2023 GMC Sierra Recommended Oil Change Mileage

[Rinconmike]

On my 2017 GMC Yukon Denali with 6.2L I changed the oil every 5,000 miles.  I think the oil like was around 30% at the changes.  I use the local GM dealer for service.  
 
I now have a 2023 GMC Sierra Denali Ultimate (own) and recommended mileage for oil change is 7,500 miles.  I have 4,900 mile after around 2.5 months and the oil percentage is 35%.  Is there a recommendation for these? Good to stick to the 5,000 miles or 6,000 miles or the 7,500 miles.  I plan to keep this truck to around 100,000 miles.
 
I also leased a 2022 GMC terrain for one of my kids.  After around 6 months it is around 5,600 miles and 27% oil life.  This too notes recommdened around 7,500 miles.  What is the recommended oil change on this.  This lease will will most likely trade in and not buy at the end of the lease.
 
thanks,
 
Mike
 

[newdude]

What you are doing is just fine.  GM sets the 7500mi interval based on normal use case.  If you tow, lots of idling, lots of WOT, shorter interval is better.  7500mi was the OE interval on your Yukon as well in the manual.  

 

All of the Dexos1 Gen 3 compliant oils do a great job, but even then with direct injection and the oils being better formulated, there still seems to be some degree of thought that the oils can't handle that long 7500mi interval.  Your higher end "boutique" oils can probably be pushed the longer drain like Redline or Amsoil Signature which are blended and formulated well beyond the Dexos1 Gen 3 standards GM has in place.  

 

Hopefully @Grumpy Bear gets a glimpse of this thread as he's a resident go to for oil related questions.  

[BB68]

you're supposed to change oil in leases?

Edited July 13, 2023 by BB68

[Grumpy Bear]

@newdude ring my bell? 

 

5 hours ago, Rinconmike said:

On my 2017 GMC Yukon Denali with 6.2L I changed the oil every 5,000 miles.  I think the oil like was around 30% at the changes.  I use the local GM dealer for service.  
 
I now have a 2023 GMC Sierra Denali Ultimate (own) and recommended mileage for oil change is 7,500 miles.  I have 4,900 mile after around 2.5 months and the oil percentage is 35%.  Is there a recommendation for these? Good to stick to the 5,000 miles or 6,000 miles or the 7,500 miles.  I plan to keep this truck to around 100,000 miles.
 
I also leased a 2022 GMC terrain for one of my kids.  After around 6 months it is around 5,600 miles and 27% oil life.  This too notes recommdened around 7,500 miles.  What is the recommended oil change on this.  This lease will will most likely trade in and not buy at the end of the lease.
 
thanks,
 
Mike
 

 

I hardly know what to advise anymore. These questions are asked in a moral sense, but the motor knows nothing of morality or the owner's motivation. From its standpoint it doesn't matter if you're buying or leasing. Hold till they drop or trade every year. It's needs, as a machine, remain the same and follow the setting and service it is placed in.

 

As such I don't know if I'm being asked to advise best practices for the equipment OR "What is the minimum I can get away with". 

 

I don't do the later and I've written until numb on the former for those interested only in the later. I just get beat up. 

 

I'll need some clarity on what I'm being asked before I invest more time to this topic. That's fair I think.  

[Rinconmike]

Thanks for the replies.  On the 2023 GMC Sierra 1500 I do around 20,000 to 25,000 miles a year.  Both highway and city miles.  I want to take care of the truck.  On the 2017 Yukon i did every +/- 5,000 miles.  I may just shoot for that on this was well or might do 6,000.  It is not the cost of the service for me, it is the time to bring it in.

 

On the leases, I may just do the GM recommended 7,500 (or watch the oil monitor).  I have two identical 2022 GMC Terrain AT4 for my two kids.  

[redwngr]

If your regularly putting that many miles on it seems it might be good candidate for oil sampling to determine the 'oil condition' vs miles vs OLM

 

 

Sometimes an 'early' oil change is a matter of convenience, and to avoid wanting/needing to do a change during a long trip or during a busy season.

[repairman54]

I took my old '11 Tahoe 5.3 to 150k miles on changing oil at 10% OLM intervals. Traded it in for the Silverado. 

Same thing on many other Chevy vehicles. Took a 2.4 Malibu to 220k and sold it running fine along with my old '99 5.7 Yukon at 210k miles. 

Only full synth. oils and AC UPF filters. Will do the same with my 6.2 Silverado. Trucks all saw towing duty also. Same applies to the Chevy's in my fleet listed below. 

Edited July 14, 2023 by repairman54

[TxTruckMan]

The whole point of the Oil Life Monitor is that you don't need to track miles.  The OLM tells you when you need an oil change based on your specific driving conditions.  I change my oil when I get to 20% remaining.

[Grumpy Bear]

On 7/13/2023 at 3:42 PM, Rinconmike said:

Thanks for the replies.  On the 2023 GMC Sierra 1500 I do around 20,000 to 25,000 miles a year.  Both highway and city miles.  I want to take care of the truck.  On the 2017 Yukon i did every +/- 5,000 miles.  I may just shoot for that on this was well or might do 6,000.  It is not the cost of the service for me, it is the time to bring it in.

 

On the leases, I may just do the GM recommended 7,500 (or watch the oil monitor).  I have two identical 2022 GMC Terrain AT4 for my two kids.  

 

This is going to be longer than most peoples attention spans. 

 

Okay so a mixed bag then. I'm not going to comment on your short-term leases. But I will on you keeper. 

 

As you can see from @repairman54 comment and dozens of others you may get like it; many have success going "By the Book". You can't argue facts, right? 

 

I'm not normally a "the sky is falling' type, but both industries, OEM auto/truck/SUV and oil, are in dumb and dumber mode the last decade or so. I'd love 10 minutes with the engineers that think that giving access to the crankcase to fuel and water pumps was a good idea. When up to me, I don't build, if possible, with even the oil pump internal. Oil belongs in a crankcase and the things it lubricates and NOTHING else. GDI fuel dilution and glycol leaks wreak havoc on oil. 2% fuel is all day GDI normal and yet it is anything but normal. SPFI was 'Nill' by GC. You never see a ring collapse in a GM 3800.

 

As shown above, there are lots of motors that on normal schedule and fluids go the distance and do so routinely. Many don't. The only way to know which camp you are in is routine UOA. Not every OCI but enough to stay 'on top'.

 

Fuel is a funny thing. Motors go on and on with 2% with routine maintenance and spec oil.....until they don't and the rings shellac and collapse or fill and loose ability to scrape off oil. It takes a long time for the deposits to build to this point and that depends allot on not only how long in miles or hours but what type of service. Shellac forms during the cool down when fuel evaporates. So more short hopping it does and cooler the climate the faster this happens, but it will happen using spec products and OEM OLM OCI's. 80K? 150K Who knows but count on it. 

 

Glycol is a whole other animal. Even trace amounts accelerate oxidation. It's also a bearing eater. Not an issue with the anything with an external pump like yours unless you have a gasket failure or a cracked head. Unicorns Just information. 

 

There has been a shift to 'low tension' rings. 40% of a motor's friction comes from the rings so this was low hanging fruit for the OEM to help EPA fuel economy requirements. Yea, about that. They demand an exceedingly clean shellac/deposit free environment. This is NOT a GM thing but an OEM thing. Everyone is having issues but VW who gave up on them I believe in 2016 as the last year. 

 

Shellac is soluble in the right solvent and not a particle that a detergent or dispersant can capture and hold from depositing. It crosslinks forming a film like drying oil-based paints. Detergent will absolutely lower total deposits but not much good on fuel. Not totally useless, but poor at it. Oils focus has been on friction reduction and limiting oxidation which ALSO creates deposits but as cheaply as possible and to not more than the OEM demands. That bar is higher than it used to be but not nearly high enough for these technologies. 

 

To reach these goals more highly refined and sometimes even synthetically manufactured DRY OILS are used. Drastic reduction in oxidation which allows lower and lower amounts of detergents and antioxidants. BUT dry oils will not solve out shellac, fuels. And the DEXOS license doesn't permit certain base oil swaps that would permit a polar solvent to be used as anything but enough carrier oil to hold the package in suspension or solution. Mobil, GM's formulator backed off polar components years ago as a cost move. They are the bar setter for all things DEXOS. 

 

Friction reduction. That focus has been on viscosity reduction and limited use of friction modifiers like Molly and Boron to name two. Problem here is viscosity the backbone of the Stribeck Curve. Viscosity is what keeps parts apart. The counter to this has been smoother finishes and harder materials and some new wear additives not zinc and phosphor based. They are sacrificial meaning they deplete with use. When they run out parts touch parts. Wear happens. This is a sliding component issue not a rod and main thing but ring and cylinder thing. Where thin low-tension rings live. For the OEM the question when advising OLM length is how long do I want my customer to keep this thing before forcing him to buy a new one? The driveline warranty backing up to 60K should answer that one. That and GM admitting in court that oil consumption is a product of a design flaw. AND the ridiculous statement that a quart in a thousand miles is NORMAL. The goals for them is reaching 150K. That is 'by law' considered 'lifetime'. BTY I just consulted my owners manual for severe service and the oil change is STILL 7.5K. 

 

So, you have lots of clues to work with.

 

Start with a UOA that does GC fuels and AN/TBN values. See what you're working with. Try 5K to start. If fuel is under 0.5% and the TBN is above the AN (TAN) you are likely to have success at OEM spec for OLM and oil type if wear metals are in line and combustion is good. That will cover allot of vehicles. 

 

If fuel is closer to the 2.5% drop dead upper limit, then you need an oil with a great deal of solvency and you will not find that in a DEXOS license 'that I know of'. Mobil 1 may have a blend, but I don't know which if any. I know of four but have no experience with two of them. So Red Line HP white bottle OR HPL and talk to staff there for a recommendation that will suit your needs. 

 

Now how long do I change this high solvent oil? Lots of things can and will condemn an oil but if all else looks good do not allow the TBN to fall below the AN. If your lab does not do AN then use 4 TBN as a floor. How ever many miles that takes is your OCI. In my personal ride Red Line HP with 2.4% fuel lasted 5K miles to a low 4 TBN. Ballpark.

 

Okay, if you are adamate about using a DEXOS oil even at 2.5% fuel then change it every 2,500-3,000 miles. There might be enough solvency from the carrier to take it that far. 

 

Don't care how much blow back I get to this. Find an oil you like with a minimum 10 cSt viscosity at 100 C / 212 F and an HSTS of 3 minimum. This is normally a good *W30. It should remain above a 10 cSt even at life end. FUEL is a viscosity KILLER. 

 

If you use an oil with at least 15% ester in the blend you should not see a drop in fuel economy. Yea, big oil knows this. Published it and yet finds lighter oil more profitable. 

 

 

 

If you can't bring yourself to a *30W then there are a few *W20 from both Red Line HP and HPL that have an HTHS over 3. 30W territory. Only HPL has one that is so in a 0W20. 

 

IF fuel is over 2.4% then find and fix the issue. Injector leak or HPFP leak. 

 

Just did a pump and injectors 40K ago on a 2.4 and took the fuel to 0.2% WOW! Now it is 2.0% and I'm not replacing pumps and injectors every 25 to 50K miles. This is just GDI being what it is. It's what I got to share. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 14, 2023 by Grumpy Bear

[GN2018]

You said you’re only planning on keeping it until 100K miles. In that case, I would change oil based on the oil monitor in the truck.  You’ll get 100K out of it with no problem.  If you wanted to do a little better than that, I’d go with the every 5K mikes like you’re used to doing.  That’s what I do.  I find it easy to remember to do it every 5K and I find that I’m usually between 20% and 30% life lift per the monitor - so I’m a little on the conservative side.

 

 

[Grumpy Bear]

On 7/13/2023 at 3:42 PM, Rinconmike said:

I want to take care of the truck. 

 

The reply then was focused on this ^^^^^ statement. Best practice.  

 

You will have no shortage of moral replies. 

[GN2018]

On 7/13/2023 at 11:05 AM, Rinconmike said:

 I plan to keep this truck to around 100,000 miles.

Nothing moral about my response.  If you want 100K from a truck, using the oil monitor will get you there.

[Grumpy Bear]

25 minutes ago, GN2018 said:

Nothing moral about my response.  If you want 100K from a truck, using the oil monitor will get you there.

 

2 hours ago, GN2018 said:

You said you’re only planning on keeping it until 100K miles. In that case, I would change oil based on the oil monitor in the truck.

 

Thought this might happen. "In that case" means the decision is being made not just for the person making the decision, but those that follow as well. We do it all the time. We feed the dog the scraps of a steak dinner not a steak dinner because it cost us something we are unwilling or unable to pay and the creature does not deserve a steak dinner. He's a dog. Second owner is not family or even close friend. We decide they don't deserve a great buy. Fact is, most dump junk on the unsuspecting. Tell me that isn't a moral judgement. 

 

"In this case" is the hinge of the decision and the statement.

 

What would you advise if he kept it just a month but drove it 20K miles or kept it 20 years and drove it 400K? Giving it to his daughter or mother? Something other? Or the same? Point is the answer is not based on the engines requirements or ability of the oil or made it isn't best interest. It's based on judgment. 

 

I don't make these decisions for other people. Why I asked for clarification before I answered. A moral reply he can make on his own with no help for anyone else. 

Edited July 14, 2023 by Grumpy Bear

[dieselfan1]

On 7/13/2023 at 3:18 PM, BB68 said:

you're supposed to change oil in leases?

That's funny right there.

[GN2018]

3 hours ago, Grumpy Bear said:

 

 

Fact is, most dump junk on the unsuspecting. Tell me that isn't a moral judgement. 

 

 

I don’t think maintaining a vehicle at the manufacturer recommend level is dumping junk on the unsuspecting and any purchaser would have access to any maintenance records to validate the treatment of the vehicle.  If that’s a moral judgement, it’s a positive moral position.