Oil change 2004 Vue

Discussion in 'Saturn VUE' started by John Sloan, Aug 30, 2004.

  1. John Sloan

    John Sloan Guest

    I have 5K on my vue now and still no change oil light. I'm on the verge of
    taking it to the Saturn store just to find out if the light is working.
    Whats the normal milage for changing oil?
    John
     
    John Sloan, Aug 30, 2004
    #1
  2. John Sloan

    Blah Blah Guest

    When you first turn your key on, all lights on the dash should light
    up. Thats how you know if a light doesnt work. If you mean the very
    first 5k this Vue has seen then you should of changed it long ago. The
    oil counter namely counts engine revolutions. If you drive it like an
    old man, which you should with a fresh engine, then it can go for some
    time before the light comes on.
     
    Blah Blah, Aug 30, 2004
    #2
  3. John Sloan

    Ron Herfurth Guest

    I've never claimed to be normal but I do my first change at ~ 500 miles,
    then every 3,000 miles. Is the change oil light activated by milage, a
    clock, differential pressure, or something else?
    ron
    94 SL-1 103,000 miles
     
    Ron Herfurth, Aug 30, 2004
    #3
  4. John Sloan

    Matt Guest

    I have a 2000 SL1 and the change oil light comes on between 4 and
    5,000miles. It is determined by temperature you drive, speed, stop and
    starting, dust, etc.

    If in doubt change your oil (3,000 miles is usually a safe estimate).. I
    usually do it ever 4,000.... I never go by the light... :)
     
    Matt, Aug 30, 2004
    #4
  5. John Sloan

    C. E. White Guest

    I have yet to have my Vue's oil change light turn on, even
    after waiting past 6k a couple of times. No matter what it
    should come on before 7.5k. I really do intend to wait for
    the light, but for various reasons involving convenience, I
    have always changed it before the light came on. I guess I
    should purposely not reset it once, to see how long it would
    go.

    Ed
     
    C. E. White, Aug 30, 2004
    #5
  6. John Sloan

    C. E. White Guest

    C. E. White, Aug 30, 2004
    #6
  7. John Sloan

    C. E. White Guest

    Why not? I persoanlly think the light is a great idea. 3,000
    or 4,000 mile oil changes are just wasting resources (and
    more importantly your money). When I purchased my Vue, the
    salesman told me about the light, but then told me I should
    change the oil every 3,000 miles no matter what the light
    said. I posted this story to this newsgroup. A GM engineer
    actaully contacted me offline to ask me the name of the
    salesman and to tell me the light was a well researched and
    good indication of the proper time to change the oil. I
    really do intend to use the light as an indicator of when to
    change the oil - although I've never actually waited quite
    long enough to have the light come on (convneience issues
    ahve always made me change the oil before the light came
    on).

    Ed
     
    C. E. White, Aug 30, 2004
    #7
  8. John Sloan

    Don Berkley Guest

    I did my own oil change at about 4K miles. It was, by far, the
    easiest oil change I ever did. I did not have to jack up the Vue
    because it has good ground clearance. The oil filter cartridge
    design and placement made it very easy to change the filter without
    dropping any oil anywhere. I was/am impressed, especially when
    comparing it to my previous vehicle (2000 Ford Ranger 3.0 V6),
    for which you had to be a contortionist to change the filter. Oh, BTW,
    my Vue IS a 4 cyl.
    Don
     
    Don Berkley, Aug 30, 2004
    #8
  9. John Sloan

    Blah Blah Guest


    The problem with that light is it doesnt take into account a new engine
    needs "break in" time nor does it know if you are using synthetic or
    conventional or 5w20 or 10w40 nor does it know if your filter is being
    bypassed. It also doesnt take into account that the longer you run your
    oil the more your oil bakes onto and varnishes your engine. If I pull a
    dipstick or oil cap on a engine with 6k mile oil change intervals, I'll
    know. The longer you run without changing the oil the greater the chance
    of a problem not being caught in time as well. Lord knows people dont
    know howto pop their hoods these days and look things over.
     
    Blah Blah, Aug 30, 2004
    #9
  10. John Sloan

    C. E. White Guest

    The "light" assumes 5W30 oil that meets the requirments set
    forth in the owner's guide. GM has no special break-in
    requirements listed in the manual. I have no idea how you
    would know if the filter is being bypassed. I changed the
    oil in my Vue at around 1k miles (old habits die hard), but
    have not changed it since at less than 6k intrvals (and I
    still have not tiggered the light - I did reset it after
    each change per the instructions). I do check the oil
    regularrly. I have seen no evidence of scum or varnish or
    any other oil related problems. In fact, the oil in my Vue
    looks bettter after 6000 miles, than the oil in my old
    Toyota looked after 100 miles. 3000 mile oil changes belong
    to the past when cars and oils weren't as good. American are
    literally wasting millions of dollars on unecessary oil
    changes becasue of old guy thinking. I know it is hard to
    break the 3000 mile oil change addiciton, but try hard. My
    Sister has a Honda. It also has an oil change indicator -
    but it is merely odometer driven with no compensation for
    cold or hot running or the number of starts. She never
    changes the oil before the indicator turns red (7500 miles).
    The car now has over 100k miles and is almost 8 years old.
    The paint is falling off the bumpers, the interior looks
    like crap, but the engine runs like a clock, uses no oil,
    and pull like new. Exacly how much better off would she be
    if she had spent an extra $400 or so on oil changes?

    Ed
     
    C. E. White, Aug 30, 2004
    #10
  11. John Sloan

    Saturn Guest

    Oil change light will come on after about six months and normal driving.If
    its not on yet,don't worry it will light up around 6k
     
    Saturn, Aug 31, 2004
    #11
  12. John Sloan

    Blah Blah Guest

    No manufacturer to my knowledge has ever give any break in
    "requirements". However do you think its wise to rev that engine upto
    7000 rpm every chance you get the first 500 miles? No? Engines do have a
    break in time but no manufacturer is going to tell you that. Major proof
    that you need to give your engine time to break in would be with
    Cadillacs northstar engines. They have interference fit valves and if
    you were to check the compression readings on a fresh motor to one with
    1000 miles you would see a huge difference.
    Lets see. New filter tech, tighter screen mesh, metal shavings and chips
    from a brand new engine. Yeah I say its getting pretty restrictive.
    Everyone drives differently and in different climates. Some people are
    harder on their engines than you and your sister and some people dont
    buy quality oils. Making a broad statement like that and expecting
    everyone to have the same variables is a long shot. 4000 miles is the
    limit I give any filter and 500 miles on a "fresh" engine is the limit
    that should be given for both oil and filter. Besides that 100k miles on
    that engine aint nothing. Thats a fraction of what a motor should be
    able to reach if cared for. Sounds like the rest of it isnt keeping up
    though so it wouldnt mater in that cars case.
     
    Blah Blah, Aug 31, 2004
    #12
  13. John Sloan

    C. E. White Guest

    Is this just idle speculation? Why wouldn't GM require an
    early oil change if this was the case? I have cut a few
    filters open and rarely see anything significant. It is easy
    to examine the outside of the Vue's filter, and I haven't
    seen anything of interest so far. There was nothing at all
    left in the cartridge holder.
    Until this year my Sister's normal commute was 2 miles one
    way. She essentially drove the car in 2 mile segments
    separated by long periods of time parked. This is pretty
    hard on an engine. I am easier on an engine than she by a
    long shot.
    You need to define quality oil. If it meets the
    specifications set forth in your owner's guide, then it
    should be "quality oil." If it doesn't, then all bets are
    off and you certainly shouldn't count on the oil change
    indicatior.
    And you are basing this limit on your Grandfather's wisdom?
    You don't think the engineers at GM can size a filter to
    last 75000 miles? How about European cars that use the same
    size filter, but specify even longer oil change intervals
    (10k or more miles)? Engines are better today, oil is better
    today, filters are better today, fuel injection systems
    don't dilute the oil with excess fuel, the oil isn't
    contaminated with TEL, etc., etc., etc. - why do you think
    you need to stick to the same oil change recommendations
    that were in place in 1957? If anything, the oil change
    intervals indicated by the oil change light are probably
    conservative.
    You are now making my point. I have never gotten rid of a
    vechile becasue of a bad engine. In the end, I dump them
    becasue they are falling apart around a perfectly good
    engine or becasue I am just tired of them. Why spend
    hundreds extra making unecessary oil changes? Who are you
    helping - the junk yard operator? I've have a 25 year old
    farm tractor with 6000 hours (roughtly equivalent to 200,000
    miles)that has a good engine and I have never changed the
    oil more often than every 150 hours (roughly equivalent to
    5,000 miles). This engines has been worked far harder, under
    far more severe conditions than 95% of all car engines.

    We all have to make our own decision on what is best.
    However, I think we are being brain washed by places like
    Jiffy Lube into believeing that we need to change our oil
    every 3000 miles (or sooner). I believe that 5,000 mile oil
    changes are mor ethan sufficient for 95% of all drivers. I
    also applaud GM for including an oil change indicator that
    is based on more than just miles in their newer vechiles. I
    believe if owners would use this system, they can save
    themselves time and money, while not reducing the useful
    life of thier vehicles.

    Regards,

    Ed White
     
    C. E. White, Aug 31, 2004
    #13
  14. John Sloan

    Matt Guest

    The reason I don't trust the light is it will go up to 7,000 miles
    before it goes on (i've had it not reset when I've gotten oil changed)..
    in my book 7,000 miles is just way too long to go between oil changes.
     
    Matt, Aug 31, 2004
    #14
  15. John Sloan

    Matt Guest

    Mine has gone all the way to 7,000 or 8,000 YIKES! That's a bit long.
     
    Matt, Aug 31, 2004
    #15
  16. John Sloan

    C. E. White Guest

    But why do you think 7000 miles is too long? Did you have
    the oil analysed after 7000 miles?

    I haven't actaully let mine go that far yet, but it is not
    becasue I don't trust the light. It is that the three times
    I have changed oil, I did so for convenience reasons (more
    than 6000 miles on the oil and it was a slow weekend, or I
    was getting ready for a long trip, etc.).

    I don't understand the reluctance to trust the oil change
    indicator light, or the belief that modern oil in a modern
    engines can't last longer than non-detergent 30W oil did in
    a 57 Studebaker. 3000 mile oil changes seems to be a
    uniquely North American habit. Ford and GM sell the same
    engines is different markets and specify far longer oil
    change intervals in Europe than in the US. For instance, in
    Europe the Ecotech engines have 20,000 mile maximum service
    interval instead of the 7500 maximum for the US. I believe
    they do use 5W30 synthetic oil instead of 5W30 conventional,
    but then they also offer more highly stressed turbo models.
    See http://www.migweb.co.uk/forums/archive/index.php/t-17134
    :

    "New Vectra features a flexible service indicator, which
    provides information on when servicing is required depending
    on how the car is used. Petrol engines require an oil change
    at 20,000 miles (or up to two years) while the diesels are
    up to 30,000 miles (or two years)."

    And we are worried about 3,000 vs 7,000 mile oil
    changes....geez. In Europe they argue whether 10,000 mile,
    20,000 mile or 30,000 mile oil changes are needed.

    Regards,

    Ed White
     
    C. E. White, Aug 31, 2004
    #16
  17. John Sloan

    Jerry Guest

    I agree with you about oil change interval (even though I use 3k
    interval myself - brainwashing...), but not about break-in period.
    Advance of contemporary technology doesn't change the laws of physics.
    Being a mechanical engineer by education, I remember a college course
    about machine-cutting equipment and how to correctly break-in that
    machinery. Engines with their high dynamics and temperatures are even
    more sensitive to correct procedure of a breaking-in. You need a good
    magnification to be able to see in the oil particles, which are a
    product of accelerated wear during break-in. A properly conducted
    breaking-in and a proper maintenance could provide a
    quality-manufactured engine a life span of 1,000,000 miles. Removing
    break-in procedure greatly reduces a life span of an engine but still
    it could be well above 100k miles. I don't think GM wants an engine
    last 1,000,000 miles, and most people won't complain if it lasts about
    200k miles. Also, GM doesn't require early oil change, which is a part
    of break-in procedure, because we live in the society where even
    slightest inconvenience is very undesirable and could steer a
    potential customer to a competitor.
     
    Jerry, Aug 31, 2004
    #17
  18. John Sloan

    Blah Blah Guest

    From what little I read of your post, do to lack of interest and my
    personal experience dealing with poorly maintained engines, it looks as
    though you haven't rebuilt or pulled many 7-10k oil change engines. Nor
    have you had experience dealing with the oiling for the timing chain on
    a 1.9L. And your argument about "oil being wasted", yeah if you
    illegally dump it on the ground its wasted. The rest of us however take
    our oil to a recycling center. If you never seen a modern engine with
    rocker arms cutting groves in oil gunk then dont argue with me about the
    need for 3-4k mile oil & filter changes. People still think Castrol is a
    quality oil and like hell if I would have that in my engine for 7k miles
    yet alone 1k.
     
    Blah Blah, Aug 31, 2004
    #18
  19. John Sloan

    Blah Blah Guest

    Exactly. Well put Jerry. Thats the reason why I dont recommend synthetic
    oil for the first 6000 miles. It never breaks in right.
     
    Blah Blah, Aug 31, 2004
    #19
  20. John Sloan

    John Sloan Guest

    I agree with this approach. I think 3000 mile oil changes are a thing of
    the past. I don't think GM would recommend something that would harm the
    engine with the competitive auto market today. Doubt if I'll go till the
    light comes on but 5K sounds good to me.
    John
     
    John Sloan, Sep 1, 2004
    #20
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