Oil change

I've had my new Vue 2 weeks and have skimmed thru the manual a couple times.
I did not see a recommended oil change interval. All I found was a
recommendation to change oil within 600 miles after the oil change lite
comes on. Is this the accepted interval or does everybody go by the 3000
mile standard. Have I missed something?
John

 

I have a 2003 Vue (4 cylinder). Saturn recommends chaning
the oil based on the oil change light. I changed my Vue's
oil at 3000 miles (not becasue of the light - old habit),
again at around 9000 miles (still no light - It was just a
good day to change oil) and again at around 14,000 miles
(still no light - I was getting ready for a long trip).
After every change the oil looked fine. I am guessing my
driving style is compatible with the "normal" serivce
interval. The maximum oil change intervl for a Vue is 7500
miles. I've just never actually waited that long but not
becasue I don't trust the light, it just seemed that other
factors made an early oil change seem to be the right thing
to do.

There are several GM web sites that give an explanation
(sales pitch?) for the oil change monitor -

http://www.gm.com/company/gmability...es/news/simplified_maintenance_qa_040104.html

http://service.gm.com/gmtechlink/images/issues/may03/TLMay03e.html#story1

http://service.gm.com/gmtechlink/images/issues/mar04/TLMar04e.html#story6

http://service.gm.com/gmtechlink/arcv_pdf/3_00_e.pdf

From http://service.gm.com/gmtechlink/arcv_pdf/3_00_e.pdf

"A computer chip in the Powertrain Control Module is loaded
with a certain number of engine revolution counts. The count
for each engine/vehicle combination is determined by
testing. As the engine runs, each revolution is subtracted
from the remaining count in the oil life monitor. When the
count reaches zero, the instrument panel light comes on.
But, here’s the clever part.

"When the various input sensors detect that the engine is
running under either cold or hot conditions, it subtracts
extra counts (penalties)for each engine revolution. So, the
conditions that cause the oil to "wear out" make the counter
run down faster."

Regards,

Ed White

 

Nope, you haven't missed anything. IIRC, the light is based on camshaft
revolutions. 3K is on the low side of the average interval that you
should change your oil at. Anymore I keep hearing just change it
somewhere between 3 and 6K. Engines are better designed and so are the
oils. Changing it at 3K (as opposed to 6K or before the light comes on)
doesn't hurt anything.

I change mine every three 3K because a) I burn about a quart every 3K
and b) I keep an eye on the color of the oil and at 3K it is about the
right time. I personally don't want to force a 7 year old, but
otherwise very healthy, engine to run on dirty oil, even if the oil does
have some life left.

-rj
98SL2

 

The oil life letters on my ion has never appeared,so far.

 

....I go every 2000 miles because that's about when I hit the 3 month part of
the 3 month or 3000 miles, which ever come first rule. I added maybe a half
quart a couple of time between changes as I've heard the timing chain guides
are picky to low levels (and half down on the dipstick is actually more than
half a quart down due to voodoo engineering)...

 

....how many miles?

 

All I found was a

I like the supposed engineering behind the Oil Life Monitor - but old habits
die hard. I did do my first change early because the monitor came on at
2,466, and the car was manufactured 4 months before I bought it, and 7
months before the monitor came on, so the oil was getting old. But even when
I bought the car at the dealership and was told of the "Oil Life" feature,
those in sales told me "confidentially, we still like the 3 mos. / 3,000
miles rule of thumb ourselves..."

Warren

 

They particularly like it if you pay them to do the oil
change.

Ed

 

They particularly like it if you pay them to do the oil

Point well made Ed! That is an angle I didn't think of because I change my
own...

 

I bought the car at the dealership and was told of the "Oil Life" feature,

Yes, I would imagine they'd very much like to take your money every 3,000
miles!
Imagine that! lol

To respond via e-mail, simply take the, "REMOVEXX" out of my return e-mail
address.

 

Yes, I, too, am one of those "fools" that "wastes" my money on oil
changes every 4000 miles. Even stupider, I pay life insurance, auto and
medical insurance premiums! You'd have a *really* great time taking my
money!

 

Suppose you came with a "life meter" that told you how long
you would last...Would you still by life insurance?

I think that the people who actually design and build
vehicles know that Americans have been conditioned to change
oil to often. GM is doing a good thing by trying to reduce
the amount of lubricating oil that is wasted by unecessary
oil changes. For most of my life, I have been a 3000 mile
oil change guy (in fact I still am for my two trucks).
However, I am very confident that this is completely
uneccsarry for most people. I have the following reasons for
thinking this:

1) My Father - he has never been a 3000 mile oil change guy.
He is a "change it when convenient guy". In the last 40+
years he has never had a single engine problem.
2) My older sister - she is "why should I change oil
person." Her current Honda has an odometer driven oil change
reminder. She rarely if ever has me change the oil before it
turns red- every 7500 miles. And until recently I feel she
definitely qualified for severe service (lots of short
trips). Her current Honda has just passed 100,000 miles.
Engine runs great, no oil consumption. She was even worse
about changing oil in a VW Jetta she owned. Engine ran great
when she sold it with 140,000 miles.
3) Our farm tractors - I have always changed them based on
engine hours (really jsut a rev counter). Two of the three
current tractors call for oil changes every 150 hours. 150
hours is roughly equivalent to 5000 miles. The two tractors
with the 150 hour oil change requirements both have over
5000 hours on the engine (one has over 6000 hours). 5000
hours is roughly equivalent to 175,000 miles. Now the
tractors don't do a lot of "short trips" but most of the
hours have been at very high loads in hot weather. Neither
tractors has ever had any sort of engine problem.
4) A local mechanic I trust said people are wasting money
chaging oil every 3000 miles. He thinks 5000 miles is more
than adequate. However, he'll change your oil whenever you
ask him to do it.
5) European engines usually have much longer oil change
intrvals than US engines, even in cases where the engines
are mecahnically the same.

I think GM is doing a good thing by providing the oil chage
monitor. It is really just a rev counter that modifies the
rev count to adjust for more severe than "normal"
conditions. For people that don't maintian their cars, it
might encourage them to do a better job. For people that
tend to change oil before it is necessary, it might give
them the confidence to go a little longer between changes. I
know it has done this for me. I have not yet managed to hold
out till the light has come on, but I defintiely have far
exceed the 3000 mile mark on my second and third oil changes
for my 2003 Vue. I am at 17,000 miles now and have changed
the oil three times. The first time was at around 1000 miles
(I like to change the oil early on to see if there is
anything in the filter).

Regards,

Ed White