2011 Silverado change oil or not?

[Corollaman]

2011 Silverado 4.3 v6. Truck had oil changed at dealer in Dec. of last year I've only put 2,500 miles on it since then and oil life monitor is at 43% life remaining. I was thinking of waiting another month or so. The owner's manual says the oil can go up to a year and must be changed regardless of miles. Truck has 7,700 original miles on it.

 

[walterjay]

If it were me I would wait.

 

[Nick1994]

Short tripped or long drives?

 

[Corollaman]

Originally Posted By: Nick1994
Short tripped or long drives?
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
Short tripped or long drives?

A lot of short commutes but I thought GM's oil life monitor takes that into consideration in regards to oil life. Its at 43% remaining after only 2,500 miles so I would think that it is considering the short trips.

 

[Patman]

Definitely wait until the oil life monitor gets closer to zero, or December, whichever comes first.

 

[hemitruck]

Short trips ? I would forget the oil life monitor and change more often.

 

[RooflessVW]

Originally Posted By: Patman
Definitely wait until the oil life monitor gets closer to zero, or December, whichever comes first.

It should hit 0% if either condition is met, whether time it miles.

I'd wait until then as well.

 

[WillB]

Forget the OLM - change it.

 

[SnowDrifter]

The oil life monitor isn't necessarily accurate in all cases.

Oil is cheap, engines are expensive. If this is your typical use case, change it and send a sample in to determine what the appropriate interval should be. Don't trust the internet with your investment

 

[AZjeff]

Wow, you put 1/3 of the miles on since last December. Did you buy it new?

Do what makes YOU feel warm and fuzzy, it's your truck. New oil won't hurt it, going to December won't either.

 

[toneydoc]

Go down to 5%

 

[JLTD]

Originally Posted By: SnowDrifter
The oil life monitor isn't necessarily accurate in all cases.

Oil is cheap, engines are expensive. If this is your typical use case, change it and send a sample in to determine what the appropriate interval should be. Don't trust the internet with your investment


^ This. You're concerned about the oil's condition so send in a sample to see where you are. I would leave it in until the results were back and bet a one year, 5-6k mile OCI will be great.

Of course the dealer probably didn't use the same oil that you will...

 

[Patman]

Originally Posted By: rooflessVW
Originally Posted By: Patman
Definitely wait until the oil life monitor gets closer to zero, or December, whichever comes first.

It should hit 0% if either condition is met, whether time it miles.

I'd wait until then as well.


I don't think the oil life monitor in the 2011 Silverado uses time as a factor though. With the Corvettes, the 2013 and earlier models did not use time as a factor, so if you didn't drive the car, the OLM didn't count down. It wasn't until 2014 that they added the time factor to the OLM, so that even if you didn't drive a single mile in one year, it'll still count down that entire time and will reach 0% on the one year mark since resetting it.

 

[rojeda562]

I would personally change the oil. Do an oil change with any Dexos Oil and a decent oil filter. Drive another 2,500 miles and see if it is back at 43%. 5% either higher or lower than 43% after 2,500 mi would mean that they did change the oil. There are many factors that could change the oil life due to climate, driving style and driving condition. This is a test I would personally do in your position. I'm like a 50/50 that they did and did NOT change the oil. Possibly even do partial oil change. Who knows, I always change my own oil because I don't trust no one, not even the dealerships.

 

[s2krunner]

Id go ahead change it.

 

[ka9mnx]

Originally Posted By: toneydoc
Go down to 5%


^^^ This. Trust the OLM.

 

[billt460]

Originally Posted By: hemitruck
Short trips ? I would forget the oil life monitor and change more often.


This ^^^^^^^^^^^

If I went by the "oil meter" I would still be driving on my original oil from 2015 that the car came with.

 

[ka9mnx]

Originally Posted By: billt460
Originally Posted By: hemitruck
Short trips ? I would forget the oil life monitor and change more often.


This ^^^^^^^^^^^

If I went by the "oil meter" I would still be driving on my original oil from 2015 that the car came with.


3 years on an engine oil? What's wrong with that? The change it once a year will become the new change it every 3,000 miles myth.

 

[CT8]

Originally Posted By: Corollaman
2011 Silverado 4.3 v6. Truck had oil changed at dealer in Dec. of last year I've only put 2,500 miles on it since then and oil life monitor is at 43% life remaining. I was thinking of waiting another month or so. The owner's manual says the oil can go up to a year and must be changed regardless of miles. Truck has 7,700 original miles on it.
What has been the maintenance since 2011?

 

[Corollaman]

Originally Posted By: CT8
Originally Posted By: Corollaman
2011 Silverado 4.3 v6. Truck had oil changed at dealer in Dec. of last year I've only put 2,500 miles on it since then and oil life monitor is at 43% life remaining. I was thinking of waiting another month or so. The owner's manual says the oil can go up to a year and must be changed regardless of miles. Truck has 7,700 original miles on it.
What has been the maintenance since 2011?


Two services at the dealer before I bought it so I I know its had at least two oil changes and it has 7,700 miles on it now. I check the oil regularly and it looks very clean (I know you can't judge it just by looks).