Switched from synthetic blend to Amsoil in November. Before switching I would change the oil when the oil life monitor read 50% which was typically 4000-5000 miles. After switching to Amsoil the car is at 5% after 4000 miles. Any suggestions? BTW the synthetic blend was Valvoline 10/30
Should I believe my cars oil life monitor?
- Thread starter Eric R.
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What year/make/model of vehicle?
Which Amsoil are you running? I'm sure one of the Amsoil guys here can help you figure out a maximum oil change interval.
Which Amsoil are you running? I'm sure one of the Amsoil guys here can help you figure out a maximum oil change interval.
The OLM has been designed for Dino.
Should we believe in it ?
Wait 1 weeks and I will post 2 oil analysis for 1 vehicle with 6500 miles of highway use and changed before the light goes off. And one vehicle with 2500 miles of short trip in Canadian winter with the OLM at 38%. Furthermore this vehicle ran cold for over a month, wife didn't know better ( thermostat b/o)
Should we believe in it ?
Wait 1 weeks and I will post 2 oil analysis for 1 vehicle with 6500 miles of highway use and changed before the light goes off. And one vehicle with 2500 miles of short trip in Canadian winter with the OLM at 38%. Furthermore this vehicle ran cold for over a month, wife didn't know better ( thermostat b/o)
The car is a 2000 Grand Prix GTP (supercharged 3.8) with 42k miles. We bought it with 18k and had only run Valvoline Durablend 5w30 until Nov. when I switched it to 5w30 Amsoil. My main concern is that the oil life monitor went down twice as fast with the Amsoil as opposed to the blend
I may be mistaken, but I don't think the GM oil life monitor "knows" what kind of oil is in the engine. It determines intervals based on a number of operational variables and is considered safe when used with dino oils. The assumtion is that a quality synthetic will always last longer than dino giving you some safe margin for error if you just change when the monitor tells you to change...
http://www.practicingoilanalysis.com/article_detail.asp?articleid=562&relatedbookgroup=OilAnalysis
The technology does not actually monitor any single quality or physical property of the oil. Instead, the Oil-Life System monitors engine revolutions, operating temperature, and other factors that affect the length of oil change intervals.
Did you reset the monitor after your last oil change? If not, you're still reading a continuation of the previous interval...
[ March 31, 2004, 06:29 PM: Message edited by: jsharp ]
http://www.practicingoilanalysis.com/article_detail.asp?articleid=562&relatedbookgroup=OilAnalysis
The technology does not actually monitor any single quality or physical property of the oil. Instead, the Oil-Life System monitors engine revolutions, operating temperature, and other factors that affect the length of oil change intervals.
Did you reset the monitor after your last oil change? If not, you're still reading a continuation of the previous interval...
[ March 31, 2004, 06:29 PM: Message edited by: jsharp ]
MY experience only shows that the OLM setting is way too optimistic.
I really wanted to believe in the system , but my latest oil analysis posted shows that I wasn't doing anything good to my van and cars.
See for yourself in the UOA section.
I will go back to a more realistic interval like 5000 miles for my commuter car, and 3000 for my van mostly driven in town for short trip and both followed by a UOA.
I really wanted to believe in the system , but my latest oil analysis posted shows that I wasn't doing anything good to my van and cars.
See for yourself in the UOA section.
I will go back to a more realistic interval like 5000 miles for my commuter car, and 3000 for my van mostly driven in town for short trip and both followed by a UOA.
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