 due to the time penalty plus heavy usage over a few months even though the oil has not been in the car for 12 months nor has it accrued the operating time/conditions that would result in the OLM dropping to zero.

GM is applying a calendar time plus operating conditions algorithm to a system that should be a calendar time OR operating conditions change interval. I guess they decided that customers would freak out if the system counted down from 75% to 0% in one month if it didn't constantly penalize for time since last change. This new OLM protocol is fine for a car daily driven throughout the year but not for a Z06 in the midwest.

JerryU

Yep that's 9 months so you should have 12-9=4 so 4/12 = 25% left!

My thought:
First, miles was an old concept but all we had was an odometer! The OLM use engine revolutions and many other measurements! One mile on the Interstate is far better for the engine than a mile in town with stop and go!

Second, every Vette I have owned (first a 1988) said in the Owner's Manual change in XXX miles (or when the OLM says if it had one) OR 1 YEAR WHICHEVER COMES FIRST! Some didn't bother to follow that but this is what my '93 Vette Owner's manual said:
For normal driving change oil at 7500 miles OR ONE YEAR WHICHEVER COMES FIRST!
However it also said, "If most drives are less than 4 miles change at 3000 miles OR 3 MONTHS WHICHEVER COMES FIRST!"

Now the GS is even worse as the dry sump takes longer to get the oil hot. However the OLM keeps track of how hot the oil gets after a start. If not hot enough long enough (to help evaporate the excess water and fuel from blowby from a cold engine start) it will shorten the time to change!

Have to get past that old change at xxx miles! Only Jiffy Lub still uses that!

JerryU

Understand the psychological problem IF you look at the OLM % during the year! But the end result is the same, at one year (assuming your not just driving the car 2 to 3 miles to the store and back when you drive) it will say change-not before!

Understand those that store the car for months are upset it shows a reduction when the car is not driven. But as long as at the end of one year from the last oil change it says change-what's the difference! That assumes you're also not driving 10,000 miles in the months you do drive.

I do use my car year around but don't put on that many miles so when one year approaches it says change. Frankly I don't look at the % life left in-between-why bother! I think more folks would be upset if the OLM just kept track of time but did not display the amount of time left until one month before a year (for those who put on < 7000 miles) and it popped up and said 8% oil life left! Just Sayn'!

Skid Row Joe

There's a lot of rule of thumb (personal opinions) on when oil should be changed, then there's the manufacturer's written instructions, and finally the car's instructions. I side with personal opinion and other oil related information learned and experienced over the years since 100% synthetic oil has come into the mainstream of usage. At the end of the quandary comes the manufacturers warranty to consider. I've been running 100% synthetic oil in all my bought new and used car and truck diesels since the early 2000s. In the previous 30 years, I never had an oil related engine failure running conventional earthen oil. You've got extremely durable oil in the synthetics. I'm afraid we're all changing out our synthetic oil far too frequently. More attention should be paid to changing our oil filters and air filters, than synthetic oil.

JerryU

^^^
Hmm, in post #2 was starting to give you credit for being rational. But now you are smarter than the GM engineers! I would not second guess them and have been using Mobil 1 since I first bought it for my 260Z and modified Corvair in 1974!

Lots of info from "oil/auto experts" on why it needs to be changed annually. But if you think you are smarter why read or try to understand it!

rrsperry

Dang Jerry, you've had a Corvair right after the Norman conquest.. (1066) Impressive.

JerryU

Yep, great for those muddy roads!

You responded to the post before I checked and corrected!

LT1 Z51

As an automotive engineer and a person who works on his own cars, second guessing engineers is usually the correct thing to do.

At work there is a cost, performance, reliability/durability, manufacturing, function balance. If you throw out cost, manufacturing, and don't care so much about reliability/durability then most of the solutions as engineered by the OEMs are incorrect.

That being said, you have to be responsible for your actions. I'm not a fan of the time component of the new OLM but generally I change my oil once a year anyway and if it doesn't artificially lower my mileage, making me change it more than once a year as I should NEVER reach the actual limit based on my driving and mileage, I guess it doesn't really matter much.

roadbike56

When I was breaking into the world of being a chemist, I had a summer job as a lab tech in a oil/gas additive company. We had a sign that read: "WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS, FOLLOW DIRECTIONS". I never forgot that sign.
Op, you're going to be notified by On Star or by the dealer to change your oil. I'd follow directions and not put your drive train warranty at risk. I believe on you 2017 it's still a free oil change.

JerryU

Have sold many of the latest technology MIG welders to auto companies and Tier 1 folks like Dana who bought the first microprocessor based high rise rate Pulsed MIG systems mostly for the Robots welding the Ford F-150 truck frame. Have to admit, the Tier 1 folks are usually more knowledgeable about our technical area.

However I was referring to the “oil experts” who have published on the forum the reasons for oil deterioration with time, i.e. when you start a cold engine lots more blowby of that usually fuel rich mixture and the water, a main product of combustion, gets in the oil and forms acids. They have expounded more reasons, but they are the experts not me!

Don’t want to download what they have said but convinced me! But I didn’t need convincing just followed what it has said in my Vette Owner’s Manual's like I quoted above from my 1993 Vette. Change at 7500 miles or one year, whichever comes first. It also says if most drives are under 4 miles change at 3000 miles or 3 MONTHS, WHICHEVER OCCURS FIRST. Even in 1993 they knew what they were talking about!

Your car your choice. Have a good friend who has engineering degrees who never changes his coolant and changes oil when he wants. He keeps his car for ~10 years.

But then what does he know, he’s a welding engineer from Ohio State with a business masters!

Skid Row Joe

Since you've obviated GM manufacturers owners manual guidelines and recommendations, you've joined the ranks of those smarter than GM's Engineers.

Skid Row Joe

Correct. Great post. I've never had any trouble with my oil changing practices either.