# 45K mile service (2012 ECO MT)



## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

I had my car serviced today:



Mobil 1 dexos1 oil - I expect to be on the road at 50K so I needed to go longer than the AC Delco dexos1 is good for. Normally I use the AC Delco dexos1 oil and change it every 5K. This helps me remember to rotate/balance my tires. 
AMSOIL Synchromesh - it only took 2 quarts. I'll have to see if I can add the other half quart when it warms up. 
AC Delco DOT3 brake fluid - Flushed and replaced for both the brakes and clutch. I'm still not sure how I feel about the clutch sharing the fluid with the brakes. 

Engine air filter was replaced at 43K when my water pump failed. I looked at it and asked the tech to replace it since it was already out for the water pump. I'll replace the cabin air filter next weekend assuming it's warm enough to work in the driveway. Tires were rotated 2K miles ago and an alignment was done when I replaced the tires. Tires showed near-zero wear at the time of rotation. Brake linings were 8mm front and 5mm rear. The drum brakes started at 6mm.

The shifting is slightly less notchy, but it was "warm" out and the car was warmed up when I picked it up. Tuesday morning (it's supposed to snow) will really tell me what the shifting notchiness is like. What I really noticed was the clutch is noticeably easier to press down and release and much smoother both directions through the friction point. The effort to hold it on the floor is the same.

Even though I have a 2012, I'm using a modified "Severe" service schedule from the US 2014 owners manual. The 2012 manual doesn't mention clutch fluid, brake fluid, or gear box fluid. The 2014 does, but it puts the clutch every 30K and the brakes every 150K so I'm splitting the difference and going with every 45K for both. As noted elsewhere on CT, there is a moderate amount of mixing between the two through the master reserve container. My service adviser told me the brake/clutch fluid was rather dark and definitely near the end of it's life. How much of the darkness was from factory coatings I don't know.

Oh, and I got a really nice loaner wrench that I'll return on Monday.


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## cruze01 (Mar 25, 2011)

Good to see others that are serious about the maintenance on their vehicle! I'm a little OCD about it myself. Bet you plan on keeping for a few hundred thousand miles....


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## Dragonsys (May 27, 2013)

I'm doing the same once the weather cleans up around here. I'm just under 27K miles, so I still have a little bit of time, hoping to get it done before I hit 30K though


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

I drove today and the shift notches didn't change. It is far easier to operate the clutch however. Took about 20 minutes to replace the cabin air filter - five to get the glove box removed and the filter replaced and 15 to reattach the glove box.

I plan on keeping this car for at least 10 years, which means I'll be up around 200,000 miles.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

My experience with the Amsoil Syncromesh fluid was that it was still very chunky in between 1-2-3 when cold. That's just the nature of the fluid in the cold transmission - just "how the car is" types of things. The 75-90 Amsoil fluid is a little bit worse, especially putting it back into 1, when cold...but shifts SO MUCH better when warm it feels like a different car.

I need to change my clutch fluid (at 24K now). It's been weird lately - kinda starts to grab before it actually bites, so the car stutters a little bit on a take off at times. I'm hoping that's just the slave cylinder in need of new fluid rather than the clutch disc showing wear.


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## Chevy Customer Care (Oct 29, 2011)

Hey Obermd, 

Regular maintenance helps ensure your Cruze will operate as designed! Glad to see you are keeping up with your maintenance for your Cruze. Keep up the great work!  

Erica Tiffany
Chevrolet Customer Care


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## cruze01 (Mar 25, 2011)

obermd said:


> 20 minutes to replace the cabin air filter - five to get the glove box removed and the filter replaced and 15 to reattach the glove box.


HA! Glad I'm not the only one


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

I need to do most of that on mine. I got the oil changed today (went with M1 5w-30 this time instead of my usual Quaker State), gear oil has another 15k miles left on it, and I still need to do the brake/clutch fluid. 82k miles...


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## Sunline Fan (Jul 29, 2012)

jblackburn said:


> My experience with the Amsoil Syncromesh fluid was that it was still very chunky in between 1-2-3 when cold. That's just the nature of the fluid in the cold transmission - just "how the car is" types of things. The 75-90 Amsoil fluid is a little bit worse, especially putting it back into 1, when cold...but shifts SO MUCH better when warm it feels like a different car.
> 
> I need to change my clutch fluid (at 24K now). It's been weird lately - kinda starts to grab before it actually bites, so the car stutters a little bit on a take off at times. I'm hoping that's just the slave cylinder in need of new fluid rather than the clutch disc showing wear.


Ellie likes it more when she's well lubed.


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## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

obermd said:


> I'll replace the cabin air filter next weekend assuming it's warm enough to work in the driveway.


The service interval listed for the cabin filter is WAY out of line with reality with the condition mine was in in 25K. Mine was 80% blocked with small leaves and a shocking amount of dust. 

I am going to at least knock all the debris out every fall and replace every 2 years or 25K. Think I paid $10 on rock auto for a new one.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

I'm replacing my cabin air filter every spring, regardless of miles.


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

obermd said:


> I'm replacing my cabin air filter every spring, regardless of miles.


Good idea. A lot of junk gets caught yearly in the cabin filter. 

Maybe wait until summer when the pollen season is mainly over? That way the filter is more efficient at filtering the pollen, and a less restrictive filter goes in place for A/C season.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

Pollen season in Denver starts when the snow melts and ends when it falls again.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

I had to floor it last night in 1st gear. No grind. It would have ground like crazy on the GM synchromesh fluid. One more happy AMSOIL customer.


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