mikeholmes

Just picked up my new Silverado crew. Looked on the windshield and oil change sticker said 7500 miles. It has 18. Is this true.

Mille Racer 69

It has 1800 or 18,000 miles?
You picked it up new?

mikeholmes

it has 18 miles. Brand new. Just haven't heard of changing oil every 7500 miles. So good to be back in a truck again. A Chevy truck...

Mille Racer 69

Ya.
Lotsa newer vehicles are being branded able to go 5k, 6k, and 7500 miles in between oil changes
Personally, without knowing your driving habit, and what type of oil you use, I call BS
On all manufacturers.
80% of my driving is done around town, without giving the engine oil time to heat up
And my oil is black at 3,000 miles.
Vs if you have a nice cruise to work, or whatever, you have an actual commute, and if you use the better oil, it can last longer.

But ya.
Supposidly they can go that long in between changes.
If you do mostly city driving and putting around town, then reach your destination before your engine really has a chance to warn up, then personally, I'd go MAX 5,000 miles in between changes.
Its much cheaper to do oil changes a little more frequently, than have potentially crippling engine issues down the road.
Just think of it as cheap insurance.

f5fstop

The oil change indicator system, used on GM, monitors sensors such as engine RPM, air temp at start up, during engine run, and at shut down; how long engine is shut down, etc. Knowing the oil is at a designed spec it can easily calculate how long the oil will last and it errs on the side of safety.
So, if you do a lot of running around town, the oil life indicator will click away faster than if you are doing a lot of highway driving on nice warm days.
It works, but it is based on a few things.

One, you use the oil spec stated in the owner manual. If you use oil that does not meet the spec the oil could be bad when it is time to change. If you use oil with a higher rated spec, you will be changing oil when it is not needed. So, if you run a full syn oil, you will be changing when not required.
Two, your air intake system remains sealed as from the factory and is using the same spec air filter as stated in the book. A foam filter is noted to allow more dirt to enter, adding a foam filter will mean your oil will get dirtier.

Have to understand the oil today is not like the oil twenty years ago. Even straight dyno oil uses syn additives and additives was the first element to be destroyed in the engine.

I use the oil change system to determine when to do an oil change. When it drops to around 15 percent I start thinking and I purchase the oil, then make an appointment at the dealer to get it done (my dealer charges me a minimal fee to change if I supply the oil), and usually it is done at around 5 percent remaining on the system. (Exceptions are the first oil change, I have done at around 1500-2000 just to remove any break in particles. And if I'm leaving on a long trip and I figure I might need a change prior to returning. So, I'll have it done before so as not to be bothered on vacation.)

If anyone doubts that this is factual, just change your oil and have it analyzed at a firm like Blackstone in IN. You will get the TBN and the percentage of base insolubles and it will inform you if the oil could have gone further. Try an oil change at 3K, and if it returns ok runt he oil life out and try it again. I have never had an oil analysis returned that did not say the oil was still ok.

But your engine, your wallet, do whatever...