oil change

[studevette]

ok, ive searched around and havent really found a straight forward answer for this so here it goes:;help

1. Should you trust your oil life percentage gauge for telling you when to change oil?
2. Mines at 60% so if you can trust it what percentage should you change it at?
3. Should you just instead go by mileage since last change and if so how many miles? (this is my first car with synthetic oil so im not used to it)
4. HOW MANY QUARTS OF OIL!!!???? i've heard 6.5, 7, and 8 quarts on this site so please someone make up their mind and tell me!...
5. And I know it asks for 5w-30 but i read that you should instead use 10w-30?

any comments on these would be much appreciated, I've just got my 1st vette shes a '01, red, had 34,000 miles on her when I bought it for $25,000, been garaged kept her whole life, the guy before me averaged about 5,000 miles a year and im just completely in love with her, i'll post pictures later. thanks for the help everyone!

-Paul-

 

[1stiff84]

My practice:

1, Yes
2. 0%, or once a year, whichever comes first.
3. See 1.
4. Check owner's manual. Our 02 & 04 take 6.5 qts.
5. It never gets cold in SoCal. I run 10w-30 year round.

 

[studevette]

ok cool, thanks man thats all i needed, precciate it

 

[Tuna]

1. I don't.
I change oil and filters differently - I change the filter every 3500 to 4000 miles and then change the oil with the third filter change. I top off the oil with the filter change. When everything is done, it takes around 6 quarts.

2. see #1

3. see #1

4. Whatever the owners manual says. I start by adding 5 quarts (about 1 less than the book says), then check the dip stick after it sits for a bit. I then add more to bring it up to full. After starting the motor and checking for leaks, I let it sit again for several minutes then top off the oil back to full.

5. 5w30 is supposed to provide the best mileage and best cold weather starting. I use fully synthetic Mobil 1 10w30 in Oklahoma because we don't get that cold and I doubt I could see any real difference in the mileage anyway. Probably doesn't matter.

 

[65-to-00]

My understanding is that the % reading is based on the odometer.

With that said, make sure that they reset the odometer/oil indicator when they do a change.

My reading was 9% a few weeks ago and from memory, the car had seen only about 2,000 miles use.

:eyerole

See prior rants on the garage I had been using. The idiot ... actually can you call the guy an idiot who just bought an airplane ... probably just didn't hit the reset. I figured it was better to be safe than sorry and it's only an oil change.

 

[DRTH VTR]

ok, ive searched around and havent really found a straight forward answer for this so here it goes:;help

1. Should you trust your oil life percentage gauge for telling you when to change oil?
2. Mines at 60% so if you can trust it what percentage should you change it at?
3. Should you just instead go by mileage since last change and if so how many miles? (this is my first car with synthetic oil so im not used to it)
4. HOW MANY QUARTS OF OIL!!!???? i've heard 6.5, 7, and 8 quarts on this site so please someone make up their mind and tell me!...
5. And I know it asks for 5w-30 but i read that you should instead use 10w-30?

any comments on these would be much appreciated, I've just got my 1st vette shes a '01, red, had 34,000 miles on her when I bought it for $25,000, been garaged kept her whole life, the guy before me averaged about 5,000 miles a year and im just completely in love with her, i'll post pictures later. thanks for the help everyone!

-Paul-

1. Yes, the oil monitor is a good indicator of when to change the oil.
2. I change at about 5%
3. Others may disagree, but I use the monitor to tell me when to change the oil. Changing sooner may ease your mind, but I have had C5 corvettes for 7 years and I have not changed the oil based on miles driven.
4. 6.5 quarts, but 6 is probably plenty. Then you can adjust a bit if needed based on the dipstick.
5. I use 10/30 in mine.

Congratulations on your new baby!

 

[leftyvette]

I read somewhere that the oil change indicator in the DIC is computerized to consider factors such as engine load, heat range of oil, and other things in addition to the odometer.

 

[zagger]

I read somewhere that the oil change indicator in the DIC is computerized to consider factors such as engine load, heat range of oil, and other things in addition to the odometer.

That is correct. The oil life is calculated using several factors and is very accurate with plenty of safety margin built in it. If your car is heavily modified and or you frequently race it then you might fallow a different change procedure. For those that only occasionally race their stock cars just fallow the monitor and you will be very safe. Also stay with Mobil 1 as the calibrations is adjusted for that oil, different manufacturers have additives that may not have been considered when creating the oil life monitor program

 

[jrose7004]

I change mine at 1 year or 10,000 miles withever is sooner.