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Facts:Uplander 2009 (Canada) 6000 KM on the odometer , OIL LIFE is at 25%.
Question: I need to drive about 3000 more KM in a short time (driving from Toronto to Atlantic City and back) and I will most likely need an oil change in that period. Can the oil change wait until I get back home or it HAS to be done before OIL LIFE=0%???
This would be my first oil change and I don't know how the DIC diplay actualy will handle the display for the short oil life left .
The manual says that when a "Change Oil Soon" message is being displayed the oil should be cahnged within the next 1000 KM.
Well, will the "Change Oil Soon" message will come up when OIL LIFE =0% or before that?
Any advice / previous experience share will be greately appreciated.
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Hehe, its like "hmm, my gas tank is almost empty. Will i get till the next gas station?"
Your car wont all of the sudden shut up when the oil life hits 0. An annoying lamp will start flashing probably, but thats no reason to worry just yet.
Allthough I must warn you, driving around with bad oil is very very bad for your car.
Go to a garage and let them let out some oil for you and add some new. That way you will be certain that you will get all the way to the finish.
Or take some oil with you (driving long distances i would advice you always to have both oil AND water along with you. And an egg. )
The oil life monitor should warn you when it reaches 10% but since it is the 1st time, I would change it before the trip. Changing the oil is the single most important maintenance you can do.
If you've gone 6000km and its only 25%, then that means, providing you do mostly the same kind of driving, that you only have about 2000km to go.
Highway driving lengthens the distance you can go between oil changes. I do probably 85% of my driving at highway speeds, and go around 10-15000km between changes
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You also might consider switching to synthetic oil next time . I switched in my '06 around 10,000 miles and keep it in the engine about a year ( 12,000 miles/yr) but I change the oil filter halfway through the cycle and top off the oil level to compensate for any loss during the filter change. Using synthetic oil can stretch your intervals that you need to change it.
Do you change your own oil ??
I do and look forward to spending some quality time on my back in the driveway changing the oil and filter.
I would change the oil before your trip and enjoy the ride.... my $0.02 Can.
Considering the fact that the GM Oil Life DIC monitor reflects the opinions/findings of their engineers, marketers, & environmentalists and that they'd probably like to sell to us new vehicles sooner than later, you may want to change your oil & filter more often than waiting for zero percent to appear on the display. For example, on our '08 Uplander, I change oil & filter approx each 3K miles, when the Oil Life readout still reads from 50 to 70 percent.... depending on the type of driving we've done; the car's computer takes into account starts/stops, average speed, etc. I use Mobil 1 5W30 (Synthetic) because here it costs little more than conventional oils, & last yr MobilOil.com ran excellent internet coupon specials. I run either a decent OEM filter such as PF61 (GM-recommended) or performance-grade Mobil 1 or K&S, depending which specials the local stores have. Another reason I change more often is because we run a car for a long time. I also see that the "Extended" Mobil 1 oil is rated for 15,000 miles per change....but I shouldn't necessarily do it.
(driving long distances i would advice you always to have both oil AND water along with you. And an egg. )
Just dont pour water in with Dex-Cool If you use it, I learned the hard way, your coolant turns into bubbly mud.
I have 2 quarts of oil & 1 gallon of Dex behind the seat at all times. and an egg & some duct tape
Id say your fine to go the 3,000 with it at 25%, although Mudmaniac makes a good point about changing it since the motor is so new. Its all about how you drive that make oil last.
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For the wife - 04 5.3 Tahoe Black, fully loaded.
Last edited by Mike Sigmond; 08-31-2009 at 10:04 PM.
I have a 2009 uplander and I change my oil at 5000 kilometer, or 3000 miles. I dont wait for the oil monitor to tell me when it is time to change it. In ideal condition the monitor will tell you to change it at aprx 12000 kilometers. This is far too long. If you want a no problem engine change it sooner and reset the oil monitor after your oil change. In winter with stop and go and short trips change it at 3000 kilometers.Like this your engine will last forever.
Oil life indicator
If you use it, I learned the hard way, your coolant turns into bubbly mud.
