GM V-6 OLM @ 3% in 3.5k mi

[grasscutter]

Car: Vintage GM w/ V6
Oil Life Monitor @ 3%
Current Mileage: 212,167
Oil Change Day Mileage: 208,669 on 01/15/2025

This is the first time I've ever ran it down that far. The lowest I've gone previously was 23%.

The reason I went so far is because the Premium Guard oil filter (MicroGard Select) was keeping the oil so clean; practically new looking.

The previous filter I've always used was a Wix XP and the oil would be black by 30% oil life left.

What's my point? I'm surprised the OLM went down so fast at such a low mileage on the oil.

Many of you guys go 7000 to 10,000 miles on full synthetic. Do you make it that far without the OLM going down to zero?

 

[slacktide_bitog]

A lot of idling? Different driving conditions? A lot of parameters can influence the OCI calculated by the OLM.

How long did it take you to get down to 23% or 30% before?

 

[grasscutter]

A lot of idling? Different driving conditions? A lot of parameters can influence the OCI calculated by the OLM.

How long did it take you to get down to 23% or 30% before?

Previously I could go 7500 miles before getting the oil life down to 30%.

This last oil change interval has seen lots of slow driving through residential neighborhoods. Very little freeway driving.

 

[Patman]

In my Corvette I have gone down to 1% and it was at 7400 miles. My Civic usually shows 5% oil life at around 10,000 miles

 

[grasscutter]

In my Corvette I have gone down to 1% and it was at 7400 miles. My Civic usually shows 5% oil life at around 10,000 miles

Do you do a lot of freeway driving?

 

[WobblyElvis]

I had an 06 Malibu with the GM OLM. It would not hit zero until about 9,000 miles until GM reprogramed it to no exceed 7,500 miles. Then it would count down slowly until about 6,000 at which time it sped up to hit zero at 7,500. I drove a lot of highway back then. Once I reset the meter without changing oil and drove 15,000 without an oil change. Oil analysis said everything was fine but sludge slowly started to build up. Used cheap store brand synthetic or synthetic blend.

 

[Patman]

Do you do a lot of freeway driving?

Yes, in both of my cars I basically do 95% highway driving. Most of my driving is my 80 mile drive to Niagara Falls or my 50 mile drive to my girlfriends place

 

[grasscutter]

Yes, in both of my cars I basically do 95% highway driving. Most of my driving is my 80 mile drive to Niagara Falls or my 50 mile drive to my girlfriends place

That's what it is then. Your freeway driving is easy on the oil according to your oil life monitor.

My low speed driving is hard on the oil according to my oil life monitor.

I always knew long idle times were hard on the oil, but I never thought low speed driving was hard on the oil as well.

 

[JavierH19]

Goodness.. we gotten to the point to where a vehicle can be old enough to be vintage (25+) but be new enough to have an oil life monitor. The years are flying by faster every year.

 

[TomYoung]

Goodness.. we gotten to the point to where a vehicle can be old enough to be vintage (25+) but be new enough to have an oil life monitor. The years are flying by faster every year.

Yes, but the early GM monitors were crude affairs

 

[FZ1]

Car: Vintage GM w/ V6
Oil Life Monitor @ 3%
Current Mileage: 212,167
Oil Change Day Mileage: 208,669 on 01/15/2025

This is the first time I've ever ran it down that far. The lowest I've gone previously was 23%.

The reason I went so far is because the Premium Guard oil filter (MicroGard Select) was keeping the oil so clean; practically new looking.

The previous filter I've always used was a Wix XP and the oil would be black by 30% oil life left.

What's my point? I'm surprised the OLM went down so fast at such a low mileage on the oil.

Many of you guys go 7000 to 10,000 miles on full synthetic. Do you make it that far without the OLM going down to zero?

So, what's the oil brand and viscosity you are using?

 

[Patman]

Yes, but the early GM monitors were crude affairs

My 98 Corvette had a great oil life monitor. GM put a lot of work into developing the algorithm for it.

 

[AZjeff]

The reason I went so far is because the Premium Guard oil filter (MicroGard Select) was keeping the oil so clean; practically new looking.

Kinda doubt the oil filter had much to do with the color of the oil if that's how you're determining clean.

 

[brages]

Goodness.. we gotten to the point to where a vehicle can be old enough to be vintage (25+) but be new enough to have an oil life monitor. The years are flying by faster every year.

Electrically, they keep a baseball score

I wonder if the OLM triggered due to time rather than miles. Would be pretty smart for "vintage" if it did that.

 

[ammolab]

My 2016 LS 3 SS Sedan goes over 7000 miles on the monitor with 95% Highway miles

 

[f355spider]

Goodness.. we gotten to the point to where a vehicle can be old enough to be vintage (25+) but be new enough to have an oil life monitor. The years are flying by faster every year.

BMW has had oil life monitors for a looooong time. My 2001 BMW 540 has one. They first started making E39 540s in 1997, and they had oil life monitors on the first ones through the last in 2003.

 

[grasscutter]

So, what's the oil brand and viscosity you are using?

Valvoline Maxlife regular blend 10W-30.

 

[andrew_j]

The timing of winter matters. Part of calculation is how long motor takes to get to operating temperature.

I find early winter oil changes dont “last” as long mileage wise as ones done in early summer.

 

[fantastic]

Can't go by just the mileage alone for OLM before reading the manual.

My prehistoric "Luxury" XC90 is just a dummy timer. The manual shows it will trigger under two situations. 7,500 miles or 1 year. How long was this oil in the sump for? Even though it was only 3.5k miles it could've been closer to 12 months so it shows a low %.

 

[rstcso]

Here is a BITOG post of the passing of Shirley Schwartz. I understand she was one of the principles behind the development of the GM OLM. It was reported she said she could make any oil fail within 1,000 miles. All she has to do was put it in her Grandmother's car. Her Grandmother lived in Wisconsin (Green Bay, I think?), and every morning drove one mile to Mass and back home. Every afternoon she drove one mile to the grocery store and back home.