Should I change it?

[kohnen]

Gents (and the occasional lady):

I have a '15 Chevy Volt. Electric until the battery runs flat, then the gas engine takes over.

Current oil: About 1,000 engine miles on M1 5w-30 EP, and a MicroGreen filter (don't recall the size).

I have some Pennzoil Ultra 5w-30 just itching to be used.

I have about 6 months on the oil, and about 1,000 engine miles.

The engine is rarely used, but when it is, the Volt revs it pretty high and puts a large load on it.

OLM says 74%, because oil has to be changed every 2 years.

So, should I leave the Mobil 5w-30 EP in, or switch to Pennzoil Ultra 5w-30 (and I will be replacing the filter with another microgreen filter)?

(I know - first world BITOGer problem).

What say you?

 

[HerrStig]

Is"oil itching to be used" a scientific term? If you enjoy pouring oil into cars, change it every week.

 

[andrewp1998]

I would change once per yr with the EP or another decent syn. What does owners manual say?

 

[AirgunSavant]

I'd go by the OLM...

 

[turnbowm]

We also have a 2015 Volt and it requires Dexos 1 5W-30 oil with a 2-year OCI or sooner if indicated by OLM. We took advantage of the two free GM services (oil/filter change, tire rotation & inspection). Just had the second service done within the 2-year period, so we're good for another 2 years.

As for oil choice, a good 5W-30 synthetic certified for Dexos 1 use is all that is required. Mobil 1, Mobil 1EP, Pennzoil Platinum or Ultra Platinum) would be my top choices. Oil Filter: OEM.

 

[BrocLuno]

Depends on how you look at oil changes. If it's just an oil change, I'd wait. If it's your fall full vehicle inspection looking at all the hoses and other stuff, getting under the vehicle, etc. Then the oil change is incidental and might as well

All these hybrids have one issue in common - heat soak. They go from nothing to full charge, then back to nothing and they are now hot. So the oil tends to "bake on" some parts. There is a Chevron paper somewhere around here that discusses this in more detail.

So it's prudent to change the oil once a year and fall is a good time to do it. Put a good filter on it, and if there's room, an oversized one to boot. That means that there is more media area to allow cool oil to pass w/o opening the by-pass and that's a good thing

Recycle the old oil, or offer it to a neighbor who has a beater truck and needs top-up oil often

 

[CT8]

What is the Pennzoil supposed to do that the M1 in there doesn't do?

 

[kohnen]

Originally Posted By: turnbowm
We also have a 2015 Volt... We took advantage of the two free GM services (oil/filter change, tire rotation & inspection). Just had the second service done within the 2-year period, so we're good for another 2 years.

As for oil choice, a good 5W-30 synthetic certified for Dexos 1 use is all that is required. Mobil 1, Mobil 1EP, Pennzoil Platinum or Ultra Platinum) would be my top choices...


Great big negative on my local dealer touching the car again, unless it's a warranty related failure. Long story short: They take too long to do poor work on something as easy as a tire rotation.

Yes, both M1 5W-30 EP and Pennzoil Ultra 5W-30 are Dexos1 oils. And, I use the engine so rarely that the OLM simply times out (I lose a little more than 1% of the oil life per week, or about once every 2 years. That means the oil isn't worn out, but dies of old age.)

The only reason I could come up with changing my oil to Ultra is it supposedly keeps the engine cleaner than anything else. But, only putting a few thousand miles per year on the engine will keep the engine really clean no matter what Dexos1 oil I use.

 

[turnbowm]

Originally Posted By: kohnen
...Great big negative on my local dealer touching the car again, unless it's a warranty related failure. Long story short: They take too long to do poor work on something as easy as a tire rotation.


Wasn't happy with the sloppy work on the first dealer servicing, so I want to a different dealer for the second servicing and was very happy with their work. Difference was "night and day."

 

[raytseng]

I bet with only 1000miles and 6months on the oil that is rated for 15k miles it may look almost new.

You should just refer to the OLM as the source and the rest is just your oil related anxieties.
The fact that you posted is that you're torn by this decision despite knowing the engineer's answer that you're well before the recommended OCI.

Is your imagination is going wild and on one hand imagining sludge and buildup, but on the other hand you see pristine 1000mile oil; break that with some evidence.

To help you through such mental issues, you can just go take a drop of your oil off the dipstick and judge it on color. Even though this is not a sign of oil quality, you're in mental health land anyway rather than reality.

If it looks brand new, then you'd feel bad about wasting oil.
If it is dark and black, then that other image is confirmed, and you're itch scratching bug will be relieved by changing.

 

[kohnen]

Originally Posted By: raytseng
I bet with only 1000miles the oil looks almost new...To help you through such mental issues, perhaps you can just go take a drop of your oil off the dipstick and judge it on color. Even though this is not a sign of oil quality, you're in mental health land anyway.
Guilty! It's almost impossible to see the oil on the dipstick.

Originally Posted By: raytseng
I bet with only 1000miles the oil looks almost new. The fact that you posted is that you're torn despite knowing the engineer's answer.
And, the trouble is, I'm actually a retired engineer (with a PhD even!). While I've found being an engineer to be very helpful with technical questions in general, once you have the BITOG bug, logic and reason gets thrown out the window. I'm doing pretty good though - I've eliminated Eneos Sustina 5W-30 from the running because it's not Dexos1.

 

[Dyusik]

Diphenhydramine, that should take care of the itch. Though, if it is the BITOG bug, Halperidol is what I would suggest.

 

[kohnen]

Originally Posted By: Dyusik
Diphenhydramine, that should take care of the itch. Though, if it is the BITOG bug, Haloperidol is what I would suggest.


I'm not sure the Haloperidol is strong enough for the BITOG bug!

 

[Leo99]

Originally Posted By: AirgunSavant
I'd go by the OLM...



There is enough technology in the car to run on batteries and then switch to a gas engine but somehow the OLM is just there for show.

 

[kohnen]

Originally Posted By: Leo99
Originally Posted By: AirgunSavant
I'd go by the OLM...



There is enough technology in the car to run on batteries and then switch to a gas engine but somehow the OLM is just there for show.


Aw, man! Buzzkill!

 

[jongies3]

Keep it in, there's no point in dumping it out if there's only 1000 miles on it. Just a waste of good oil! Especially EP that can go 15000 per change. You shouldn't have a problem leaving it in there 2 years. Synthetic oil doesn't break down like conventionals, you can safely leave it in a crankcase a lot longer.