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Oil change



 
 
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  #1  
Old June 7th 04, 03:21 PM
John Sloan
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Default 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


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  #2  
Old June 7th 04, 03:48 PM
C. E. White
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Default



John Sloan wrote:
>
> 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/...qa_040104.html

http://service.gm.com/gmtechlink/ima...3e.html#story1

http://service.gm.com/gmtechlink/ima...4e.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
  #3  
Old June 7th 04, 04:02 PM
richard hornsby
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Default

John Sloan wrote:

> 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



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
  #4  
Old June 8th 04, 02:11 AM
teem
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Default

The oil life letters on my ion has never appeared,so far.
"richard hornsby" > wrote in message
...
> John Sloan wrote:
>
> > 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

>
>
> 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



  #5  
Old June 8th 04, 02:58 AM
Jonnie Santos
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Default

....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)...

"richard hornsby" > wrote in message
...
> John Sloan wrote:
>
> > 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

>
>
> 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



  #6  
Old June 8th 04, 02:59 AM
Jonnie Santos
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

....how many miles?

"teem" > wrote in message
...
> The oil life letters on my ion has never appeared,so far.
> "richard hornsby" > wrote in message
> ...
> > John Sloan wrote:
> >
> > > 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

> >
> >
> > 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

>
>



  #7  
Old June 9th 04, 02:18 PM
Warren
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Posts: n/a
Default

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 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


  #8  
Old June 9th 04, 02:44 PM
C. E. White
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Posts: n/a
Default



Warren wrote:
>
> 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 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..."


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

Ed
  #9  
Old June 10th 04, 08:42 AM
Warren
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Posts: n/a
Default

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


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


  #10  
Old June 21st 04, 04:32 AM
SnThetcOil
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Posts: n/a
Default

>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


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.
 




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