Who Goes By The DIC Oil Life Monitor?

[B/STOCK]

I have a C6 that I put about 5K a year on and change oil and filter once a year. I also have a C5 & LS2 GTO that I put between 1,000 & 1,500 miles a year on. I used to change the C5 & GTO once a year but is it crazy with M1 & M1 filter to change the oil every year seeing the cars don't get hardly any mileage? The C5 DIC is telling me I have 85% oil life left. I used to be a oil change freak but with these new synthetic oils I am a little hesitant draining clean appearing low mileage oil out just because it's a year old. Opinions please.

 

[Bob Chadwick]

I asked the same question last year and was told the answer you don't want to hear; the oil needs to be changed at least once a year.


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[kpic]

I use the DIC as a penalty marker. If, by chance I reach it and I rarely do, I pay the local oil changer guy.

Basically with the Corvette, I change the oil more often than needed.

 

[B/STOCK]

For the price of $40 for 6 quarts of M1 and a M1 107 filter I guess I will change them both again this year. I have a four post lift so that makes it very easy. I used to change them before I put them away for the winter. Now I hear guys say change in spring when the car comes out of storage. Anyone got a opinion on this?

 

[Toms007]

I change the oil once a year or by the the monitor, whichever comes first (always the former on the Corvette). I follow the same thing with both my DD, but on them it is always the latter.

I've got a friend, one of the masters here, has said many times, go by the monitor. I just have a hard time doing that.

 

[Antz81]

I would Stick to yearly or the monitor. Whichever comes first.
As for the time i would change the oil in spring when you take it out of storage. That's my opinion anyway.

 

[timfitz63]

A lot of manufacturers specify yearly oil changes if the oil monitoring system doesn't count down oil 'life' first. But what drives that...? On these very-low-mileage (between 1-2k miles per year) vehicles, does synthetic oil degrade by just sitting -- unused -- in the crankcase...? I've never understood the rationale behind the recommendation for yearly oil changes and whether it truly applies in these cases.

 

[vett boy]

A lot of manufacturers specify yearly oil changes if the oil monitoring system doesn't count down oil 'life' first. But what drives that...? On these very-low-mileage (between 1-2k miles per year) vehicles, does synthetic oil degrade by just sitting -- unused -- in the crankcase...? I've never understood the rationale behind the recommendation for yearly oil changes and whether it truly applies in these cases.

I drive enough to justify a yearly oil change .I agree with your post somethings in life don't make common sense but now I'm concerned enough that the next time I buy Mobil 1 I'll check the expiration date on the jug.

 

[Hib Halverson]

For engines I run less than 15,000 miles a year, I don't waste money on annual oil changes but...

1) I use a premium synthetic oil with formulations that can accommodate extended drain intervals.
2) I have had the benefit of oil analysis to verify I can extend oil drain intervals beyond 12 months.

The longest I've gone is five years and the oil analysis came back marginal as far as TBN, oxidation and other issues relating to long-term use. I now will go only as long as about three years before I change the oil in an engine which sees limited use.

In engines that see frequent use, I change every 15,000-18,000 miles with filter changes every 3-5,000 miles.

I use either Gibbs Driven LS30 or Red Line 10W30 in my engines. I would not recommend extended drain intervals with anything other than those two, however, if you're considering extended drain intervals, and don't like Gibbs Driven or Red Line, check the refiner or blender who makes the oil you like.