GM OLM dropping fast in cold !

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Before the weather turned cold this past moth my olm was really going slow with a fill of valv-syn 5-30. Ive noticed in 150-200mi ive droped 4-6% ! i was expecting that with the cold weather change.*not exact percentages just a faster drop* cold weather start ups have been very quite with no knocks or suprises.. i like syn :) GM'S OLM is very cool.. Just shareing..
 
Just the reason why I think short trips in cold weather is severe. And without an OLM and/or regularly UOA's, it makes sense to change oil on the severe schedule.
 
FWIW I changed my oil November 14. Since then I have driven 1900 km (1100 miles) and the OLM is now at 89% so around...1% per 100 miles and no real cold weather yet.
 
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I can't get a readout from the Astra OLM. afaik, it only warns at 1000 miles to go and then another warning, I guess. I wish I knew how to view it. The manual even gave an improper reset procedure, it forgot to tell you to depress the brake pedal.
 
No problem. I was just pleased that I could remember these #s for my car! Memory isnt what it used to be
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2300mi at 66 or 67% Im not complaining ! considering its the first syn that i know has ever been in it *got it used* I figure its doing some cleaning, so around 5k mi i will dump it and start over with another dose of valve-syn and a pure-one. go 6-7k mi and have a UOA done and see where im at. This is all assuming the OLM lets me go that far.. im no BITOG expert and if the trucks olm goes to zero before my miles are achieved i will dump it for piece of mind and start again.. oils cheap.. and i like changing it anyways :)
 
Every GM olm reading will be diferent based on the specific driving during each period. It is actually the best system on the market. The toyota ones just count 5000 miles from reset. The GM is based on an intelligent algorythm. Try letting your car idle in the driveway for 5 minutes every day in Winter and that thing will drop like a rock.
 
I am a believer in the GM OLM system.

I had to drive my Silverado to Indianapolis and back, and the percentage on the OLM barely moved. If I had driven my truck that same amount of miles in town, it would have moved much more dramatically.

Plus, it goes down much faster in the winter, and since my truck sits in a heated garage, it doesn't sit around idling every morning. So that is not a factor in the quicker movement in the winter.

One thing that I like about the OLM on my Silverado is it gives me a percentage of oil life remaining. On Dad's 2000 Sierra, it is just a light on the instrument panel.
 
very true. changed oil took 1,000mi round trip and only dropped *if memory serves* 4-6% Once home its been in town or short trips, 1,300mi and im at 66% now.
 
just dropped the oil from the G6 with 8000 miles olm at 0% I know with cold weather upon us it will trigger closer to 4-5000 miles now , the car is driven mostly highway and sits overnight in a garage above freezing, it is an excellent system
 
At 3785 miles I changed wife's 00 SL1 last March, dumping its winter fill. Backing down off the ramps, the OLM light came on for the first time with its friendly, not yet assertive blink.
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Pleasant reminder.

Typical commute is 35 minutes, 20 miles, but it gets a lot of 5 mile trips. Temps get down to -20 but typically are 10 above for morning cold starts.
 
My Buick's OLM is reporting 68% life left with 2650 miles on the oil, 500 of which were a highway trip to Alexandria, LA, last month. It seems to drop a little more quickly in the cooler weather, but since our climate is rarely severe (it was a lovely 46 F. this a.m. as I headed to work), it's hard to tell.
 
im impressed, are you going to do a UOA on that 8000mi syn blend ? i would like to know how that comes out ! I run valv syn-blend in the cavi and have been doing 4-5kmi drains.. that car is higher miliage and doesnt seem nearly as happy/smooth/ quiet if i let it go any furhter than that.. same goes for the 6 month measurement, i can have 2000mi on that car but when 6 months roll around.. i start noticing its not nearly as quiet as fresh oil.. drain, repeat, smile
 
According to my user manual, I can't get a percentage readout on my GM OLM. This is a big reason why I don't use it.
 
Originally Posted By: bigmike
According to my user manual, I can't get a percentage readout on my GM OLM. This is a big reason why I don't use it.


Do you have the four buttons on your steering wheel?

I don't know why it is, but there seem to be some differences in the DIC (Driver Information Center) between the 5.3 and the 4.8 in the Silverado/Sierra trucks.

I can get an instant mpg readout with my 2004 with a 5.3, but my neighbors 2006 Silverado with the 4.8 won't do it.

The first time my neighbor drove my truck, the first thing he asked me was how I got it to read out an instant mpg reading. His 4.8 doesn't have that capability. And both trucks have the four buttons on the steering wheel.

So, the 4.8 won't give a numerical value on the OLM as well? Mine will read "Engine Oil Life: XX%".

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