Oil Change Indicator - Break In Period

[tbaker65]

So I bought my '17 1500 new a little over 4 months ago now and have been waiting for the oil change light to kick on... As of today I've put 7053 miles on it (5.7 Hemi) and the oil condition says 11%. I've been keeping an eye on the dipstick lately and within the last few days or so it looks like an oil change wouldn't hurt.

I'm guessing the oil change light should come on any day now, but my question is, in general, what is the percentage of oil life left that I can usually expect it to come on at?

Thanks.

 

[69GWC]

Mine pretty much runs down to 10k ever time, ofcourse I dont go by that gauge.

 

[gregs2018ram]

you don't have to wait til the "oil change light" comes on. You can change the oil at any time. i'd have changed it before 7500 miles, that's for sure (for the first oil change anyway).

 

[tbaker65]

you don't have to wait til the "oil change light" comes on. You can change the oil at any time. i'd have changed it before 7500 miles, that's for sure (for the first oil change anyway).

Yes, thanks greg but I wanted to make sure everything was working right, including the OCI... I was kind of hoping it would have come on before now so I was just curious... good idea on the 7500 miles - if it doesn't come on soon I'll change it anyway.

Thanks.

 

[firebuff17]

I might be mistaken but I believe you get a message of “change oil soon” when it reaches 5%.
I was at about 35% when I checked it. Knowing I needed an oil change soon, I continued driving and got unusually busy, when one day I started my truck and noticed the message. Checked the gauge and it said 5%.

 

[gregs2018ram]

I changed mine @ 800 miles I think it was. went to Full Synthetic.

 

[huntergreen]

I never let the meter go below 40 percent. That's just me though.

 

[crash68]

There is no sensor for the OCI. It is a calculated value based on run time, running temperature, RPMs, run cycle count, etc. It does not factor in sitting time, for those that leave the vehicle parked for weeks/months at a time.
If your concerned about the oil life and when to change it, have it analyzed (Blackstone).

https://www.blackstone-labs.com/
They also test oil from transmissions, differentials, transfer cases, etc

 

[averageguy]

The web site says its $28.00 for oil analysis. If you think it needs to be changed I would put my 28 dollars toward the oil change and do it instead of paying someone to tell me to. Oil changes are cheap engine insurance.

 

[PoMansRam]

Yeah, I too could never bring myself to go the ~10K miles it can take the OLM to get down to 5% on some. I have gone ~7500mi with the 6qt sump in other Pentastar V6 powered vehicles. With the 5.7 Hemi, I'm not sure I'd go beyond 6000mi, just because I do my own oil changes and like to check everything out.

 

[stimpy433]

I change mine when the change oil light comes on or every six months, whichever comes first.

 

[mohemipar]

Cash68 is right. The oil life monitors in modern cars are very complex. It isn't as simple as calculating your miles, it takes into account everything. If you did a lot of city or stop and go driving, short trips, that is probably why it went way down.

 

[Jim Bowker]

On my Honda Ridgeline, I went by the maintenance minder on the dash, and changed when it dipped below 10% and I got the warning. I twas always between 7,000 and 7,600 miles. Then I changed jobs, which altered my driving habits from 40 miles of mostly highway to 12 miles of city traffic. The minder started coming on at 3500 miles.

 

[kevperro]

The OLM is based upon assumptions and as long as those assumptions are true, following it will give you a high probability of getting the full life out of the engine. Those major assumptions are the quality of the oil used, and that your vehicle is maintained with no leaking coolant, fuel leak-by, improperly tuned vehicle, and of course normal operating conditions. If you use oil that meets the listed specs, there is no evidence to support shorter intervals or higher quality oils will extend the life of the engine. It is purely suggestive anecdotal evidence that people use to support shorter intervals.

An oil analysis will only tell you if you have leaking coolant, bad filtration, and if something is not normal. If the oil is "bad" by reading something like Total base (neutralizing capability) and you are using the proper oil, then something else isn't right in your operating conditions or engine.

Nothing wrong with getting UOA done as part of your lifetime analysis of your engine but they won't tell you much about which oil is best and I'm doubtful that they are cost effective as a tool to extend oil life. If you follow the OLM, and use the recommended oil and maybe get an UOA every couple years, I think that is a reasonable approach.

 

[BWL]

Doesn't hurt to sample your oil once in a while to let you know if you should be doing it more often or if you are wasting money changing it too early.

 

[SyN]

My personal opinion: UOAs are to help catch or some what diagnosis possible future issues within your engine.
Not so much a way to judge a motor oil: Though it does make for good conversation.
It does maybe create a decent measuring stick.

I honestly feel a quality UOA if read properly will give a owner small hints of the internal health of the motor it was taken from.
Example: Fuel dilution-Coolant Leak-Leaking Seal with the Air Filter Housing-Bla/Bla!

I agree with Kev.
Use with good routine maintenance & good quality oils / filters = Long Engine Life & a Happy Owner.

 

[Outdoors76]

First i would NEVER wait for the message to change oil.

Dealer told me regardless of what oil the first oil change should ALWAYS be at 3000.

even with full synthetic my oil and filter gets changed at 5000 max.

your oil may make it to 1000 miles (i doubt it though) and your filter I would think should NEVER go 10000 miles.

let me put it this way, if you were buying a truck that has 100,000 miles if the owner told you that it has had only 9 oil changes that wouldn't make you leery?

 

[kevperro]

I'm in mixed driving... if I throw out my first change (3500 miles) my average following the OCM is right around 8900 miles. I've never run it to zero but I've had it as low as 1% (9367 miles). So I'll have eleven oil changes at your hypothetical 100,000 mark which will occur in two more years. I'm pretty **** about maintaining my vehicle so no, I'd have no problem with buying a vehicle from someone who follows the maintenance schedule as outlined in the manual.

 

[Outdoors76]

I'm in mixed driving... if I throw out my first change (3500 miles) my average following the OCM is right around 8900 miles. I've never run it to zero but I've had it as low as 1% (9367 miles). So I'll have eleven oil changes at your hypothetical 100,000 mark which will occur in two more years. I'm pretty **** about maintaining my vehicle so no, I'd have no problem with buying a vehicle from someone who follows the maintenance schedule as outlined in the manual.

to each his own...

IMO filters should not go that long.

 

[SublImANALRAMpage]

Did my 1st oil change at 4700 miles. Oic displayed 53%. mathematically seems to be working correctly.