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Change engine oil soon

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Posted by: eldo99er

My 99 Eldorado ETC shows "change engine oil soon" and 9 % oil life left. However, I checked the oil and it looks fine, other than being a little dark. The eldo has run approximately 4000 miles since the last oil change.

How does the oil quality sensor really work? I was told by someone that it does not even measure the actual quality of th oil but calculates it based on the quality of the air filter and miles driven? Is this true or BS?

In any case, how can I reset the oil quality to 100 % so that the message won't keep bugging me?

I do refill oil as required, so that the overall quality improves every time I put in another quart of fresh oil - I would like to run another 1000 miles until the next change....

Posted by: mespock

Ummmm 4,000 since last change.... dude time to change the oil... Don't rely on the car to tell you. Oil changes are cheap compared to engine repair.

Old rule is every 3000 miles... synthetic a little longer. Why wait your car will love you for it.

Just because we own Expensive Luxury Cars doesn't mean they don't need TLC when it comes to typical up keep ...

Posted by: taylor414ce2003

I think oil life is by crank revolutions-to reset index I believe you push and hold menue and info reset but not 100% sure I always forget,I will look in owners manual tonite

Posted by: MAC1

I'm going to have to disagree with ignoring the "Oil Life Indicator." This topic has been discussed a number of times with a GM powertrain engineer among the participants, whom we respectfully referred to as the "Guru." The Guru stated that the Oil Life Indicator uses a sophisticated algorithm which takes into account almost all aspects of driving conditions except one -- it can't detect dusty conditions. If you live in dusty conditions GM's recommendation (at least in 1994) was to change oil every 3000 miles. Otherwise, the Oil Life Indicator will let you know when to change your oil -- "usually between 3,000 miles (5 000 km) and 7,500 miles (12 500 km). Under severe conditions [and I'm reading from my 1994 Owner's Literature

(Cadillac's title, not mine)], the indicator may come on before 3,000 miles." If you want to waste money then change oil every 3,000 miles. Unless you're experiencing dusty conditions then no need to ignore the Oil Life Indicator.

Posted by: eldo99er

Quote:

Originally Posted by taylor414ce2003

I think oil life is by crank revolutions-to reset index I believe you push and hold menue and info reset but not 100% sure I always forget,I will look in owners manual tonite

Well, I went ahead and checked the owner's manual, and to my surprise, there it was: You have to push menu until you see how much oil life is left, then hold info reset until it goes back to 100 % (I didn't think it would be in the operating manual but rather in a manual for the mechanics).

Anyhow, it's now back to 100 %. The oil quality is kept at a reasonable level since the Northstar burns so much oil and I keep having to refill some. I suppose I'll drive another few hundred miles and then have the oil change done...

Is there any such thing in the automotive world of a sensor that can measure the actual quality of the oil rather than inferring it from the miles/speeds driven?

Posted by: taylor414ce2003

evan if you are burning oil you need to change it or at least the oil filter!!!!!!
as recomended on this site to cut down on oil consumption put it in 2nd gear open her up for a mile or so once a week-it works I have gone from burning a 1qrt every 700 miles to 1 every 1100 miles- gm says 1qrt every 900 miles is normal

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