Got an '06 Chevy Colorado with 3.5 I5 that sat on the dealer lot for close to a year. My inclination is to change it sometime before 1000 miles since the oil sat in the vehicle so long. Also I usually do a change on new vehicles at 500 or 1000 miles. Does GM use any special "break-in" oil ? Also when would be best time to switch over to synthetic.
'06 Chevy Colorado first oil change
- Thread starter HaroldCallahan
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I recommend your oil change around the 1,000 mark. As for break in oil nope. GM uses some XOM stuff simular to Mobil Drive Clean. Nothing special at all. Synthetic if you feel the need to use it. I say between 7.5K-10K and follow your OLM.
Nice truck, my dad has one too, a 2005. Anyhow, I agree with dave1251 and he is correct about the oil used by the factory. (I know first hand working in a GM factory. My dad has 21k trouble free miles on his and he runs Wal Mart Supertech Synthetic. I was skeptical of this and did a UOA on his last oil change. See the surprisingly good results in the UOA section under 2005 Colorado.
I got a 2006 Z71 and I changed the oil the day I bought it. It sat on the lot for about 8 months....
I have a 2006 Colorado that's my work truck. I got it in July. I've put about 4,600 mixed miles on it since then. The OLM hasn't come on, even though I've done some "spirited" driving in it. I've been thinking about going ahead and changing it out at 5,000 miles since I drive a lot of dusty roads. The station we go to for maintenance uses Citgo oils. Which oil in the Citgo line would be good?
Triple_Se7en
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I switched mine to synthetic at 3.5K. I ran the fatory fill until then - even though my new vehicles sat for 8-9 months prior.
I am not a fan of Citgo or Supertech. I'll use Pennzoil, Mobil, Valvoline, Castrol synthetic 5W-30s instead. The Amsoils and Schaefers Group III are very good - just can't find it anywhere but online.
I am not a fan of Citgo or Supertech. I'll use Pennzoil, Mobil, Valvoline, Castrol synthetic 5W-30s instead. The Amsoils and Schaefers Group III are very good - just can't find it anywhere but online.
If it sat around for a year, I'd change the oil ASAP.
Triple_Se7en
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Why?
What little condensation in there will burn off. Motor oil is not condensation-soluble. Engine heat should dry it out in a hurry. Odds are, just sitting in the sun on warm days did that.
What little condensation in there will burn off. Motor oil is not condensation-soluble. Engine heat should dry it out in a hurry. Odds are, just sitting in the sun on warm days did that.
I'd be inclined to change out the oil on any vehicle that has spent some time on a dealer's lot. Many times the vehicles are shuffled around on the lot, based on whatever promotion is being run, resulting in short trip conditions.
Moisture can be a problem as well as acidity due to the short trip conditions.
Moisture/water can be a problem with any motor oil. Mark Matheys would always include a moisture content reading on any VOA report.
And Bruce related to us an incident where a customer had a batch of bulk oil contaminated with water. Bruce ran the batch thru his heated blending tank and had only a partial success rate at driving the water out.
Moisture can be a problem as well as acidity due to the short trip conditions.
Moisture/water can be a problem with any motor oil. Mark Matheys would always include a moisture content reading on any VOA report.
And Bruce related to us an incident where a customer had a batch of bulk oil contaminated with water. Bruce ran the batch thru his heated blending tank and had only a partial success rate at driving the water out.
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I say change the oil immediately. This way you know what oil is in the engine and you are familiarizing yourself with the innards of your new truck. You can also use this time to check for obvious problems that may need attention. Also, the factory filter is usually on there pretty tight and it is nice to get that off.
Remember, this is the only chance that you have to start your maintaince routine the way you want it to be. Once those miles tick off, there is no going back.
Remember, this is the only chance that you have to start your maintaince routine the way you want it to be. Once those miles tick off, there is no going back.
also dont forget about the differential. some study i read said that most the wear happens the first few thousand miles. and then all that wear metals is in there till you change it. i'd get it changed at 3-5K if i ever get a new vehicle again.
I would change the oil . I do the same as you on a new engine. I also change the drive line oils .
I would change the oil at 500, 1000, 2000, 3000 and then every 3000 miles after that. After 3000, change to synthetic. That's just me, but I think the break in period is critical. You might also check on a bypass filter from Amsoil or Oil Guard. Also break it in nice and change your differentials at 500 miles then every 10,000 to 15,000 miles. Also your tranny every 10,000. Mag Hytek makes nice differential covers that you can change the oil very easily. There are magnetic dip sticks and drain plugs to suck up the metal shavings. You will be surprised after 500 miles how much metal shavings are floating around your diffs. The magnetic dip sticks and drain plugs will collect most of it. Don't listen to the manufactures recommended 100,000 on the differentials. It's rediculous. Every 10,000 to 15,000 with synthetic gear oil, probably 75W140 in the rear and 75W90 in the front.
What does your employer pay for?
PS: I thought you were required to do 3mo/3k OCIs.
Triple_Se7en
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I thought you were required to do 3mo/3k OCIs.
It's a Chevy GM. No 3M/3K requirement.
Also no need to change the oil often after the warranty. That 3.5 five cylinder has been showing some very good wear numbers and no consumption - with 4-5 different UOAs so far.
Nice engine... just a tad too loud.
Quote:
Quote:
I thought you were required to do 3mo/3k OCIs.
It's a Chevy GM. No 3M/3K requirement.
Also no need to change the oil often after the warranty. That 3.5 five cylinder has been showing some very good wear numbers and no consumption - with 4-5 different UOAs so far.
Nice engine... just a tad too loud.
No, I meant I recall him posting a while ago that his employer required him to do 3-mo/3k OCIs.
Yeah, Critic's right, I am SUPPOSED to do the 3 month/3k deal. Uncle Sam wants to go thru some oil. Well, actually our fleet manager has yet to learn of extended drains. It's quite silly as we usually turn these vehicles iin at 80k or so miles. So if anyone likes "Forest Service Green" look for an auction.
I think I'll just go ahead with a change since last time I checked the dipstick on the low-wearing engine, there was a metal fragment on the tip. I may even sneak in some Neutra prior to changing it.
Hmm, wonder if I should drop in an ounce or two of arx.....lol
I think I'll just go ahead with a change since last time I checked the dipstick on the low-wearing engine, there was a metal fragment on the tip. I may even sneak in some Neutra prior to changing it.
Hmm, wonder if I should drop in an ounce or two of arx.....lol
There could be more time on that engine than the year it sat on the log. There could be lag time between the engine build and the car assembly. There there might be time between assembly, staging and delivery to a region and then to the dealer. The fact that it sat on a lot for a year speaks for slow product movement of this one vehicle.
If the oil change cycle is something like 5k miles/6 months it could be ready before you take delivery. Would you ever see the dealer changing oil on new vehicles that are lot queens. No, and it not because he knows or cares anything about maintenance, it's because it would be 10 bucks out of his pocket. The little bit of moisture that collects each time you operate a vehicle will be cooked off next time you drive somewhere far enough away to get the engine warmed up.
And the conditions of operation might be classified as severe service. I'm sure they treated the truck as something that needed to be moved around and taken on test drives. You know what a test drive is? The sales person says, "get on it , see how well it runs", but making sure the engine was up to temp, might not have happened.
If there is anything in an oil analysis of new oil besides new oil, it's assembly lube and its job is done when the engine is put together and started the first time. If any of that kind of stuff were useful beyond getting a new engine started, it would be in your next bottle of oil.
Or, you could just change the oil, blow the $20 bucks and err on the side of doing a bit more.
If the oil change cycle is something like 5k miles/6 months it could be ready before you take delivery. Would you ever see the dealer changing oil on new vehicles that are lot queens. No, and it not because he knows or cares anything about maintenance, it's because it would be 10 bucks out of his pocket. The little bit of moisture that collects each time you operate a vehicle will be cooked off next time you drive somewhere far enough away to get the engine warmed up.
And the conditions of operation might be classified as severe service. I'm sure they treated the truck as something that needed to be moved around and taken on test drives. You know what a test drive is? The sales person says, "get on it , see how well it runs", but making sure the engine was up to temp, might not have happened.
If there is anything in an oil analysis of new oil besides new oil, it's assembly lube and its job is done when the engine is put together and started the first time. If any of that kind of stuff were useful beyond getting a new engine started, it would be in your next bottle of oil.
Or, you could just change the oil, blow the $20 bucks and err on the side of doing a bit more.
Triple_Se7en
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I agree - even warm mweather will dissipate any moisture in that engine.... plus engine warmup. What little moisture that may be in there will get heavily pushed around by the oil pump. For moisture to have any permanent effect on wear parts, it would need to be parked on Daytona Beach all that time. Then the main foe would not be the water - instead the carrier salt content.
If you want to waste your money, then get your oil changed after delivery. No harm was done to mine by leaving the factory-fill in for 3.5K. I'm still enroute to driving this Colorado to the junkyard with the engine purring and a clean dipstick -- just rusted-out around 18 years later with over 220K on the odometer.
So if you plan on keeping it beyond 300K, then get your oil changed after delivery. Otherwise - don't loseany sleep over it. I've purchased my last 3-4 new vehicles the same way. There was no harm done.
If you want to waste your money, then get your oil changed after delivery. No harm was done to mine by leaving the factory-fill in for 3.5K. I'm still enroute to driving this Colorado to the junkyard with the engine purring and a clean dipstick -- just rusted-out around 18 years later with over 220K on the odometer.
So if you plan on keeping it beyond 300K, then get your oil changed after delivery. Otherwise - don't loseany sleep over it. I've purchased my last 3-4 new vehicles the same way. There was no harm done.
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