Change Oil according to % Life indicator, or by straight mileage?

[Analog]

Title says it all. My new CR-V uses a %Oil Life indicator. My old Pontiac didn't, and I changed the oil at regular mileage intervals. What do you trust?

 

[Possessed Freak]

Regular intervals has worked for the past 100 years, no reason to stop now.

 

[fleabag]

I'm pretty sure the life indicator is based upon a fixed mileage like 5K miles or something..

 

[ja1484]

Originally posted by: fleabag
I'm pretty sure the life indicator is based upon a fixed mileage like 5K miles or something..

Some of them are also based on opacity qualities of the oil. I think this is what Honda is doing. My mother has an 09 Accord bought in June and it has this, which it monitors by shining a light through oil at one point in the filtration process and using that to determine need for change.

Frankly, since additives are a concern along with oil contaminants...I'd just use the ole mileage method regardless. My vehicles get their oil changed every 4000mi or 6 months like clockwork, whichever comes first.

 

[Gillbot]

Originally posted by: ja1484

Originally posted by: fleabag
I'm pretty sure the life indicator is based upon a fixed mileage like 5K miles or something..

Some of them are also based on opacity qualities of the oil. I think this is what Honda is doing. My mother has an 09 Accord bought in June and it has this, which it monitors by shining a light through oil at one point in the filtration process and using that to determine need for change.

Frankly, since additives are a concern along with oil contaminants...I'd just use the ole mileage method regardless. My vehicles get their oil changed every 4000mi or 6 months like clockwork, whichever comes first.

Most are calculations based on environment (via intake air temps, etc.), driving style, starts, stops and mileage.

 

[Kroze]

Originally posted by: Gillbot

Originally posted by: ja1484

Originally posted by: fleabag
I'm pretty sure the life indicator is based upon a fixed mileage like 5K miles or something..

Some of them are also based on opacity qualities of the oil. I think this is what Honda is doing. My mother has an 09 Accord bought in June and it has this, which it monitors by shining a light through oil at one point in the filtration process and using that to determine need for change.

Frankly, since additives are a concern along with oil contaminants...I'd just use the ole mileage method regardless. My vehicles get their oil changed every 4000mi or 6 months like clockwork, whichever comes first.

Most are calculations based on environment (via intake air temps, etc.), driving style, starts, stops and mileage.

That's what it saids in the manual

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: Gillbot
Most are calculations based on environment (via intake air temps, etc.), driving style, starts, stops and mileage.

This.

For a CR-V, the OP will be perfectly fine just following the % life remaining display and changing the oil when the display says so rather than based on mileage. I go by the "service" light on my Volvo and my father has had several recent vehicles (2 Ford Explorers and 2 Honda Pilots) that went over 200,000 miles without any problems and he has always just used the % life remaining indicator. No harm is going to come of using the display rather than a fixed mileage.

ZV

 

[postmortemIA]

advantage of using display is that Honda has put its whole maintenance schedule for it.

So if you change oil at 29,000 miles, you might get constant reminder one thousands miles later to do your 30K miles service

however, dealers won't like life indicator because commonly it will show 20% remaining or so after 8,000 miles.

 

[brblx]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

Originally posted by: Gillbot
Most are calculations based on environment (via intake air temps, etc.), driving style, starts, stops and mileage.

This.

For a CR-V, the OP will be perfectly fine just following the % life remaining display and changing the oil when the display says so rather than based on mileage. I go by the "service" light on my Volvo and my father has had several recent vehicles (2 Ford Explorers and 2 Honda Pilots) that went over 200,000 miles without any problems and he has always just used the % life remaining indicator. No harm is going to come of using the display rather than a fixed mileage.

ZV

volvo's service indicators are straight mileage to coincide with 7500 mile dealer services. might also be a timer on it, i don't remember. many others are also just mileage counters. honda and ford are two of the few that use real oil life monitors (well, i guess 'calculated' is a better word than 'real,' since there are no sensors involved).

if you want the car to be well cared for and are using dino oil, change it every 4-5k tops.

 

[Jeff7181]

Originally posted by: Possessed Freak
Regular intervals has worked for the past 100 years, no reason to stop now.

Uhhh... yeah. Reason to stop now.

Today's engines barely resemble gasoline engines from 100 years ago. Combustion temperatures are higher, tolerances are tighter, there are more components that need to be lubricated, bearing speeds are higher and the driving conditions vary more.

100 years ago 100,000 miles on a gasoline engine was a pipe dream. Today if you don't get 100,000 miles out of an engine either you screwed up as the owner and didn't have it serviced properly, or who ever wrenched on it screwed it up.

 

[brblx]

how many cars with with 7500 mile oil changes have you seen with oil sludge problems? 'cause i've seen lots.

preach about the wonders of science all you want, regular (read: 3-5k on conventional) oil change intervals aren't an old wives' tale.

 

[JSt0rm]

my volvo mechanic does 5k synthetic changes.

 

[boomerang]

The manufacturer of my car warrants the driveline for 5 years and 100,000 miles. If they want to take the time to design and engineer an OLI that comes on (in my case) at 10,000 miles, I'm happy to follow that guideline. The OLI in my wife's car came on at 7,500 miles. I changed it then.

You know the old saying, 'Opinions are like ass holes - everybody's got one'. Mine is above.

 

[Vette73]

Originally posted by: brblx
how many cars with with 7500 mile oil changes have you seen with oil sludge problems? 'cause i've seen lots.

preach about the wonders of science all you want, regular (read: 3-5k on conventional) oil change intervals aren't an old wives' tale.

I have opened up over 100motors in my time. The only sludge issues were either due to haveing 25k+ on the oil and/or a design flaw like toyota problems. A lot of cars can do 7k on reg oil and would go 100-200k probable if taken care of.

I run a good 5k+ on reg oil and change it once a year in my truck (160k+ so far) and my CTS and Corvette get 10k+ on Syn. The truck would get longer on milage but I change it once a year for maintaince.


Oil is not some magic fluid that gives you car more power when it is "fresh" and changing it more often only waste your money.

 

[krunchykrome]

Originally posted by: Analog
Title says it all. My new CR-V uses a %Oil Life indicator. My old Pontiac didn't, and I changed the oil at regular mileage intervals. What do you trust?

I have an 08 CRV, and I use the maintenance minder. I trust Honda.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: brblx
volvo's service indicators are straight mileage to coincide with 7500 mile dealer services.

Funny then that mine does not come on at any fixed mileage interval (I note mileage at oil changes as well). The service indicator in my S70 has never gone over 5,000 miles on an oil change.

Originally posted by: brblx
if you want the car to be well cared for and are using dino oil, change it every 4-5k tops.

Bull. As I've said, my family has had four vehicles go over 200,000 miles with conventional oil and only changing the oil at the service reminder's recommendation, which tended to be 7,500 miles or more (lots and lots of highway driving). Your average engine today will do just fine with a 7,500 mile oil change interval even on conventional oil.

ZV

 

[brblx]

older volvos had 5k maintenance intervals. your light comes on every 5k.

you're using perhaps the worst example possible to prove your point. i've replaced plugged oil traps on multiple five cylinders that had maintenance records for 7500 mile oil changes. at that interval, you're lucky to get 50-75k before it gets stopped up and the crankcase pressure goes positive. $600-800 repair at the dealer. double that if the passages inside the engine get plugged and the oil pan has to be removed. seen that with 7500 mile intervals, too.

believe whatever you want, but don't misguide other people with that crap. 7.5-10k oil changes are great....for rental cars. otherwise, quit being a cheapass.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: brblx
older volvos had 5k maintenance intervals. your light comes on every 5k.

you're using perhaps the worst example possible to prove your point. i've replaced plugged oil traps on multiple five cylinders that had maintenance records for 7500 mile oil changes. at that interval, you're lucky to get 50-75k before it gets stopped up and the crankcase pressure goes positive. $600-800 repair at the dealer. double that if the passages inside the engine get plugged and the oil pan has to be removed. seen that with 7500 mile intervals, too.

believe whatever you want, but don't misguide other people with that crap. 7.5-10k oil changes are great....for rental cars. otherwise, quit being a cheapass.

The PCV system is a known design flaw on the T5 engines. It should be de-sludged every 60,000 miles. It is precisely the sort of design fault that Marlin mentioned. The PCV system on the Volvo Turbo 5-cylinders will accumulate sludge regardless of the oil change interval. I run full synthetic and there was still sludge in the PCV system when I had it serviced this spring.

Also, it's not a $600 repair. An honest dealer/mechanic can flush the PCV system for about $75 as long as the owner has not let the car get too far gone.

7,500 mile oil change intervals are just fine for the vast, vast majority of engines.

ZV

 

[JSt0rm]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
The PCV system is a known design flaw on the T5 engines. It should be de-sludged every 60,000 miles. It is precisely the sort of design fault that Marlin mentioned. The PCV system on the Volvo Turbo 5-cylinders will accumulate sludge regardless of the oil change interval. I run full synthetic and there was still sludge in the PCV system when I had it serviced this spring.
ZV

This affects my 2.4t? How much is the cost to desludge?

 

[HannibalX]

The oil life meter in my car is based on mileage so.... both.

 

[RU482]

Originally posted by: Gillbot

Most are calculations based on environment (via intake air temps, etc.), driving style, starts, stops and mileage.

I agree with this statement. My wife and I drive GM vehicles that have the same engine/transmission. Her commute is ~15 mile RT, urban, mine is 50 miles RT, rural interstate. I change the oil in both vehicles when the oil life monitor says change oil. He car goes ~3500 miles, mine goes between 5500-7500 miles depending on season and other driving.

 

[amdhunter]

I do my oil changes per months passed. I've change the oil 5 times in 2 years...and I have 7800 miles on the car. 😱

 

[Gillbot]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

Originally posted by: Gillbot
Most are calculations based on environment (via intake air temps, etc.), driving style, starts, stops and mileage.

This.

For a CR-V, the OP will be perfectly fine just following the % life remaining display and changing the oil when the display says so rather than based on mileage. I go by the "service" light on my Volvo and my father has had several recent vehicles (2 Ford Explorers and 2 Honda Pilots) that went over 200,000 miles without any problems and he has always just used the % life remaining indicator. No harm is going to come of using the display rather than a fixed mileage.

ZV

One word of caution though, don't leave the light on for too long indicating a change is needed. Some dealers can pull the "time past change light" and void your warranty if you don't reset the light after a change, or you don't bother to change it when the light trips.