Autos that tell you when to do the oil change?

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HoLeChit

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My Silverado has one of those meters. I don’t listen to it. Manual says every 7.5-10k miles on synthetic, I tend to change it every 4-6k, usually on the lower end of that. I still had to get the engine rebuilt from a short block at 87k, but it was a mechanical design failure, not a lubrication failure.

My BMW had one, supposedly it needed an oil change every 15k or 12 months, whichever came sooner. I got it changed every 3000 miles on the dot.

My 2015 Honda accord with 60k miles had one. It also consumed 5 quarts of oil every 5000 miles. Never said anything was wrong, even that day when I started it up, heard a knock, and killed it. Turns out it was dry on oil. When changing my oil I could drain everything g, put on a new filter, pour a 5 quart jug in, start and check the oil level, it would be dead on. That day when I heard the noise, it took 5 quarts to get it back to full. I’ll never buy a newer Honda again. No better than domestic automakers now.
 

HoLeChit

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I don’t trust the oil change gauges or factory recommendations either way. Had a guy who worked on German cars show me the difference between a 100k mile car with 3k mile oil changes, and a 100k mile car with 15k mile factory suggested oil changes. There was an enormous difference, and you’ll never guess which one was in for work, rather than an oil change and checkup.
 

Shadowrider

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Right but even when modern gear oil is used when replacing a R&P, magnetic or no magnetic plug, they still say dump oil and replace after 500 miles. I've replaced 5 R&P in the last 2y, and whether Yukon, USA Standard or Richmond's, they all say replace after 500 miles. New vehicle manuals don't mention it.
IDK man, if anyone is telling a big fish story, I'd think it was the ones who have told us they're "lubed for life" and brought us suspension components and u-joints that never need grease.
 

TANSTAAFL

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I do not trust the oil life indicators. Had a 2014 Mustang Track Pack and the oil life indicator stopped working at 70,000 miles, changed the oil every 5,000 miles with the Factory Recommended 5w 50 Synthetic. 8.5 Quarts at $15 per quart was quite a bit of money each change. at 75,000 miles was told by the oil life indicator that stopped working I still had 100% oil life. Sold it at 85K miles. Other fluid changes were done at 1/2 the recommended interval.

The newer Mustang (a 2019) takes 10.5 Quarts oil, always change the oil at 5,000 miles. Sometimes it will be at 20% life left, others at 69% life left (lots of easy highway miles.)

My wife's car gets the oil changed every 5K miles, supposedly it can go 10K, Oil life indicator has always been between 15% and 30% (Turbo Motor 2017 Ford Escape 1.5 liter.)

Always use synthetic. Planning on keeping both to about 80K miles. Get the best trade in or sale value that way, harder for cars to be financed at good rates beyond 100K miles. If electric vehicles are only available and they haven't ironed out all of the issues they have, I will keep them as long as gasoline is available, or when my wife gets sick of hers. That may be sold to get a Real Bronco or Jeep.
 
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Mr.Glock

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I was told by an old buddy who is long gone now and who had worked for Honda his whole life to go by the oil life, and when it gets 5 to 10% change it! I stuck with it and every Honda the wife bought went well over 200k miles with no issue.


Now on my other stuff I change it by the book except the Cummins Diesel Engines. I did oil analysis on them in the begging years when I started using them. They get changed at 10k mile intervals, and they could actually go upwards over 15k miles. At around 13k miles the potash starts elevating.
 

SlugSlinger

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I changed the 2.5 gallons of oil in my Chevy L5P and parked it for a few months. When i got in to start my oil change indicator was on and the oil life showed 0%.

It probably had 400 miles on the oil.

I like this guy, although is voice is annoying.

 

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