2012 Chevy 2500HD Maintenance and...

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crashz

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Jul 31, 2003
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...What in the world is Dexos???


I just took deleivery of my new truck, a 2012 Chevy 2500HD ECSB, 4x4 with 6.0L gas engine and 6spd auto. Love the truck!

So my fellow BITOG brothers and sisters, I have a few questions:

- what is Dexos? It is REQUIRED in the manual (the mainatenance topic is very lacking in the owners manual) in a grade of 5w-30, but I have yet to see it specified on name brand oils.

- If YOU (that means your opinion, so no arguing) were to own this truck and drive it the way I do (DD and occasional hauling, towing, snow plowing), what would you do for maintenance say in the next 6 months and why?

- Anybody know of a good repair/maintenance manual? The bad thing about a new truck is lack of data. The GM stuff is pricey and I'm just looking for a Haynes type for normal maintenance.

Thanks!
Leo
 
Dexos is GMs new oil spec. Most oils are a synblend or higher. M1, M1 EP, PP, PU, QSUD all are dexos certified and full syn.
 
'Dexos' is the new certification GM developed that oil must meet to be used in GM vehicles from about 2010 onward.

It can be a syn-blend, but most Dexos-1 oils are full-synthetics. Dexos-1 is only a 5W-30 oil.

there will be alist somewhere of waht is actually certified to it...a lot of oils 'meet' it, be only a few have actually paid for the cert.
 
Maintenance in the next six months? It's new! I'd change the oil when the oil life monitor tells you to using your choice of synthetic Dexos 1 5w-30 and that's it. Follow the severe service schedule for all the fluids if you feel the need - hauling, towing, and plowing might necessitate this.

Repair/maintenance manual? By the time you (should) need to worry about that there'll be a Hanes/Chilton manual.
 
First thing I'd do is check all the fluid levels. My Allison was low from the factory and its pretty common for the gear oil in the diffs to be low as well.

Not much needed for maintanance in the next 6 months.

I'd also follow the OLM for oil changes. Its been proven to work well.

I'm not sure how you feel about Wal-mart,but they have a great deal on full synthetic Pennzoil Platinum. Its $18.75 for 5qts in my area.
 
Thanks for the update on the Dexos!

I guess I was expecting to hear that I should change the oil out at 500 miles and then follow the OLM with a blend of GC and magic elf juice.

Maintenance has me a little worried only because it doesn't look like the front end has been greased. Also being a daily driver, it gets miles piled on fairly quick.

Thanks for the updates on the fluids. I've checked the oil and it appears to be a little high. I'll check the diffs and trans and top up as soon as I can. I'm also thinking I'll change the oil with the GM Dexos at 1000 miles and give it a good greasing.
 
crashz,

I've gotten a coupon in the mail for a free oil change for each of the 4 Chevy trucks I've bought in the last few years (different dealers). You should get one in the next few weeks.

I'd go early for the first change to get rid of casting sand, etc. My 2011 5.3 I did around 2800 miles (OLM around 70%), which is my upper limit (I extended based upon advice from this site). My next change will be around 6k miles on the odometer. After that, I'll use the OLM, changing around the 30% remaining point, or one year, whichever is less.

I'm planning on changing the limited slip rear differential fluid at 5k, or earlier. You wouldn't believe the amount of metal pieces that end up in the rear end by that time. After the initial change, I'll go to the recommended intervals. I'll also do the first tranny pan drop and fluid and filter change early.

After the free dealer oil change, I'm (initially) going to M1 or M1EP 5W-30 (dexos licensed), with either Pure1, M1 or K&N oil filters. I have a bunch of them left over from my 2 2500HD 6.0s. I don't think you could go wrong with PP or PU oil also, but I haven't seen it with the dexos license on the bottle yet in my area. I personally think the dexos license (not the certification) is extortion from GM to owners and oil companies, but I'll play along as long as I have a warranty in effect.

I've got the official factory GM service manuals for most of my vehicles, and find them worth their weight in gold. I've used the Haynes manuals and find them worth their weight in lead. Well, maybe iron. I have heard of people picking up complete factory manuals (software) on E-bay for a fraction of the normal cost, but I have't tried this source yet. If you can't get a cheap software version, I'd recommend biting the bullet and getting the factory manuals.

My 2500HDs were used by my wife's landscaping company in severe service. I do know the factory brakes outlasted the Autozone Duralast ceramic replacements by at least a factor of 3, so I'd stay away from AZ for pads. Replacements were free, but I got tired of replacing them all the time.
 
Originally Posted By: crashz


I guess I was expecting to hear that I should change the oil out at 500 miles and then follow the OLM


CONGRATS on the new truck. I went the first year on FF which was about 7k and it didn't turn into a pumpkin or anything. OLM seems to take mileage pretty high so if i would have been to 10k i would have changed by then.
 
Ah, the new truck. A wonderful thrill. Congrats.

Note that we have several 6.0 gas motors in Savana 3500's. This engine is very easy on the oil. Follow the olm and use high quality synthetic and you can expect a minimum of 250k and as many as over 400k miles.

That's what we get!
 
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