Can one extrapolate the GM OLM?

[EvanR]

I've been away from BITOG for a while. Time to come back with a new car and new questions.

Just picked up a 2013 Chevy Sonic/1.8/5MT. It's my first ever car with an OLM, and I have questions. Search isn't helping.

Assuming one's driving habits don't change much, and the city/highway ratio stays fairly constant, is oil life a linear value?

By example... I bought the car with a fresh oil change and 100% on the OLM. 1500 miles later, the OLM is at 84%. Math tells me that's about 90 miles for each percentage point.

Give or take, a 9000 mile OCI.

Or am I making too many assumptions?

 

[901Memphis]

You are about right except that it accounts for temperatures too so it will tick down faster in the cold.

 

[gabriel9766]

In the winter it was going down a % every 40-60 miles in my malibu now its going down a % every 60-80 miles.

 

[EvanR]

If cold makes it tick down faster, is the opposite true?

It's 80F here now, and only getting hotter!

 

[gabriel9766]

Originally Posted By: EvanR
If cold makes it tick down faster, is the opposite true?

It's 80F here now, and only getting hotter!

It should. It's also considers driving habits and warm up time.

 

[EvanR]

Thanks for the help, folks. This car is a placeholder and not a long-term keeper, so I intend to go as cheap as possible on maintenance.

 

[Doublehaul]

Not sure about the ops model but GMs olm has proven to be problematic in my moms 3.6 Gmc. With dealership dexos changes uoa's were coming back showing the oil was toast. Basically fuel present and oil out of grade etc...a switch to a 5k oci with the same oil fixed the issue fwiw.

 

[gabriel9766]

Originally Posted By: Doublehaul
Not sure about the ops model but GMs olm has proven to be problematic in my moms 3.6 Gmc. With dealership dexos changes uoa's were coming back showing the oil was toast. Basically fuel present and oil out of grade etc...a switch to a 5k oci with the same oil fixed the issue fwiw.

The 3.6 is hard on oil no matter what. The 1.8 ecotec which the OP has is even better than the 1.4 turbo which is the other option for his car.

 

[Doublehaul]

Bad news anyway...honestly I was a olm follower...but no more. I'll pick a sensible oci based on uoas and go from there

 

[Chris142]

My wife's Tahoe wanted her to go 14k. No thanks. I just keep track of it and let it go 5k or so

 

[06VtecV6]

Originally Posted By: Chris142
My wife's Tahoe wanted her to go 14k. No thanks. I just keep track of it and let it go 5k or so


The OLM is indeed the reason why you don't need to do what you are doing because it keeps tracks of engine temperature, MILEAGE and engine revolutions and just freaking knows this [censored]. [censored], I went from a 2006 with an OLM or as Honda calls it the MMS to a 1995 MY that doesn't have an OLM but does have a digital temperature readout which doh derp the 06 does not.

 

[EvanR]

I totally get where you folks are coming from. I was that way, once. But if this car says it wants a 9k OCI, I'm not going to argue if I'm only taking it to 90k then dumping it. Maybe even sooner.

 

[EvanR]

Originally Posted By: Chris142
My wife's Tahoe wanted her to go 14k. No thanks. I just keep track of it and let it go 5k or so


Feel free to ignore your OLM. It's your truck and your money.

But I posted here to talk about MY car and MY money.

 

[daves87rs]

Originally Posted By: EvanR
Originally Posted By: Chris142
My wife's Tahoe wanted her to go 14k. No thanks. I just keep track of it and let it go 5k or so


Feel free to ignore your OLM. It's your truck and your money.

But I posted here to talk about MY car and MY money.



Ummm.. I'm thinking he means that he doesn't trust his OLM, that's all.


If your car is just a fill in between cars anyways, what's the worry? A simple good syn/filter for 10k will be fine on that 1.8-they are easy on oil......


Don't really follow the OLM on my Cobalt much either. The 2.2 is also easy on oil, programmed to dino oil- and it would still go 7-8k easy. I just keep my syn/filter, and change t between 6-8k myself (decent amount of city driving), and I've seen the OLM anywhere from 9-32% depending on the season anyways....

 

[mjoekingz28]

I do believe the owner's manual says not to exceed 10,000 miles.

 

[mjoekingz28]

....or a year!

 

[Olas]

Even IF the software and algorithms are close to being accurate you can disregard them.
OLMs are for people who don't know or care about maintenance but who need a visual reminder on the dash.

BITOGers choose their own oil and sample it, and the analysis and TBN indicate how much further it can go - more fulfilling and no less accurate than the OLM.

 

[Gasbuggy]

Originally Posted By: 06VtecV6

The OLM is indeed the reason why you don't need to do what you are doing because it keeps tracks of engine temperature, MILEAGE and engine revolutions and just freaking knows this [censored]. [censored], I went from a 2006 with an OLM or as Honda calls it the MMS to a 1995 MY that doesn't have an OLM but does have a digital temperature readout which doh derp the 06 does not.




Ali G, dat you?

 

[Merkava_4]

Mine gets to about 40% at 3,700 miles. I change it out then.

 

[bradepb]

In the OP's case I would have no problem following the OLM.

However on my cars that I keep till the wheels fall off I just cannot do it. I change every 5000 which usually means anywhere from 10 -30% left depending on season.