GM OLM dead wrong

[FastSUV]

Originally Posted By: AlanRebod
OLM doesn't measure oil level. It does not know if your engine is burning oil and certainly many engines can go the entire length of the OLM's OCI and not burn a drop. The OLM is strictly a computer algorithm that gets some input from your driving habits. If you had put olive oil into the crank case, it wouldn't know any differently.

Some engines burn oil so badly that you're in danger even if you have a strict 3000 mile OCI. What then?

Your owner's manual most certainly asks you to check your dipstick level every time you go get fuel.


Dude...I am an oil man too...I know all of that.

BUT, my girlfirend is not gonna check the oil herself, and neither are millions like her. This is an almost new car and there is no reason for it to burn that much oil, but then that is where my OLM part comes in. If the OLM did not let it go SO LONG in miles, then it probably would not be burning any between changes (or a significant amount).

So for the good old standard 3k interval, most cars & soccer moms would do fine without checking the level between changes. but 10k on dino...GM should have known better!

 

[FastSUV]

Originally Posted By: crinkles
case closed... keep it topped up... the OLM does not check oil levels.



I NEVER said it does...I realize that, but if you are gonna have an OLM that can go so many miles between changes, then there should be another reminder to check the oil for the "sheep" that do not belong to this board that do not check their oil. I am sure the oil light would come on if it was very low, but the OP is because the OLM is wrong to recommend such a long interval on dino to begin with & even wronger to do so when a car is gonna burn up half its oil between changes despite being a newer car.

 

[FastSUV]

Originally Posted By: Mau
take it in for warranty repair, a vehicle with 22k should not be burning/loosing oil....


after 7k on dino in 105* heat???? Yeah I would think it would...but I will tell her and you know the dealership will give her some [censored] story and do nothing about it.

 

[FastSUV]

Originally Posted By: 360kid
Those Oil Monitors in GM's just plain suck. My dad has a Chevy Colorado. I changed the oil in his truck last weekend because his oil was toast and smelled burnt. He had gone well over 7000 miles and the OLM still said over 30% left. This is way too many miles on conventional oil.

I couldn't believe my dad was going that long between oil changes. He's a retired mechanic after all. He knew it had been over 7000 miles, but the Chevy dealer told him to follow the OLM on this model. So, against better judgment, he listened.

Anyways, I put in PP just in case he went that long again. At least he would have a better oil in there that can handle the long interval. I also put a sticker in his window and told him to call me at 5000 miles and I would change it regardless of what the OLM said. I ignore the OLM in my wifes Malibu too. They are completely worthless in the GM's.


finally someone else who sees the same problem ...thank you sir

 

[FastSUV]

Originally Posted By: Triple_Se7en
Originally Posted By: 360kid
Those Oil Monitors in GM's just plain suck. My dad has a Chevy Colorado. I changed the oil in his truck last weekend because his oil was toast and smelled burnt. He had gone well over 7000 miles and the OLM still said over 30% left. This is way too many miles on conventional oil.

I couldn't believe my dad was going that long between oil changes. He's a retired mechanic after all. He knew it had been over 7000 miles, but the Chevy dealer told him to follow the OLM on this model. So, against better judgment, he listened.

Anyways, I put in PP just in case he went that long again. At least he would have a better oil in there that can handle the long interval. I also put a sticker in his window and told him to call me at 5000 miles and I would change it regardless of what the OLM said. I ignore the OLM in my wifes Malibu too. They are completely worthless in the GM's.


I agree! My Colorado OLM goes on every 12-13K... regardless of my OCIs.

If you are an owner -- not a leaser, disregard the OLM and change more frequently. 5K conventional -- 8K synthetic assures a long-long engine life -- provided no gas/coolant contamination is occurring.


More good info...thanks for the support

 

[unDummy]

Problem with OLM's and extended oil changes is ALWAYS the fat dumb lazy consumer who doesn't know how to pop his hood and use the dipstick every , and top off as needed.

UOAs have shown that the GM OLM is just about as good as it gets!

 

[Pablo]

Originally Posted By: FastSUV
BUT, my girlfirend is not gonna check the oil herself, and neither are millions like her. This is an almost new car and there is no reason for it to burn that much oil, but then that is where my OLM part comes in. If the OLM did not let it go SO LONG in miles, then it probably would not be burning any between changes (or a significant amount).


Face the facts. Logic and reason are not strong suits for you.

Let's me make it simple.

1) Your girlfriend should have someone check the oil for her, or not be driving at all.
2) Burning oil could be a problem, but not at all related to the OLM. Perhaps your peeve is with extend OCI's? (Hint: Read point 1 in combination with Gary Allan's succinct post)
3) Trust me, the car would still burn oil, you or some lube place would change before noticing much. Now admittedly increased oil consumption can occur as oil gets dirty, but see point 1.

 

[AlanRebod]

Originally Posted By: FastSUV
Originally Posted By: AlanRebod
OLM doesn't measure oil level. It does not know if your engine is burning oil and certainly many engines can go the entire length of the OLM's OCI and not burn a drop. The OLM is strictly a computer algorithm that gets some input from your driving habits. If you had put olive oil into the crank case, it wouldn't know any differently.

Some engines burn oil so badly that you're in danger even if you have a strict 3000 mile OCI. What then?

Your owner's manual most certainly asks you to check your dipstick level every time you go get fuel.


Dude...I am an oil man too...I know all of that.

BUT, my girlfirend is not gonna check the oil herself, and neither are millions like her. This is an almost new car and there is no reason for it to burn that much oil, but then that is where my OLM part comes in. If the OLM did not let it go SO LONG in miles, then it probably would not be burning any between changes (or a significant amount).

So for the good old standard 3k interval, most cars & soccer moms would do fine without checking the level between changes. but 10k on dino...GM should have known better!


GM tells you in plain writing to check your oil level every time you gas up the car. If you are paying enough attention to know that the OLM exists, you should also know to follow the rules and check your oil level.

If the OLM wasn't in there, would the driver just drive it until the engine seized up from lack of lubrication? Who would you blame then?

 

[Trajan]

Originally Posted By: FastSUV
Originally Posted By: crinkles
case closed... keep it topped up... the OLM does not check oil levels.



I NEVER said it does...I realize that, but if you are gonna have an OLM that can go so many miles between changes, then there should be another reminder to check the oil for the "sheep" that do not belong to this board that do not check their oil. I am sure the oil light would come on if it was very low, but the OP is because the OLM is wrong to recommend such a long interval on dino to begin with & even wronger to do so when a car is gonna burn up half its oil between changes despite being a newer car.


Since the OLM is programmed for oil life, not oil level, it is doing its job. The only componet of the car that isn't doing its job is the owner.

One could always buy a car that tells you when it's a quart low. Mine does. But if one can't be bothered to check the oil, which takes less than 5 minutes, one can't be bothered to add oil. Which also takes less than 5 minutes. That is if one carries a spare quart in the trunk.

 

[AlanRebod]

Originally Posted By: 360kid
Those Oil Monitors in GM's just plain suck. My dad has a Chevy Colorado. I changed the oil in his truck last weekend because his oil was toast and smelled burnt. He had gone well over 7000 miles and the OLM still said over 30% left. This is way too many miles on conventional oil.

I couldn't believe my dad was going that long between oil changes. He's a retired mechanic after all. He knew it had been over 7000 miles, but the Chevy dealer told him to follow the OLM on this model. So, against better judgment, he listened.

Anyways, I put in PP just in case he went that long again. At least he would have a better oil in there that can handle the long interval. I also put a sticker in his window and told him to call me at 5000 miles and I would change it regardless of what the OLM said. I ignore the OLM in my wifes Malibu too. They are completely worthless in the GM's.


On what basis is your subjective analysis of the scent of used oil an accurate gauge of the amount of life remaining?

Jeez, why are we paying Blackstone for oil analysis when we could be sniffing our oil?

 

[ADFD1]

Originally Posted By: AlanRebod
Originally Posted By: FastSUV
Originally Posted By: AlanRebod
OLM doesn't measure oil level. It does not know if your engine is burning oil and certainly many engines can go the entire length of the OLM's OCI and not burn a drop. The OLM is strictly a computer algorithm that gets some input from your driving habits. If you had put olive oil into the crank case, it wouldn't know any differently.

Some engines burn oil so badly that you're in danger even if you have a strict 3000 mile OCI. What then?

Your owner's manual most certainly asks you to check your dipstick level every time you go get fuel.


Dude...I am an oil man too...I know all of that.

BUT, my girlfirend is not gonna check the oil herself, and neither are millions like her. This is an almost new car and there is no reason for it to burn that much oil, but then that is where my OLM part comes in. If the OLM did not let it go SO LONG in miles, then it probably would not be burning any between changes (or a significant amount).

So for the good old standard 3k interval, most cars & soccer moms would do fine without checking the level between changes. but 10k on dino...GM should have known better!


GM tells you in plain writing to check your oil level every time you gas up the car. If you are paying enough attention to know that the OLM exists, you should also know to follow the rules and check your oil level.

If the OLM wasn't in there, would the driver just drive it until the engine seized up from lack of lubrication? Who would you blame then?


+1

 

[KW]

A good reminder would be replacing a damaged engine do to lack of operator care. Oil, water and tires should be looked after on a regular basis.

My wife is an oil checking nazi. We recently drove to Colorado in her Cobalt and after a drive up Pike's Peak and back down to Colorado Springs she insisted I check the oil before we went across town for diner.

 

[ADFD1]

Smart woman, I'd say she's a keeper!

AD

 

[Steve S]

Originally Posted By: crinkles
case closed... keep it topped up... the OLM does not check oil levels.
Oil Level Moniter!!!!!

 

[ekpolk]

Originally Posted By: FastSUV
. . .
BUT, my girlfirend is not gonna check the oil herself, and neither are millions like her. This is an almost new car and there is no reason for it to burn that much oil, but then that is where my OLM part comes in. If the OLM did not let it go SO LONG in miles, then it probably would not be burning any between changes (or a significant amount).
. . .


On one hand, I feel your pain. On the other, the logic in this statement is simply not sound. At this relatively low total mileage, the OLM has not even had a chance to call for more than a couple changes. There are a dozen more probable causes for consumption that simply going too long on an OCI. Oil choice (certainly not the OLM's fault), poor ring sealing, a leak, you name it.

Are you really declaring, conclusively, that had you regularly changed oil at 3k or 5k miles, this car would have no consumption problem at all??? Are you declaring that in this near4-new vehicle, that one or two instances of running oil longer than you believe it should have been run, has caused a severe consumption problem? That just doesn't make sense. As I mentioned before, were you doing that, you might not even be aware that you have a consumption issue.

This is a case that calls for UOA with a TBN. Until you do that, all of this discussion is going to amount to little more than speculation about what's really happening. A couple of properly timed UOA will tell you, once and for all, whether or not the OLM is calibrated effectively for your GF's use. Until then, just keep checking the oil.

 

[ekpolk]

Originally Posted By: AlanRebod
. . .
GM tells you in plain writing to check your oil level every time you gas up the car. If you are paying enough attention to know that the OLM exists, you should also know to follow the rules and check your oil level.

If the OLM wasn't in there, would the driver just drive it until the engine seized up from lack of lubrication? Who would you blame then?


Ding, ding, ding. . .

 

[ekpolk]

Originally Posted By: unDummy
. . .
UOAs have shown that the GM OLM is just about as good as it gets!



Yep, for many years I might add.

This was one of the first questions that lured me into the internet, many years ago. I was thinking, "how could it be?"

The research showed me that not only can it be, but it is. GM carefully calibrates the system for each different vehicle in which they include the OLM (either version). And they calibrate it on the safe side, AND assuming that the owner will use the cheapest, minimally "legal" oil.

As much as I love my Toyotas, I wish they had a system like GM's OLM.

 

[Drew99GT]

Originally Posted By: AlanRebod
Originally Posted By: 360kid
Those Oil Monitors in GM's just plain suck. My dad has a Chevy Colorado. I changed the oil in his truck last weekend because his oil was toast and smelled burnt. He had gone well over 7000 miles and the OLM still said over 30% left. This is way too many miles on conventional oil.

I couldn't believe my dad was going that long between oil changes. He's a retired mechanic after all. He knew it had been over 7000 miles, but the Chevy dealer told him to follow the OLM on this model. So, against better judgment, he listened.

Anyways, I put in PP just in case he went that long again. At least he would have a better oil in there that can handle the long interval. I also put a sticker in his window and told him to call me at 5000 miles and I would change it regardless of what the OLM said. I ignore the OLM in my wifes Malibu too. They are completely worthless in the GM's.


On what basis is your subjective analysis of the scent of used oil an accurate gauge of the amount of life remaining?

Jeez, why are we paying Blackstone for oil analysis when we could be sniffing our oil?

Exactly! The OLM has proven to be a reliable guage as to when conventional oil is 100% used up. As in TBN of 1 or below. It's accurate in that regard. In addition, GM states to go no longer then 1 year regardless of the OLM.

I run ours down to 10% with Durablend and call it a day.

And the OLM does take into account several different variables into the algorithm: avg rpms, coolant temps, etc. At least in our Impala, the difference between short trip driving in cold weather and all hgwy driving is like 4,000 miles compared to 8,000 miles before it goes to about 10%.

 

[StevieC]

I would use the OLM with a synthetic, but with a Dino I would go no more than 5K. Sorry just can't do it...

Also as for the consumption... My Santa Fe has been run to 15K KM (9K Miles)on the same oil and hasn't used any oil as per the dipstick reading and that was when I had 160K KM (100K Miles) on the truck. I now have almost 200K KM (120K Miles) and I'm still using no oil whatsoever!

I don't buy the dealers/manual "1 Quart in 1K-1.5K miles is acceptable" explanation. Put up a fight and get it fixed!

 

[Gary Allan]

Originally Posted By: FastSUV
Originally Posted By: crinkles
case closed... keep it topped up... the OLM does not check oil levels.



I NEVER said it does...I realize that, but if you are gonna have an OLM that can go so many miles between changes, then there should be another reminder to check the oil for the "sheep" that do not belong to this board that do not check their oil. I am sure the oil light would come on if it was very low, but the OP is because the OLM is wrong to recommend such a long interval on dino to begin with & even wronger to do so when a car is gonna burn up half its oil between changes despite being a newer car.


You're blaming one of the greater technological advancements for not being able to "fix" defective human behavior. I guess they should have had a sensor attached to the dipstick that, if undisturbed for 3k/3m/, flashed a light on the dash to prompt the operator to check the oil ...that he/she too would ignore.

It's much easier to spend over an hour (assume that it requires an appointment and the loss of the car for the day if not a quick lube) and spend $25+ whatever they can rip you for, instead of pulling one handle ...lifting one hood, pulling one dipstick, and reading the level.

Perhaps I should open something like those old Photomat booths at shopping centers and charge people $1 to do that.