karletay

Should I change my oil before the indicator says to? Is it possible that there are pieces of metal in the oil from breaking it in? I'm at 3400 miles now and maybe at 50% oil life according to the indicator.

kjc

You can't really change the oil too often.. The recommended interval is just that, a recommendation. On a new engine, I'd change the oil after 1000 miles or so, just because it IS being broken in. Doesn't your owner manual mention anything about first oil change? 3000 miles is really a good time to change oil on about any vehicle. Synthetic oil maybe 5000, but unless it came with it from the factory, the engine needs to 'wear' a while before you use synthetic oil. From what I've read, synth oil is so slippery it can actually prevent piston rings from seating on a new engine. Then again, if your timer says 5000 miles, you probably DO have synth in there. Still, change it as often as you like.

dnuccio

its amazing the oil life theyre getting out of these cars nowadays. my dad has a 2012 chevy cruze and he just took it in for the second oil change ever, at 18000 miles.

karletay

The owner's manual is non-specific really, it doesn't mention the "first" oil change, but it says the following and it also has a pdf maintenance schedule that calls for the first oil change at 6,000. Kind contradictory and lackadaisical...


Your vehicle is equipped with an engine oil change
indicator system. The “Oil Change Required” message
will flash in the EVIC display for approximately 10
seconds after a single chime has sounded, to indicate the
next scheduled oil change interval. The engine oil change
indicator system is duty cycle based, which means the
engine oil change interval may fluctuate, dependent
upon your personal driving style.


and


MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE


Your vehicle is equipped with an automatic oil change
indicator system. The oil change indicator system will
remind you that it is time to take your vehicle in for
scheduled maintenance.
Based on engine operation conditions, the oil change
indicator message will illuminate. This means that service
is required for your vehicle. Operating conditions
such as frequent short-trips, trailer tow, extremely hot or
cold ambient temperatures, and E85 fuel usage will
influence when the “Oil Change Required” message is
displayed. Severe Operating Conditions can cause the
change oil message to illuminate as early as 3,500 miles (5
600 km) since last reset. Have your vehicle serviced as
soon as possible, within the next 500 miles (805 km).
Your authorized dealer will reset the oil change indicator
message after completing the scheduled oil change. If a
scheduled oil change is performed by someone other
than your authorized dealer, the message can be reset by
referring to the steps described under “Electronic Vehicle
Information Center (EVIC)/Oil Change Required” in
“Understanding Your Instrument Panel” for further information

NOTE: Under no circumstances should oil change intervals
exceed 10,000 miles


4






UNDERSTANDING YOUR INSTRUMENT PANEL 301

sycoglitch

All cars are like this. If you only highway driving in non dusty areas, the interval is like 7500 miles. Do driving in traffic everyday and it drops too 3000 miles.

dave1123

I use Valvoline Synthetic in my WJ and change at 5000 mile intervals. The oil gets a little discolored at 5000, but is perfectly clear after a change. That's clear after about 50 miles, not right after I change it.

The only metal you MIGHT find in a new engine as a few aluminum flakes from the pistons IF they scratched them in assembly. The alloys used in today's engine blocks are very tough and don't wear like the older ones. I saw a Volks Passat engine torn down after 40K and it still had hone crosshatch marks in the cylinder walls!

Petroleum oils do not break down, they get dirty and the additives wear out. Unless, of course, they get overheated. If you use the SEVERE SERVICE intervals, your engine will live long. Just think for a moment, what is more severe service than sitting in traffic on a hot summer day? Or stop and go driving? On long highway driving, it takes about an hour for all the parts of an engine to heat soak to maximum. In cold weather, short trips will build up water and contaminants in the oil, so watch your oil for white foam, which is water condensation that hasn't had a chance to burn off and evaporate. SAE recommends at least 15 miles or 30 minutes in the winter for engine operation to burn off condensation. That white foam will turn black and is called "sludge".

karletay

dave1123 - I am sorry it took me so long to reply to your post, I got really ill all of a sudden and am still recovering! Your answer was exactly the information I was looking for, about the aluminum flakes from the pistons. Thank you!


I may have so more questions for your later when I'm feeling better and thinking more clearly.


Happy holidays!