oil change interval?

[evilstevie]

Do you guys just follow the OLM? Mine will be creeping up on 10k miles, with dino oil, before the OLM will call for my next oil change. Seems kind of excessive to me, especially not using synthetic. thanks.

[thebeast]

You must use synthetic in our cars.
I do mine every 3500-4000 miles. Full synthetic.

[Eidolon]

The G8 GT's L76 does not require synthetic, as I recall. The LS3 in the GXP does. Check the owner's manual to be safe.

Really, the OLM in these cars is pretty good about its intervals. You can always do less if you want. There's no such thing as changing your oil "too frequently" when it comes to your engine. But you can wait too long.

If you really want to know how the oil fared, head to Blackstone Labs' (http://www.blackstone-labs.com/) site, request a few sample kits, and send one of those in with your next change. They'll tell you how your engine did on that interval based on metallic particulates found in the oil, and you can ask them to evaluate the condition of the detergents in the oil (TBN, it's called on the order sheet in each sample kit) to see if you could've gone even longer.

But based on Edmunds experience with their G8 (http://www.edmunds.com/pontiac/g8/2008/long-term-road-test/2008-pontiac-g8-gt-lab-results-on-13000-mile-oil.html), the OLM is pretty much spot on.

[-Ray-]

I used the olm but changed it when it got to 20%. The g8 came with Dino oil.

[WhatNext]

L76s come loaded with Dino oil. There are a number of oil analysis results posted from members that confirm the OLM is good to follow.

Another data point is the G8 that went 285k miles following the OLM for oil changes.

[Chewy]

I go 7500 miles on extended mileage Mobil 1 oil. 95% of those miles are highway.


Sent from my miniaturizer via tap dancing...

[djerickd]

OLM is good to follow, too it to 3% which was about 10k miles, sent it to BlackStone, they really didn't find anything too much out of spec. I was using Castrol GC 0W30

[hivoltagedriver]

I change mine every 10K miles like clockwork. Also run Mobile 1 synthetic, and the dash always says I have oil life left.

[at10]

I change mine once a year (I'm lucky if I put on more than 5k miles in a year).

[DanSVT03]

I usually do it every 5k miles, or 50% oil life. Whichever comes first. For us cammed guys, it's important to keep the oil fresh, and use a quality oil with good zinc content. I always ran Mobil 1 5w-30, but since the new cam I'm on Mobil 1 0w-40. I'm thinking about switching over to Amsoil.

[264HSV]

Most of the LS3 Aussie HSV people are doing drops every 5,000km (3,107 miles - sorry) and using the recommended Mobil 1 fully synthetic. There has been much debate and a fair amount of research done by some "in the know" individuals and every 5K km seems to be widely accepted. Costly yes - but good insurance. TRy it, keep a decent sample then drop it at 10K or 15K and check the difference.

[Napalm]

LOL

I love these debates - or rants or whatever.


Currently with 107K on the clock my G8 GT runs Amsoil 5-30 and I go to 30% OLM, which tends to get pretty much to 8+ K on the clock. Basically I go more by changing the oil twice per year. with 9 quarts to go though and all the additives - the oil is fine for quite some time.

but I like getting the filter out. Hell I'd even go so far as to recommend running with the OLM at 60% - change the filter and top off - run the remainder. and that's also with a filtermag.

but then again I R weird. Doesn't matter what oil you use if you have a synthetic - let it go longer. SAE (society of automotive engineers) have done a few studies and found that time and cycles are more important on your oil. Honestly cars should come with an hour meter to go with the odometer.

[BrandonBrandon]

It is totally depends on the car and the oil. Synthetic oil should be able to go a lot more time, but is more costly. Anyhow, when my drive are mostly sub 10 mile jaunts, the oil will be in much more extreme type after 2000 miles then after 5000 miles of mainly highway driving.

[Napalm]

It is totally depends on the car and the oil. Synthetic oil should be able to go a lot more time, but is more costly. Anyhow, when my drive are mostly sub 10 mile jaunts, the oil will be in much more extreme type after 2000 miles then after 5000 miles of mainly highway driving.

that is taken into consideration with the Oil life monitor.


but above all else - change your filter and top off the oil. then change it near the bottom of the OLM. which is what I've started to do.

[Chewy]

I swear I've only reset my OLM 3 times on my G8 over its 53,000 miles. I'm probably wrong, but I never use it and I can't think of more than three times that it's come up. I just write the mileage on the corner of the windshield with a sharpie and change it when it gets there, or when close. The car is never raced and 95% of the time when it was my DD they were highway miles with VERY VERY little stop and go.

You can drive yourself crazy putting too much thought into oil and changes IMO.

Top tip: Instead of spending a bloody fortune on the filter magnet systems, order some neodymium magnets on amazon and just click them onto your filter. I think I have three or four on my G8.

[JAFO]

With my Certified Pre-Owned free oil changes the dealer told me every 5000 miles with regular oil.

[norm8332]

The manufacturers recommendation is for a stock G8. If you have done any performance mods I highly recommend synthetic.

[Got 8?]

Been running synthetic since the first oil change...Mobil 1 5-30 EP...Was changing at 50% on the OLM and that was about 5K miles...that got expensive changing every month or so...I now go to ~30% and it its right around 10K miles and about 4.5-5 months for me...mostly spirited highway miles on back country roads going back and forth to work...car now has a little over 164K miles...and waiting for the dreaded lifter failure...

[WhatNext]

Numerous G8s had oil analysis done and they proved the OLM is good as Dino oil samples analyzed at 10k miles were still good. Nuff said.