MainerBob wrote: We've had our truck a bit over a year, our first vehicle this new with all the bells and whistles. It was dealer services before and has about 35K on it now. When you go to change oil and filters, etc. do most people follow the guidance of the little window about life left on oil and filters or do you follow a regular interval regardless of what the window says?
You can be conservative and follow the manual --- whatever it says and know GM can't argue with their own advice.
Or,
You can be ultra conservative and change the oil at the lesser of the mileage interval or the meter flag.
I recommend this route because oil monitoring technology is not perfect, and there can be errors --- and I rather not risk a $20k motor when oil changes are cheap.
But then I also change oil for brand new vehicles at 100mile, 250, 500, 1,000, 2,500, 5000, (then follow manufacturer recommended) intervals.
I know something that most owners don't --- which is how much metal particles and debris are left in an engine after it comes out of the factory --- and how much is not caught by the filter.
But you don't make money doing this unless you keep the vehicle past 200,000 miles.
Or,
Another method is do do regular oil analysis with an actual sample, and change it when the analysis tell you the oil is marginal.
Fleets do this, and I have seen them get 2X to 3X the recommended mileage from oils.
Or...
You can just do what a friend of mine did once, which is to never change the oil on a car --- just to see what happened --- he only added oil.
It lasted 15 years.. and was leaking oil like a sieve when he got rid of it.
Once a year for fuel and oil. I do the fuel filters myself and did the oil change in my garage last summer. might not do that again. 6000 miles seems to be the yearly miles driven.
chevman
chevman
2001 35 ft avalon alpenlite RK
2005 3500 2wd duramax CC dually
prodigy
easyrider/reese airhitch
trailair center point suspension
JT Strong Arm Stabilizers
KSH 55 inbed fuel tank
Garmin 2720
scanguage II
TD-EOC
Induction Overhaul Kit
TST tire monitors
Thank you all for answering me so promptly. The truck has Rotella T in it and GM filters since it has been dealer maintained. I think I will continue that practice, I like consistency. I will also use the DIC as my guide but may not go down to the last 5% of life. Probably not a good practice in trucks or life! Thanks again.
1991 Avion 30' Fiver, not silver
2006 Silvarado 2500HD Duramax, SRW, CC, Short Bed, 4x4
16K Draw-Tite Slider
Bikes on the back
Standard Poodle inside
Turbo Diesel Dude wrote: I would suggest that you sit down and spend some time reading your Owners Manual. The engineers that designed your vehicle know a lot more than just us average yardbirds. JMHO I just use my DIC. Works for me.
I like this response...TDD, you are in a small club on the forum: those of us that actually realize that the engineers who build these things just might know more on the subject than we net surfers
OP, if you do wander from the manufacturer's advice, go NewsW's direction and be even more vigilant than called for.
BManning baking in Phoenix
2008 Ford Super Duty F250 XLT, 4x4, crew cab, 6.75' bed
5.4L V8 300hp/365ft-lb, 5sp Torqshift, 4.30 AAM gears
9400lb GVW 11200lb tow
2007 Volvo XC90 AWD V8
4.4L 311hp/325ft-lb, 6sp Aisin, loaded
6100lb GVW 5000lb tow
MainerBob wrote: We've had our truck a bit over a year, our first vehicle this new with all the bells and whistles. It was dealer services before and has about 35K on it now. When you go to change oil and filters, etc. do most people follow the guidance of the little window about life left on oil and filters or do you follow a regular interval regardless of what the window says?
You can be conservative and follow the manual --- whatever it says and know GM can't argue with their own advice.
Or,
You can be ultra conservative and change the oil at the lesser of the mileage interval or the meter flag.
I recommend this route because oil monitoring technology is not perfect, and there can be errors --- and I rather not risk a $20k motor when oil changes are cheap.
But then I also change oil for brand new vehicles at 100mile, 250, 500, 1,000, 2,500, 5000, (then follow manufacturer recommended) intervals.
I know something that most owners don't --- which is how much metal particles and debris are left in an engine after it comes out of the factory --- and how much is not caught by the filter.
But you don't make money doing this unless you keep the vehicle past 200,000 miles.
Or,
Another method is do do regular oil analysis with an actual sample, and change it when the analysis tell you the oil is marginal.
Fleets do this, and I have seen them get 2X to 3X the recommended mileage from oils.
Or...
You can just do what a friend of mine did once, which is to never change the oil on a car --- just to see what happened --- he only added oil.
It lasted 15 years.. and was leaking oil like a sieve when he got rid of it.
Don't mean to hijack here, but NewsW, what theory do you follow on coolant, trans fluid, brake fluid, power steering fluid, diff & t/case oil, etc.?
Feeling a bit guilty as it's been a while since I've touched these fluids on my Land Cruiser. Some say if you don't tow (I don't currently), it's fine to leave 'em alone, others swear all fluids should be exchanged every other year or 30k miles at most. Would like your opinion.
Again, don't mean to hijack OP...enjoy that gem of a truck you have...06 is a GREAT model year Dmax to own.
* This post was
edited 05/17/12 10:13am by bmanning *
bmanning wrote: I like this response...TDD, you are in a small club on the forum: those of us that actually realize that the engineers who build these things just might know more on the subject than we net surfers
In fact, the engineers who developed the OLM erred dramatically on the conservative side, to the tune of close to 100%. IE. you could probably DOUBLE the mileage, but you would be clean out of any wiggle room at that point.
Remember when GM introduced the OLM in the 90's how all the quick change places and dealerships screamed blue murder that you should ignore the system and change your oil every 3000 miles regardless?
GMs response was along the lines of "We designed them, we build them and we warranty them - using the OLM will save millions of quarts of oil every year".
THAT was the issue - the other guys were afraid of losing business.
My dealer has finally got around to a 4000 mile oil change interval. I ignore them and use the OLM religiously!
Sold a '94 Buick Roadmaster wagon with 190,000 miles on the clock that had used the OLM change interval from day1. Never used a drop between changes.
Keith J.
1999 Sunnybrook 27RKFS Fiver.
2005 GMC Sierra 2500HD CC/SB/DA 2WD, LBZ air cleaner, 52 gal Titan tank, Bilsteins, Line-X, Westin steps, Prodigy, Retrax cover, 16K Superglide, 5th-Airborne pin-box, Multi-vex mirrors, TST TPMS.
bmanning wrote: Don't mean to hijack here, but NewsW, what theory do you follow on coolant, trans fluid, brake fluid, power steering fluid, diff & t/case oil, etc.?
Feeling a bit guilty as it's been a while since I've touched these fluids on my Land Cruiser. Some say if you don't tow (I don't currently), it's fine to leave 'em alone, others swear all fluids should be exchanged every other year or 30k miles at most. Would like your opinion.
Just changed EVERY fluid in my truck at 30,000 miles. Figured it was about time.
Just wait for Navydood to chime in He gets some serious mileage between changes.
Someone mentioned a $20k engine Please tell me that was a bit of an over estimate.
Once yearly or 7500 miles whichever happens first for me.
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Please tell me that was a bit of an over estimate. 
