updating/reflashing oil life monitor for updated Dexos oil

[RichardS]

Hey everybody!

New to the forum, usually lurk over BITOG, and thought I'd come to your forum for a question specifically for GMs OLM in my car.

I was wondering if there was an update available on the OLM that would take in to account the updated oil specs for Dexos1 or Dexos1 - 2.0. I like to follow the OLMs in both our Century and Dodge, but have a pretty healthy stash of Dexos1 0w-30 that I feel is being a little wasted running on the current OLM software.

I appreciate your feedback, and to getting to know your forum.

Have a great week!

Richard

Vehicle is a 2003 Buick Century, with the 3.1 V6 and 105.5k miles on the clock

 

[MelsRegal]

The factory called for 5W30 which is pretty low in viscosity when cold so why would you go even lower to a 0W30. I have never seen any mention of oil viscosity being a parameter in how OLM systems work.

 

[RichardS]

It's not the oil viscosity that I have any concern about.

Since I usually post on an oil focused forum, that information would have been wanted, if only to satisfy someone's curiosity. If they had been clearing out Mobil 1 5w-30 at $2 a quart, I'd have bought those instead. As it stands, they were only (in the 30 I wanted) getting rid of 0w AFE.

My wondering is if there was an OLM update or computer reflash that would change the system from running on the API SM dino oil from 2003 to the more recent Dexos1 that the Mobil 1 carries, regardless of the viscosity of the oil.

 

[MelsRegal]

There is no business reason for a car manufacturer to do that.

 

[txbarney]

If you are going to use a "better" oil, continue to use the cars automatic system and you will have a built in safety net on oil life.
I use Mobil 1 and keep records on everything done to the cars. I seldom go over 12K in a year. I change filters every 3K and change the entire crankcase oil once a year.
I am running 4 vehicles on that schedule and have been using Mobil 1 for at least 30 years. When I started Mobil advertised 25K between oil changes......then their marketing department got wise
and lowered that number. I feel that 12K is less than half the original number Mobil claimed and have no engine problems.