Dump it or run it a bit longer...

[daves87rs]

Hmmm...I'm wondering just how far I should go...

My Cobalt has not had a OC since may...and it is only creeping up on 4200 miles. Checked the oil....and the oil is not even black yet (dark amber...can still see through it-and yes, I know about not just going by color..) It seems both car and oil are doing just fine. It actually has me considering running it until the end of the year, since it get warmed up on cold mornings. The bitog'er in me says to get my money's worth out of it.

But it's not like I don't have two cases of this oil either (Napa synthetic). So....should I just run it longer, or just change it this weekend?

 

[jmsjags]

do u do mostly highway or what? i say run it longer regardless but that would tell you if you could maybe extend it to the end of the year or not

 

[Solarent]

I'd bet you could probably pull at least another 1500 miles on that oil. If you are really concerned pull a sample and get it tested. Odds are though that you might as well take the weekend and do something nice for someone....

 

[abycat]

My dad does 14,000km oci with his 2010 ss cobalt. he gets the dealer to put in their synthetic and he goes by the OLM. It has just over 60,000km and runs like a top. No oil usage and no smoke at all.

 

[daves87rs]

Originally Posted By: jmsjags
do u do mostly highway or what? i say run it longer regardless but that would tell you if you could maybe extend it to the end of the year or not



Right now it is more city/some highway, but I've been easy on the car, and with my crazy hours, I seem to avoid heavy traffic....

 

[Merkava_4]

What's the sump capacity on that Cobalt? 4 quarts?

 

[OldCowboy]

Run it until the OLM tells you to change it.

 

[daves87rs]

Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
What's the sump capacity on that Cobalt? 4 quarts?



Nearly 5 quarts.

 

[A_Harman]

Originally Posted By: OldCowboy
Run it until the OLM tells you to change it.


Took the words right out of my keyboard!

 

[fdcg27]

What does the OLM tell you?
What percentage of life remains?
OTOH, it isn't geting any warmer now, and it might be well to change it now and be set for the winter versus hitting 0% OLM on a chilly day in January.

 

[daves87rs]

Originally Posted By: OldCowboy
Run it until the OLM tells you to change it.



Well, at this rate-it could be some time next year!

OLM currently sits at 53%.....

 

[08_shelby]

I would let it go a little more myself but if you don't have a warm place to change it yourself maybe sooner out of comfort and convenience. It gets cold up there!

 

[fdcg27]

The GM OLM appears to be very well validated, so you could run the oil all the way down to 0% OLM.
OTOH, I think you'll see the OLM drop far more quickly as the mornings get colder.
If it's taken you more than six months to drive 4200 miles, I'm guessing that this car is not driven very far on each start.
This apparently resulted in long predicted oil life under balmy conditions, but that happy state of affairs will not continue as the mornings get colder.
If the notion of having to do an oil change in really cold weather doesn't faze you, leave it be.
I've done changes on cold days before, and while it isn't all that much fun, you can do one quickly enough on a car you're familiar with that it doesn't take very long.

 

[A_Harman]

Some fun facts about the OLM:
When it reaches 0%, you still have 600 miles to go before it's really necessary.
The OLM is calculated on the basis of using conventional oil. Synthetics can go longer.
GM builds a lot of safety margin into everything that they engineer.

 

[daves87rs]

Originally Posted By: fdcg27
The GM OLM appears to be very well validated, so you could run the oil all the way down to 0% OLM.
OTOH, I think you'll see the OLM drop far more quickly as the mornings get colder.
If it's taken you more than six months to drive 4200 miles, I'm guessing that this car is not driven very far on each start.
This apparently resulted in long predicted oil life under balmy conditions, but that happy state of affairs will not continue as the mornings get colder.
If the notion of having to do an oil change in really cold weather doesn't faze you, leave it be.
I've done changes on cold days before, and while it isn't all that much fun, you can do one quickly enough on a car you're familiar with that it doesn't take very long.



Agreed. When it got cold last year, it dropped pretty quick. At this point, I'll see how it does after X mas and go from there.

 

[Malo83]

Originally Posted By: A_Harman
Some fun facts about the OLM:
When it reaches 0%, you still have 600 miles to go before it's really necessary.
The OLM is calculated on the basis of using conventional oil. Synthetics can go longer.
GM builds a lot of safety margin into everything that they engineer.


Yeah, ok!

 

[Winterpeg]

Hey Dave,
I'm at almost the same point with my Cobalt. Oil changed in June,Mobil 1 5w30.OLM now at 40% with 5800kms.Not many miles but when i use it i drive a good 1/2 hr - 1hr each time mostly.I'm going to run it till the OLM says 0.I don't think you have to worry,GM has done a lot of OLM research,trust it.

--From another Dave