5.3 Guys, opinion on oil change intervals

[ZKWBQD]

(Forgive if this question has already been asked, couldn't find it in my search.)

Just had the 2nd free maintenance on our 2023 Yukon with just a shade over 10,000 miles (our dealer adds one free maintenance to GMs one provided at sale.) Oil change, tire rotation... Wife is planning on keeping this vehicle 100,000 miles plus.

Any opinions on oil change intervals on this super complicated engine? Every 5,000 like the dealer wants or just follow the "oil life" in the cluster? I know some consumer publications have tested the oil life monitors and found them to be pretty correct in judging oil condition but having an engine that runs on 1 cyl when it feels like it makes me nervous. However I also don't like paying $100 for an oil change more often than I have to.

So TahoeYukonForum folks, what say you?

I change the oil at the first 500 miles. Then, I change it every 3,000 miles with synthetic.

 

[Grady_Wilson]

I have changed my own oil for over 40 years and I will continue to do so as long as I'm able.
All of my cars, except for the antique ones, get an oil change at 3k or 5k miles with full synthetic and Wix XP filters.
Even my PHEV which only has the engine running half the time gets a 5k mile oil change.

 

[steiny93]

(Forgive if this question has already been asked, couldn't find it in my search.)

Just had the 2nd free maintenance on our 2023 Yukon with just a shade over 10,000 miles (our dealer adds one free maintenance to GMs one provided at sale.) Oil change, tire rotation... Wife is planning on keeping this vehicle 100,000 miles plus.

Any opinions on oil change intervals on this super complicated engine? Every 5,000 like the dealer wants or just follow the "oil life" in the cluster? I know some consumer publications have tested the oil life monitors and found them to be pretty correct in judging oil condition but having an engine that runs on 1 cyl when it feels like it makes me nervous. However I also don't like paying $100 for an oil change more often than I have to.

So TahoeYukonForum folks, what say you?

Follow the 'oil life' indicator; the difference between 5k and the 7kish that the dash is going to say isn't going to matter.

If you are worried about the oil being 'used up' have it tested (or go read about all the folks that have their oil tested). The pattern is that modern oil doesn't break down within manufacturer recommended intervals. But people really like to spend money on oil for some reason.

A the end of the day, 5k vs 7500 miles @ $100 a change, over 100k miles is a difference of $700, so not really a big deal.

 

[blackelky]

No we did TWO oil changes in 10K. Two free oil changes from the dealership. Every 5000 because they were paying for them. Oil monitor on the last oil change actually said there was roughly 30+% oil life remaining.

Wife insists on dealership service (her car loan, her maintenance money etc.) and if I can follow the monitor I'd love to with Mr. Goodwrench running roughly $100 for an oil change. My hesitation is not trusting this over complicated engine, that and I can still remember my Dad giving me $20 and sending me to the local GM dealer to get the oil changed in his Oldsmobile.

Check on the dealer's website for coupons also your local chevrolet dealer. 6 quarts of synthetic with tire rotation runs for 70$ here

 

[brianarmstrong]

(Forgive if this question has already been asked, couldn't find it in my search.)

Just had the 2nd free maintenance on our 2023 Yukon with just a shade over 10,000 miles (our dealer adds one free maintenance to GMs one provided at sale.) Oil change, tire rotation... Wife is planning on keeping this vehicle 100,000 miles plus.

Any opinions on oil change intervals on this super complicated engine? Every 5,000 like the dealer wants or just follow the "oil life" in the cluster? I know some consumer publications have tested the oil life monitors and found them to be pretty correct in judging oil condition but having an engine that runs on 1 cyl when it feels like it makes me nervous. However I also don't like paying $100 for an oil change more often than I have to.

So TahoeYukonForum folks, what say you?

I have owned 4 yukons with the 5.3 motor and before that a 5,7 motor I drove all these 300km before selling They were running like new, I changed the oil when the oil life monitor indicated 0 % engine oil life This was useally between 13000 km and 15000 km, The majority of my trips 90% were trips more than 40 km, ,No need to change the oil more often, Do it yourself or go to a dealer, stay away from fast lube shops, Your vehicle deserves better

 

[BlaineBug]

5,000 miles is a good interval. These "recommended" oil change intervals these days are a bit absurd.

 

[BlaineBug]

I’ve always changed my oil at 3,000 miles but on my newer vehicles running full synthetic I change at 5,000 miles or earlier if the oil life reaches 25%. Local Chevy dealer charges about $85 incl tax for Mobil 1 oil change and tire rotation on my Tahoe. I was 2nd in line on a recent Wed. morning and it took them 2 hrs! They said the new guy was late to work and was overly thorough checking everything out on my Tahoe. I believe they try to find something that needs replacing that they can add to the bill. He found nothing!

Of course they do, recommended service. Especially if you have an extended warranty. They try to find as much as possible. As they should, the customers likely have no clue what's going on so as long as their car still drives and doesn't make honking noises at them square in the face.

 

[Marky Dissod]

5,000 miles is a good interval. These "recommended" oil change intervals these days are a bit absurd.

Anything UNDER 5,000 miles is ... better.
I would only change my oil & filter every 5,000 miles if ALL of those miles were ALL highway.

 

[BlaineBug]

Anything UNDER 5,000 miles is ... better.
I would only change my oil & filter every 5,000 miles if ALL of those miles were ALL highway.

I have noticed that the oil life monitor decreases in percentage substantially slower during lengthy cross-country roadtrips.

 

[Marky Dissod]

the oil life monitor decreases in percentage substantially slower during lengthy cross-country roadtrips.

The Oil Life Monitor subtracts miles from 'an account'. When it runs out of miles, time for another oil change.
HOWEVER
some miles 'count' moreso than others.

There's an ideal engine coolant temp range
an ideal engine RpM range
an ideal engine load range - although the proxy for this is time spent with the TCC locked in an overdriven gear.
Miles accrued inside those ideals count the least.
That's why cross-country trips extend the Oil Life Monitor's mileage.

The more miles accrued
while the engine is cold
at higher RpM
in 1st 2nd or 3rd gear with the TCC UNlocked
the more often the Oil Life Monitor will suggest changing the oil.

And yet, in spite of all of the above ...

 

[Marky Dissod]

I genuinely believe that letting the Oil Life Monitor reach zero is less than ideal.
Even if the Oil Life Monitor has the right idea, it may not be quite critical enough.

I know many NYC cabdrivers who apply the following 'skews' to their Oil Life Monitor:
Nearly all highway miles: change oil & filter @ 17%
Mostly highway, lil bit metro / urban: change oil @ 20%
More metro / urban, some highway: change oil @ 25%
Nearly all metro / urban miles, lots of slow traffic: change oil @ 33%
Some NYC cabdrivers change oil & filter as often as every five to six weeks, which could be UNDER 3000 miles.

 

[BlaineBug]

I believe Mercedes and/or BMW have 10,000 or near recommended intervals. Of course don't their V6's take about 3 gallons of oil?

 

[tom3]

I read somewhere that German oil specs are some different that over here in the US? Could have something to do with longer intervals for the German cars.

 

[BlaineBug]

I read somewhere that German oil specs are some different that over here in the US? Could have something to do with longer intervals for the German cars.

They subscribe to the same "oil is bad" agenda in Europe even harder than they do here in the US, that is all.

 

[R32driver]

I've been going with 5K mile oil changes for 20 years now give or take and I've never had an engine problem on any car I've owned. Some of my cars I just do annually because they never get close to 5K miles put on in a year

 

[BlaineBug]

I've been going with 5K mile oil changes for 20 years now give or take and I've never had an engine problem on any car I've owned. Some of my cars I just do annually because they never get close to 5K miles put on in a year

Nothing wrong with that interval but some will still claim it's too high. I used to stretch to 6,000-7,000 but I won't be doing that anymore.

 

[Marky Dissod]

I've been going with 5K mile oil changes for 20 years now give or take,
and I've never had an engine problem on any car I've owned.
Some of my cars I just do annually because they never get close to 5K miles put on in a year.

Nothing wrong with that interval, but some will still claim it's too high.
I used to stretch to 6,000-7,000 but I won't be doing that anymore.

Long story short, both sides of that argument:
5,000 mile oil changes are aok, IFF the 5,000 miles are mostly highway, driven moderately.
If you drive more like I do -
stop'n'go, very little highway, local molasses traffic, gratuitously brisk accelerations to cut idiots off -
3,000 miles between oil changes is a much safer way to go.
Depends how you drive.

*but never less than once a year ...

 

[B-train]

I've been going with 5K mile oil changes for 20 years now give or take and I've never had an engine problem on any car I've owned. Some of my cars I just do annually because they never get close to 5K miles put on in a year

DITTO!! It's worked well for many hundreds of thousands of driven miles from Impala 3.8L to 5.3, 6.0, and 6.2L engines in trucks and suvs.

Plus, it's much easier to rhyme on the fives than have to over math it on those weird 3 or 4 numbers. LOL

 

[BlaineBug]

My Grandfather worked at Standard Oil/Amoco and retired as a chemist in 1986. He used to argue with me, stating that oil never breaks down and doesn't need to be changed annually, in his older years when I would recommend changing the oil once a year regardless. I am sure he didn't even test synthetic oils back then when he was a chemist either.

 

[Stbentoak]

If you drive say 2-3K a year or have a seasonal vehicle and use modern synthetic oils, there is zero logic in changing it just because "It's been a year"
I've went 2 years on seasonal vehicles and half the time that oil is as clean as it went in, in gas vehicles.