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Old 06-07-2022, 10:03 PM   #1
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Oil change

I have a 2020 Silverado, 5.3 liter v-8, pulling a Surveyor Legend. This question is truck related. We are going on a 5,000 mile trek from Houston to Glacier National Park and more. The truck tells me I have 50% oil life. I hate to give up 50% of the current oil, but should I change oil now and start the trip with fresh oil in the crankcase?
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Old 06-07-2022, 10:12 PM   #2
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I would change it out, pretty cheap insurance in my book.
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Old 06-07-2022, 10:18 PM   #3
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With today’s modern oils and gasoline you would probably be ok, going round trip. The trucks algorithm will probably tell you half way thr trip to change since your towing. That said, I start every long trip off with fresh oil and usually new fuel filter ( I have a diesel). While I know the truck will be ok. I think about the heat outside the heat generated from towing. So I lie to myself and say I will get better mpg and peace of mind. Plus I don’t want to spend part of my vacation paying someone else to do it.
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Old 06-07-2022, 10:31 PM   #4
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That's a really long trip. We've done it from Houston and you're going through some country that will task your truck and you.

If it were me, I'd change the oil and make certain your brake and radiator fluid is topped off. You're going to need good brakes and good radiator fluid to keep the engine cool. You're going from sea level to over 6,000 feet.

Take your cold and warm weather gear, sunscreen, and a camera. It's well worth the drive. Safe journey.
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Old 06-07-2022, 10:39 PM   #5
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I'd change it out before I left. Youll have other things to think about on your trip.
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Old 06-08-2022, 12:00 AM   #6
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You could probably stop somewhere in Alaska and have it changed, as well.
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Old 06-08-2022, 01:13 AM   #7
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You could probably stop somewhere in Alaska and have it changed, as well.
That's quite a detour. He's going from Houston, Texas to Glacier National Park in Montana.
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Old 06-08-2022, 06:13 AM   #8
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Oil type & mileage

@John1949 - There are a few items that I would take into consideration. What type of oil do you use (conventional, semi-synthetic or full synthetic) and how many miles do you normally get between oil changes based on the truck's oil monitoring system? If you can normally go 10k miles between changes, and your at 5k miles you have 5k miles left and should be good, even if you happen to go over a few hundred miles. Additionally as an example I use AMSOIL full synthetic, which is good for 20k miles, so the truck's system telling me I need a change based on the number of RPMs the engine has turned in xx miles means nothing to me. I typically reset my oil change system at least once, as it likes to notify me between 7,000 and 7,500 miles.

Additionally, do you do your own oil changes or trust a shop to do them? If you are comfortable with a shop doing the change, then you can have it done during the trip.

Changing your oil early certainly won't hurt your system, but with the price of everything up it is a waste of money and a consumable good.

Those are my thoughts.

Hope this helps you arrive at the decision you're most comfortable with.
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Old 06-08-2022, 12:41 PM   #9
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@John1949 - There are a few items that I would take into consideration. What type of oil do you use (conventional, semi-synthetic or full synthetic) and how many miles do you normally get between oil changes based on the truck's oil monitoring system? If you can normally go 10k miles between changes, and your at 5k miles you have 5k miles left and should be good, even if you happen to go over a few hundred miles. Additionally as an example I use AMSOIL full synthetic, which is good for 20k miles, so the truck's system telling me I need a change based on the number of RPMs the engine has turned in xx miles means nothing to me. I typically reset my oil change system at least once, as it likes to notify me between 7,000 and 7,500 miles.

Additionally, do you do your own oil changes or trust a shop to do them? If you are comfortable with a shop doing the change, then you can have it done during the trip.

Changing your oil early certainly won't hurt your system, but with the price of everything up it is a waste of money and a consumable good.

Those are my thoughts.

Hope this helps you arrive at the decision you're most comfortable with.
It's a 2020 Silverado, so uses 0W-20 oil, which is pretty much all synthetic. And even if he runs Amsoil, he's under warranty, so he has to change the oil per GM's schedule, so no going 20,000 miles for now.
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Old 06-08-2022, 12:44 PM   #10
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I would change the oil before heading out. That's one less thing you have to deal with while on the road. I've traveled between Alaska and Arizona a number of times with my Silverados and I always changed the oil before heading out, even if it was at 75 or 80 percent of oil life remaining.
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Old 06-08-2022, 12:56 PM   #11
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10,000 mile intervals are common nowadays. I wouldn't be concerned.
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Old 06-08-2022, 01:01 PM   #12
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10,000 mile intervals are common nowadays. I wouldn't be concerned.
10k miles between oil changes might be common, but not for towing, at least for me. Why push it.
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Old 06-08-2022, 01:29 PM   #13
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Oil is cheap and overkill always works. Five quarts of full synthetic oil is what? under $40? I run full synthetics on all my vehicles and, since it's in the garage, my lawn equipment as well.

Check your owner's manual as a 5W-30 full synthetic may be acceptable and of benefit with higher engine temperatures and hot summer weather. 5W-20 just lets GM meet fuel economy requirements in general driving.

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Old 06-08-2022, 01:51 PM   #14
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That's quite a detour. He's going from Houston, Texas to Glacier National Park in Montana.
...had Denali on the mind, when responding. It still applies, though.
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Old 06-08-2022, 01:55 PM   #15
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What's your interval, where are you on your service schedule, and what's your engine oil look like now (eg do you work it hard, or is it babied)? Giving up that 50% of oil life would be hard for me, and I'd want to do what I could to maximize it.

I make sure to have oil and a filter and tools to change the oil in my road kit, but a 5,000 mile trip? You're driving a new, full-sized American truck. Honestly, it sounds like you're safe finding a place to get the oil changed along the way, if not to get the truck serviced, too. That being said, a good once-over prior to the trip is a great idea (eg, mandatory) to make sure you're fresh and topped up. Couple of quarts of 0W-20 wouldn't hurt either.

The unprepared and unforeseen is what tests you. Among so many stories, we had a 454 dually lose all of its FRESH oil on a short haul thanks to an oil cooler line getting worn through (ended up with a free underbody rust-coating made of lightly used Mobile 1, and a new engine thanks to Chevy).

Lots of opinions here, hope this helps make a good decision.
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Old 06-12-2022, 08:14 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dotsonjc View Post
@John1949 - There are a few items that I would take into consideration. What type of oil do you use (conventional, semi-synthetic or full synthetic) and how many miles do you normally get between oil changes based on the truck's oil monitoring system? If you can normally go 10k miles between changes, and your at 5k miles you have 5k miles left and should be good, even if you happen to go over a few hundred miles. Additionally as an example I use AMSOIL full synthetic, which is good for 20k miles, so the truck's system telling me I need a change based on the number of RPMs the engine has turned in xx miles means nothing to me. I typically reset my oil change system at least once, as it likes to notify me between 7,000 and 7,500 miles.

Additionally, do you do your own oil changes or trust a shop to do them? If you are comfortable with a shop doing the change, then you can have it done during the trip.

Changing your oil early certainly won't hurt your system, but with the price of everything up it is a waste of money and a consumable good.

Those are my thoughts.

Hope this helps you arrive at the decision you're most comfortable with.
Good information in this post but here is one "food for thought" item: the oil filter, not oil (irrespective of composition), is the weak link.
Spoke to a fellow engineer friend who is a product support engineer/ design engineer at one of the major oil filter manufacturers (non-OEM) that you would see on the shelf. The oil may be able to go 10k/20k miles, but the filter media is typically designed for 5k-7.5k miles longevity and effectiveness. OEM filters from the dealer are more expensive but do have an enhanced filter media that will support oil changes not being done until the CHANGE OIL light comes on. With OTC brands you found at Walmart etc., after 5-k to 7.5k miles the filter media is full of the oil contaminants and at that point, the bypass valve in the filter opens and oil bypasses the media and becomes unfiltered. Not an ideal condition but this bypassing is done to keep the filter from blowing apart due to a clog and its resultant back pressure.

I am not advocating buying/not buying OEM filters from the MFG, just advising that your oil change interval should also take into consideration the oil filter media type/brand you are using.
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Old 06-12-2022, 10:46 AM   #17
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Interesting.

My Honda S2000 roadster's engine oil change schedule is 7,500 miles or "whenever the Maintenance Minder tells me to" change it. The oil filter on the other hand is changed every 15,000 miles (or whenever) -- every other oil change. However this is neither a generic filter nor aftermarket nor even the same oil filter that every other Honda uses -- it's a special, specific filter for this engine.

Pure synthetic motor oil doesn't wear out during the maintenance interval (the laboratory oil analysis of both my Honda and Ford engines confirms this) but there are contaminates that need to be filtered out. OEM filters are only a slight premium cost if that.

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Old 06-12-2022, 11:24 AM   #18
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Oil Change

In our 2011 Silverado, about 140K miles, I am using Mobil 1 high mileage pure synthetic oil along with the Mobil 1 filter. I let the truck tell me when to change the oil. I usually change it when it shows 30% to 35% oil service time remaining. Likewise, I rotate the tires at the same time.

Oil is cheap insurance for engine life. As the old commercial said, "pay me now or pay me later".

What about your transmission fluid and filter? That may need changing and replacing as well. Towing is tough on transmissions. Also while towing, watch the transmission temperature. 200 to 210 is OK. Anything higher, back off and let things cool down. Exceed 250 and expect some major upcoming repairs.

Even with a factory tow package, an added transmission cooler is very worthwhile.
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Old 06-12-2022, 11:27 AM   #19
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Why give yourself something to worry or concern yourself with. Change it before you leave.
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Old 06-12-2022, 11:33 AM   #20
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Old guys have been trained to change oil at 3,000 miles. Then it was 5,000. Now its 15,000.
Relax.
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