# 1st Oil Change?



## ShorePatrol (Jun 17, 2012)

I have 600+ miles on my new Cruze - I seem to recall it being a good idea to change your engine oil on a new vehicle around 1,000 miles or something like that...

Does this still apply? Or should I just monitor the "oil life" remaining on the panel?

Thanks!


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

ShorePatrol said:


> I have 600+ miles on my new Cruze - I seem to recall it being a good idea to change your engine oil on a new vehicle around 1,000 miles or something like that...
> 
> Does this still apply? Or should I just monitor the "oil life" remaining on the panel?
> 
> Thanks!


Dealer told me they come with break-in additives, etc. in the oil from the factory, so that was an old practice.

I still changed mine to a full synthetic oil at around 3,000 miles. You will find reports around the site that the factory Dexos-1 oil isn't good for much past 5000-6000 miles.


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## mmontini6289 (Feb 14, 2012)

I changed the original oil at 5000 miles. I did this based on the things I had read on here and other sites. Went with Mobil 1 5W-30 Dexos 1 Full Synthetic and an AC Delco filter. I plan to change it again at 10k and after that, I'll follow the DIC.


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## gman19 (Apr 5, 2011)

I went full-syn at 2,000 miles...plan on following OLM for all future changes.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

gman19 said:


> I went full-syn at 2,000 miles...plan on following OLM for all future changes.


I would recommend everyone do the same. 

I changed mine at 5,000. I did not notice a difference in the way the engine ran before and after the oil change. I suppose that's a good thing.


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## Starks8 (Jul 20, 2011)

Had a similar question. My intentions though were to change the factory oil first at 1000-1500 miles with the factory oil (not synthetic yet), to get most of the shavings and other engine break in debris removed, then go to about another 4000-5000 miles on the changed factory oil and then on the second oil change switch over to full synthetic and pretty much follow the OLM on the car from there, most likely getting all other oil changes when it reads between 20-10% oil life remaining because of the synthetic. 

Is this a good idea? And also if it's okay to do it how I suggested I probably will, should the oil filters be changed each time or just before I switch over to synthetic at the second oil change @ about 5000, 6500 miles? THANKS!


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## oshia86 (May 29, 2011)

Go straight to synthetic. I did mine at 1k miles and went straight to Mobil 1 and a Wix filter. I now use Pennzoil Ultra and a Wix. Also, change the filters with every oil change.


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## Starks8 (Jul 20, 2011)

oshia86 said:


> Go straight to synthetic. I did mine at 1k miles and went straight to Mobil 1 and a Wix filter. I now use Pennzoil Ultra and a Wix. Also, change the filters with every oil change.


Thanks Oshia86! But is there anything wrong with the way I purposed I want to do it? Like is there any potential problems doing it that way as opposed to going straight to synthetic at the first oil change and not the second? Just wondering?


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## GoldenCruze (Dec 18, 2011)

I waited until the OLM was at 11% before the first oil change. I would have waited longer, but I was about to do a road trip where the OLM would have zeroed out during the trip. There is nothing in the owners manual about doing a special early oil change. It simply tells us to follow the OLM. Not that there is anything wrong with doing the first oil change earlier. Many people here are still going by old school thought that there is 'break in oil' that needs to be dumped out relatively quickly. But manufacturing has changed and the actual engine break in is performed at the factory, with that oil dumped out. And technology is much better now. But many still feel better dumping the factory fill as soon as possible. I get that. So we'll see if my engine blows up sooner because I followed the owners manual instructions on oil change intervals.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

GoldenCruze said:


> I waited until the OLM was at 11% before the first oil change. I would have waited longer, but I was about to do a road trip where the OLM would have zeroed out during the trip. There is nothing in the owners manual about doing a special early oil change. It simply tells us to follow the OLM. Not that there is anything wrong with doing the first oil change earlier. Many people here are still going by old school thought that there is 'break in oil' that needs to be dumped out relatively quickly. But manufacturing has changed and the actual engine break in is performed at the factory, with that oil dumped out. And technology is much better now. But many still feel better dumping the factory fill as soon as possible. I get that. So we'll see if my engine blows up sooner because I followed the owners manual instructions on oil change intervals.


There's a bit of information you're not considering. The factory oil fill has been tested with oil analysis testing at Blackstone labs (even with very light driving) to be unsuitable beyond a 6,000 mile oil change interval. Some dealership technicians will even admit that it's not suitable for the service life the oil life monitor would lead you to believe. It is a synthetic blend oil. The only way that one can trust the oil life monitor in this car is when using a fully synthetic oil. 

GM's only concern with the intervals they have calibrated for this car is to allow the vehicle to reach 100,000 miles and allow the powertrain warranty to expire. Many of us plan to keep these cars at least double, and will be taking the necessary precautions to ensure that it does. My oil life monitor would have had me performing my first change of oil at 10,000 miles, but based on the analysis results that came back on the factory fill of oil, I changed it at 5,000 and replaced it with Mobil 1 Full Synthetic.


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## oshia86 (May 29, 2011)

Starks8 said:


> Thanks Oshia86! But is there anything wrong with the way I purposed I want to do it? Like is there any potential problems doing it that way as opposed to going straight to synthetic at the first oil change and not the second? Just wondering?


I wouldn't say anything was wrong with it. Though, I would ask "why?".


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## rubiconjp (Feb 10, 2012)

If I was to go by the OLM, I'd still change the oil filter every 5k and top off. It has been shown on bobistheoilguy forum that with topping off and filter change, many oil can really go the distance. Topping off replenishes the additives, and fresh filter significantly reduces the chance of bypass.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using AutoGuide.Com Free App


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## Starks8 (Jul 20, 2011)

oshia86 said:


> I wouldn't say anything was wrong with it. Though, I would ask "why?".


I guessed i figured that if i change it at 1000-1500 miles, its enough time to hopefully have most to all of the engine break-in debris done and gone but maybe not enough time for the engine and related parts to get used to the oil that came in there originally and be lubed up and wore in properly. So i figured maybe getting the first oil change early and going another 4000-5000 miles on the factory oil and then going to full synthetic at the 3rd oil change maybe wouldn't be as much of a immediate/stark change for the car say as if I went straight to full synthetic at the 1000-1500 mile mark. 

I know my thinking most likely doesn't make sense but that's what i had in my mind as the reasoning. I guess all in all, I'm under the impression that maybe it would be best for the engine and other related parts to have more time to be worn in and coated with the factory oil before going to synthetic. But maybe the opposite is true?


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

Starks8 said:


> I know my thinking most likely doesn't make sense but that's what i had in my mind as the reasoning. I guess all in all, I'm under the impression that maybe it would be best for the engine and other related parts to have more time to be worn in and coated with the factory oil before going to synthetic. But maybe the opposite is true?


There isn't any difference. There's really no need to gradually switch over oil types. Just jump straight into a full synthetic oil after the first oil change and you'll be fine.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

I always do the first oil change between 1,000 and 1,500 miles. Regardless of how clean the cutting at the factory is, there will be metal shards floating around in the oil.


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## XtremeRevolution (Jan 19, 2012)

obermd said:


> I always do the first oil change between 1,000 and 1,500 miles. Regardless of how clean the cutting at the factory is, there will be metal shards floating around in the oil.


Isn't that what the oil filter is for?


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## ShorePatrol (Jun 17, 2012)

If I go full Synthetic - is this something the dealer can do for me? Or do I have to buy it myself and put it in?

What's the benefit of Synthetic? (Sorry, I don't know)

Will Synthetic maintain the warranty?


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## GoldenCruze (Dec 18, 2011)

Full synthetic is better at protecting against heat breakdown, which is its real advantage. Chevrolet has Mobile 1, which is what I had them use for my first oil change.

Somebody said something about just replenishing the oil and changing the filter to extend oil change intervals. I did that years ago with a straight 6 Chevy van that I had. For more than two years I was daring that engine to die. Just put in a quart of oil every 1000 miles because it leaked. It still made it to over 276,000 miles before I sold it.


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## Starks8 (Jul 20, 2011)

So what is the least likely miles it takes to usually break the engine in fully from new, as far as the engine dispensing all to most of the new break-in shavings and stuff like that into the oil?


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