Yea, those OLM are junk, just ask Patman. He went to almost 150% on his Vette and the oil was still OK.
Testing GM's Oil Life Monitor
- Thread starter Scott P
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I know that LC will skew the results, but I looked at it as insurance. Even if it is a leased vehicle and the manual says I may only need to change the oil once per year, I still want to treat it like I own it.
Just because I won't own this vehicle after 2007 or so, doesn't mean I can't try and prevent damage for the next owner.
My 98 Grand Prix has an OLM with a percentage feature. I go six months/6,000 miles on that car and the light comes on right at the end of the interval. The 3.8 is a tough little engine and after 104,000 miles, it's still going strong. Too bad I can't say the same for the rest of the car around it.
Back on topic, I'm looking forward to the analysis report. It's my first one on such a long interval and with LC.
Just because I won't own this vehicle after 2007 or so, doesn't mean I can't try and prevent damage for the next owner.
My 98 Grand Prix has an OLM with a percentage feature. I go six months/6,000 miles on that car and the light comes on right at the end of the interval. The 3.8 is a tough little engine and after 104,000 miles, it's still going strong. Too bad I can't say the same for the rest of the car around it.
Back on topic, I'm looking forward to the analysis report. It's my first one on such a long interval and with LC.
Triple_Se7en
$50 Site Donor 2024
To me, the oil is OK after 1200 miles of the next OC & the dipstick is still clear - on a vehicle with 175K on the odometer.
Ask Patman when his oil turned black? Did it turn black after only driving it to the grocery store & back after that 150%-long oil change? How many miles on Patman's vehicle?
Honest answer!
Please... don't tell me dirty oil after an oil change is OK. You may think so.... I don't!
Ask Patman when his oil turned black? Did it turn black after only driving it to the grocery store & back after that 150%-long oil change? How many miles on Patman's vehicle?
Honest answer!
Please... don't tell me dirty oil after an oil change is OK. You may think so.... I don't!
I reset the dummy light OLM in my Buick Regal LS the first time I changed the oil (it wasn't on, I just reset it since you're supposed to when you change the oil). It's now been ~30,000 miles and ~4 oil changes without resetting it, and it has not come on. If I was a typical uninformed consumer...
Triple_Se7en
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Relying on oil idiot lights is for folks who don't keep their cars from birth to death. If I was a leaser or bought a new vehicle every 100K or-so, I would try/test my OLM. Probably buy Super Tech dinos & ST Ecore oil filters too.
No, that isn't normal. On some GM models (can't remember which), the OLM light is reset by pressing the accelerator pedal down completely 3 times, within 5 secs, then starting the car. You must have inadvertently reset the OLM without realizing it, as the OLM should NEVER go more than 12500 miles between an oil change.
I know that it's not normal, and I know I haven't accidently reset it, it's not a procedure you go through every day. I don't know if my bulb is burnt out (maybe I should check that) or if something else if malfunctioning, but I'm just saying that if I didn't know anything about cars except to wait till the light came on, I'd have a serious problem.
I never said that LC would hurt an engine oil. I only said that it invalidates the OLM and any UOA performed on the oil. The OLM was never tested with LC or any other additives, and there is no disputing that LC does *something* to oil, be it good or bad. Whatever it is, it's not the same as the motor oil the OLM was designed around, and that's why the OLM and any UOA is completely invalid data to use as judgment of the OLM's effectiveness.
Show me one car anywhere that has had an engine failure due to oil-related problems where the owner(s) followed the OLM and used conventional motor oil with no additives. I've never heard of one.
Show me one car anywhere that has had an engine failure due to oil-related problems where the owner(s) followed the OLM and used conventional motor oil with no additives. I've never heard of one.
Yes, I did ignore Dyson's comments since I felt he was a competitor with Blackstone's which performed the test. I also felt that Blackstone's would have made a stronger suggestion if any damage was occurring to the engine. Instead they said, and I quote, "Universal averages show typical wear metals for an oil from this type of engine after about 5,095 miles run on the oil" end quote. Also "No gas or antifreeze found" did not set off any alarms as to the oils inability to "cope" with the effects of fuel loading.
Further, a TBN was incuded, at extra cost, and I also quote: "The TBN was 1.6, so active additive in the oil is about used up" end quote. ABOUT, means to me that it was still performing within its accepted parameters, and once again, did not cause me any concern. Insulubles were also measured and found to be at 0.3, I quote again "Values should be (less than)0.6" end quote. Once again, no red flags.
In all fairness, some of these items may not have made the posted UAO report, or never came out in the original dialog, but I decided to stop posting when someone questioned my honesty, and the methods used to collect the oil samples. As if there were a way to skew the odds in my favor by incorrectly pulling a sample.
I'll still let the results speak for themselves and continue to follow the OLM with full confidence that the engines life will not be shortened in any way.
JohnnyG, Just to set things straight; I do not consider our service competition for Bklabs. I cannot compete with labs for oil analysis.
Please check my website out, we actually have a cooperative agreement with Blackstone. The Starks and myself are like family. Jim and I have Army Aviation backgrounds as a common bond. Blackstone may have the largest aircraft powerplant ( recip) oil analysis data base in the World.
My interpretation is much more in depth with an emphasis on engine tuning and thats what folks are paying for. Lab techs are not neccessarily tribologists , most do not have the time to spend tuning and explaining interactively what those #'s mean.
As far as my comments read them for what I said. Since you are a BITOG member I was giving free public advice.
I have no like or dislike for GM's OLM, it is just another helpful tool in tribological monitoring of the engine. If used correctly and properly compared the combination of a good periodic UOA, correlated with OLM is great!
I am used to being ignored and that can be a good thing, 3 daughters and wife remind me all the time!!!
Cheers, Terry
www.dysonanalysis.com
Please check my website out, we actually have a cooperative agreement with Blackstone. The Starks and myself are like family. Jim and I have Army Aviation backgrounds as a common bond. Blackstone may have the largest aircraft powerplant ( recip) oil analysis data base in the World.
My interpretation is much more in depth with an emphasis on engine tuning and thats what folks are paying for. Lab techs are not neccessarily tribologists , most do not have the time to spend tuning and explaining interactively what those #'s mean.
As far as my comments read them for what I said. Since you are a BITOG member I was giving free public advice.
I have no like or dislike for GM's OLM, it is just another helpful tool in tribological monitoring of the engine. If used correctly and properly compared the combination of a good periodic UOA, correlated with OLM is great!
I am used to being ignored and that can be a good thing, 3 daughters and wife remind me all the time!!!
Cheers, Terry
www.dysonanalysis.com
The change oil light should come on briefly when the vehicle is first started. If not, it may be burned out.
If it's a lease, I have to admit I would stuff it with cheap dino and Frams.
Some anecdotes about maintenance and leased vehicles... A few years ago I knew a dude who returned his leased Impreza at about 34,000 miles. With the crankcase full of the original oil. My buddy at a local GM dealership said that leases are OFTEN returned with the original filter, as installed at the factory, still sitting there on the motor. I suspect the OLM stuff has a lot to do with automakers trying to preserve the resale value of their leased cars.
Some anecdotes about maintenance and leased vehicles... A few years ago I knew a dude who returned his leased Impreza at about 34,000 miles. With the crankcase full of the original oil. My buddy at a local GM dealership said that leases are OFTEN returned with the original filter, as installed at the factory, still sitting there on the motor. I suspect the OLM stuff has a lot to do with automakers trying to preserve the resale value of their leased cars.
Guess it's better to buy an ex-rental than a leased car. At least you know the rental got the proper maintenance. Ford won't buy a rental back unless it's had documented oil changes ever 5K miles (with a Motorcraft filter, no less).
The PDF file from 76 Lubricants located here says:
Another driving force behind ILSAC GF-3 is the desire for more robust engine oils with
extended drain capability. This is partly due to a desire for higher quality oils to deliver
better engine protection, but also to protect the automakers’ investment in leased vehicles.
A significant number of new cars are leased for short, fixed terms. In many cases, the
consumers do not perform the required maintenance on these vehicles. Thus, the
automakers require engine oils that can deliver better oxidation stability, deposit
protection, and bearing corrosion protection over a longer service interval.
The PDF file from 76 Lubricants located here says:
Another driving force behind ILSAC GF-3 is the desire for more robust engine oils with
extended drain capability. This is partly due to a desire for higher quality oils to deliver
better engine protection, but also to protect the automakers’ investment in leased vehicles.
A significant number of new cars are leased for short, fixed terms. In many cases, the
consumers do not perform the required maintenance on these vehicles. Thus, the
automakers require engine oils that can deliver better oxidation stability, deposit
protection, and bearing corrosion protection over a longer service interval.
One thing for sure. The GM OLM is a lot more accurate at gauging an oils life than Miles and Months.
One other thing. LC will not shorten the usefull life of an oil.
One other thing. LC will not shorten the usefull life of an oil.
Yeah, I know, I've just never paid much attention to it until last night. The light is fine, and since resetting it means sitting there with the ignition on but the engine not running and pressing the gas petal 3 times, I'm sure I haven't reset it.
If you have a scantool like Alex Peper's OBD Vehicle Explorer, it can tell you the oil life remaining %.
Just to let everyone know.. I was browsing data lists on my 2006 Cobalt w/ a Tech 2 and found that engine oil temperature is monitored by the PCM.
This likely has quite a bit to do with the furthering developement of the OLM system. I believe '05 Cobalts and possibly anything with OLM and an Ecotec to be the same.
Just letting you all know where the OLM system is heading since the Cobalt was built with a global engine on a global platform. Since GM is globalizing its fleet I wouldn't be surprised to find this technology on many '06 and later models.
This likely has quite a bit to do with the furthering developement of the OLM system. I believe '05 Cobalts and possibly anything with OLM and an Ecotec to be the same.
Just letting you all know where the OLM system is heading since the Cobalt was built with a global engine on a global platform. Since GM is globalizing its fleet I wouldn't be surprised to find this technology on many '06 and later models.
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