Ok,

So i bought my car with 21k. The oil light came on at around 25k. I took it in and got an oil change and reset the timer myself. Im approaching nearly 32k and am wondering how much longer im supposed to wait for my light to start warning me to get an oil change. Should I just get it done? Does anyone actually wait 7k miles to get an oil change?

Just curious bc my car is running a bit rough.

 

I wait the 7 K considering the 9+ quarts of oil in there and the high grade synthetic used

 

I plan to change my oil once a year, which is figuring out to be 6,000 to 7,000 miles.

James

PS, I don't know how changing the oil will make your engine run smoother.

 

When you get below 1000 miles to the next change as figured by the computer there will be a mileage countdown in the trip part of the odometer. You know you went too long if you start seeing numbers like -100, -200 and such because then you're past the recommended time. If the oil light is on it could be low pressure.

 

Depending on driving style, usage and other factors, it calculates when a change is needed. It may not wait 7K if you drive real hard or not very often etc.

 

What do you mean that your oil light came on? Push in that little **** to the left of the odometer....what does that readout say? Mine consistently lets me go over 8K miles....

 

Chris....I was thinkin the same thing ! What oil light ?

 

Sounds like you are confusing the oil light (which means low level of oil or oil pressure) with when the need is for an oil change.

 

I would recommend that you read the owner's manual and get familiar with the instrumentation. I have gotten 9 to 10K miles between changes as indicated by the FSS, but most of my driving is long distance, highway miles.

 

I'm with James! Once a year for me, however, Cincinnati is not a full year town for an X-fire.
I try to have the Oil changed at the last drive of the year.
This is a car worth taking care of. No warning lights required.

 

Just a reminder, the FSS can be read by pushing the left trip **** in twice, briskly. The car should get around 7K between changes. The system does not measure distance or time, but oil contaminants - the meter measures electrical resistance through the oil supply. Oil alone offers no electrical resistance, but dirt does. As the oil becomes contaminated, the meter measures electrical resistance across the oil supply and does the miles-to-next-change count-down.

Like hwcoleman said, the idiot light indicates low oil pressure/volume. Check this pronto.

Good luck.

 

Where might we find the device that measures this resistance? JC. James

PS - most other manufacturers use the information from ECU/PCM to calculate when to change oil.

 

I'm with James on that one......just where did you come up with that, and where do we find this device that measures that resistance? In the oil pan - presumably?

 

So how come if you let the car sit for 2+ years (as some dealers did on their lots) the FSS will display DAYS overdue for an oil change and not miles?

Does oil get dirty just by sitting there?

 

Not sure where the actual meter is. I'm not very sharp on electrical jargon, but the thing is called a potenziometer, or something like that. The oil itself will not conduct electricity (that's why it is used as an insulator in transformers), but when contaminated, the dirty oil does show an electrical potential across the supply sample. This potential reading is what the ECU will use to constantly update the life left in the oil until due for a change.

Next time you're in for a service, find the smartest-looking mechanic there and ask him. The parts man should be able to look it up, too, on the exploded diagram.

Or, I could just be makin' this stuff up.

 

Depends if the car was sitting in USA, UK or Canada. Foreign soils. Different time zones.

 

HUH ??? Was this optional equipment

 

Okay, you just pegged the BS Meter on that one!!! The statement below is directly from the manual.....where you came up with your "dirt monitor" is beyond any of us.

"The Flexible Service System (FSS) in your vehicle evaluates
engine temperature, oil level, vehicle speed, engine
speed, distance driven, and the time elapsed since your
last service. It determines when your vehicle needs
maintenance service and alerts you in advance. The next
necessary service is indicated by the FSS in your instrument
cluster.........

Observe the oil change interval indicated by your FSS

system. This system will monitor the driving conditions

seen by your vehicle, and will recommend the best
interval for servicing your vehicle to maintain it in top
condition."

 

You quickly learn which posts to ignore and who to rely on for accurate information.....or not.

 

You are the man Dan Mine goes in tomorrow for it's yearly $120.00 oil change.