syswayne

I purchased a new 2016 in 2016 first 500 miles they changed the oil. Now it is 2018 and has 1284 miles on it and it popped up I needed an oil change. I have been where I could not drive it for a long time and just stared back. Do I have the oil changed with hardly any miles on it or do I just reset it to 100%. Please advise getting up there in age need help from some of you younger guys and most of you are really on top of information on Corevttes and I do want to thank you. This forum is really great for us old dudes to read and enjoy.

kennyjames21

If it's been 2 years since you've changed the oil, even if you haven't put much mileage on it, I'd change it out. Oil isn't that expensive vs. rebuilding an engine, and oil is one thing with a vehicle I don't think is worth taking chances on. I'm probably over-cautious, but I've never had an engine die on me either.

syswayne

Thanks for your reply. Do think I can get another one free only had it changed once. I think we were suppose to get 2 changes is this correct? Please advise if you know, thanks again for helping an old man

hammong

I don't worry as much about the oil as I do the oil filters. I'm sure that Mobil-1 is just fine after sitting in the crankcase for 2-3 years.

I'd go get a $60 oil change for your $60,000 car.

Greg

walker3

I had the same issue - one year and only a couple hundred miles - I changed it - just to ensure no issues with my warranty - I am thinking that they can tell if you just re-set it or not.

cowboy casey

call your dealership and ask or drop by at lunch..

Never hurts to ask..

Skid Row Joe

You do not need to change your oil and oil filter. With those stats I'd reset the oil meter to zero.

Virtually no one here does maintenance by the owners manual, even the ones that tell you they do, don't.

Foosh

Not following manufacturer maintenance requirements is usually only a problem when you have a major powertrain problem, the dealer or GM says you haven't followed the required maintenance schedule by changing your oil at least once a year regardless of mileage, and you may have compromised your warranty.

It's up to you, oil changes are cheap insurance, especially when they are free.

Kingtal0n

Crankcase is not perfectly sealed, there is an fresh air duct somewhere on all engines which allows fresh outside air (which contains water) to enter through the air filter and get into the crank case.

The flow is minimal but it is there. Oil that sits for a long time will collect water. A similar circumstance occurs when owners only start and drive short distances, never fully heating the engine. The oil becomes dilute due to cold starts and gains water from never reaching 210*F+, it begins to ruin the engine.

Oil cheap engine expensive

kennyjames21

If you have a regular stingray, then yup, you should be able to get your 2nd oil change for free, so there really is no reason not to do it.

If you have a z51, then you get a total of 3 free oil changes from what I understand.

Will not changing the oil here hurt your engine? Probably not, but again, why take the chance when you can get the oil changed for free, or worst case scenario, for 60 bucks or so? And as others have mentioned, if you do have a powertrain issue, GM will look for any way they can to deny your warranty claim, so I wouldn't give them any excuses if I were you.

Foosh

I neglected to mention earlier the free oil changes (3 for dry sump and 2 for wet sump) are only good for the first 2 years from in-service date.

Always Red Dave

I change mine once a year no matter what.

JerryU

Change as the OLM will say as a minimum, once/year!

For the OP this is from a "younger guy" (perhaps) of only 75 (but still doing 3 sets of 10 pull-ups on "back day" of my 7 day/week exercise routine! ) I change the oil once a year in my Street Rod that only goes to shows!

This is what it stated in my '93 Vette Owner's Manual re oil change.

1) Change every 7500 miles OR one year whichever occurs first.
2) If most drives are less than 4 miles change at 3000 miles OR 3 months, whichever occurs first!

The worse thing for an engine (and oil) is starting up the car when the rich fuel/air mixture needed to keep a cold engine running blows past the cold pistons that have much more gap to the cylinder walls until combustion heats them and they expand. Even worse is pulling it out of the garage to get something it's blocking and pulling it right back!

The C7 OLM keeps track of time for you so in one year, as it has said for all 5 of my Vettes, change. It also checks how hot the oil gets and for how long after a cold start which helps evaporate the main product of combustion that blows past the piston rings on a cold start-WATER! That water mixes with the oil and forms acids with the nitrogen compounds etc that also blow past cold pistons.

Your car but even after the warranty is up I'd suggest changing once a year as the OLM will dictate. Cheap insurance!

JerryU

Hmm, GM and oil/engine experts don't agree! Read above post #13! I don't worry about a filter on a car with few miles (although I change it when I change the oil, why not for $5.)

The filter can't help the acids that form in the oil, especially in a car that gets its' low miles in short trips. There is a reason all 5 of my Vettes (and other cars/trucks) state change a minimum once a year!

NSC5

Agree with others that it needs to be changed. If the engine had been thoroughly flushed and then NEVER run after getting fresh oil then I wouldn't worry about it going 2 years between changes although I would still do it just for warranty purposes.

But that wasn't the case in this scenario and low mileage stretched over a long period of time is one of the toughest sets of operating conditions for oil. If the low mileage on the oil is largely due to a lot of short trips then that oil has been under worse conditions than 4,000 mile oil in a Corvette that goes only on long road trips. The worst thing you can do for the engine and engine oil is frequent operation where the oil temp isn't held at high temperature for a sustained period of time in order to evaporate the moisture which forms under cold start conditions. At cold start you have more combustion byproducts going into the crankcase than other times during engine operation and if you have a lot of short trips this is what builds up and turns the oil from a lubricating to a corrosive fluid.

It is an expensive car so the cost of an oil change is relatively cheap. Yesterday I filled up the 36 gallon tank in my 2018 GMC Sierra Denali diesel and that cost more than a typical oil change but I just write it off to the cost of needing and driving a heavy duty pickup. I don't put cheaper off brand diesel in it or park it because I don't like the cost of operation.

billh1963

I'm new to the Corvette world having just bought my first one (new 2017 C7) this week. Having been in the Porsche scene for quite some time the difference in approach to maintenance routines is amazing. In the Porsche world not changing your oil at least once a year is heresy

I do agree that two year old oil should be changed for the reasons stated above. Oil also gets diluted from fuel. The only way to burn off contaminants is to get the engine up to temperature.

Thunder22

19lover55

falcon5619

This is why you should change it. Overtime especially with short drives you get condensation build up. You need to get that baby up to operating temp and let it evaporate all the moisture build up from time to time.

Kenny94945

Little driven car, perhaps even short distances.
Strong possibility of moisture accumulation.

Rule of thumb is annual oil changes.
With synthetic oil, some do extend to every two years.
I recall, the C6 oil monitor counts 365 days when reset, and shows a change oil message.

Only way to know which schedule works for you is a Blackstone Lab test...$30.
Do it yourself oil change & filter....$60
Dealer oil change....$100.

Good luck.