please advise, change oil light.

[joepro17]

wife is currently driving the envoy from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh and informed me the change engine oil light just came on. She is about half way there (still another 2 and half hours of driving). Is it safe to continue the trip or should this be address asap? recommended actions greatly appreciated. thank you.

 

[Wooluf1952]

She'll be fine. Just change the oil ASAP, when the trip is over.

From the 2003 owners manual:

When the system has calculated that oil life has been diminished, it will indicate that an oil change isnecessary. A CHANGE ENG​

OIL light in the DriverInformation Center (DIC) will come on. Change your oil as soon as possible within the next two times you​

stop for fuel.

 

[meerschm]

When is the last time you changed your oil?

the oil life monitor system keeps track of use, and gives the indication when it is time to change based on use. you also are supposed to change after a year if not indicated by then. at this time, if you did not reset the monitor, it would not know you changed the oil, and then will complain when it thinks it is time to change the oil

I would say complete the trip, but then change the oil & filter. two hours out of 8000 or so miles is not a huge issue. (assuming you changed within a year and the monitor was reset at the oil change.

have you also kept up the other maintenance?

 

[tbuckalew14]

wife is currently driving the envoy from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh and informed me the change engine oil light just came on. She is about half way there (still another 2 and half hours of driving). Is it safe to continue the trip or should this be address asap? recommended actions greatly appreciated. thank you.

Assuming she's not leaking oil, I think it's okay. It's more of a reminder that it needs to be taken care of soon.

 

[joepro17]

When is the last time you changed your oil?

the oil life monitor system keeps track of use, and gives the indication when it is time to change based on use. you also are supposed to change after a year if not indicated by then. at this time, if you did not reset the monitor, it would not know you changed the oil, and then will complain when it thinks it is time to change the oil

I would say complete the trip, but then change the oil & filter. two hours out of 8000 or so miles is not a huge issue. (assuming you changed within a year and the monitor was reset at the oil change.

have you also kept up the other maintenance?

i just got the envoy from a private seller at the end of May so i havent had it that long and don't know exactly when the oil was changed (i could probably find that out). i had the inspection done at the end of May as well by a gmc dealership and it passed with no issues. it has 78k miles on it.

 

[joepro17]

Assuming she's not leaking oil, I think it's okay. It's more of a reminder that it needs to be taken care of soon.

its not leaking oil. just want to make sure the continuous 5 hour drive there and back with the change oil light on won't cause any issues to the engine.

 

[AtlWrk]

She'll be fine. Just change the oil ASAP, when the trip is over.

From the 2003 owners manual:

When the system has calculated that oil life has been diminished, it will indicate that an oil change isnecessary. A CHANGE ENG​

OIL light in the DriverInformation Center (DIC) will come on. Change your oil as soon as possible within the next two times you​

stop for fuel.

And the 2006 manual says as soon as possible or within 600 miles.

Plenty of time.

 

[joepro17]

And the 2006 manual says as soon as possible or within 600 miles.

Plenty of time.

ok. i feel a little better. she did end stoppeing at a gas station to check the oil level. it was low, about at the bottom of the acceptable level range. she added some, now the oil level is right in the middle. i was going to have her get the oil changed while out there. i'm thinking maybe just have her drive it back now and get it done when she gets back instead of interrupting her trip (300 miles Pittsburgh to Philadelphia). let me know if anyone disagrees.

thanks for the replies.

 

[meerschm]

if you are going to take it some place, let her do it, then you won't have to worry about it.

if you want to do it yourself, we can give you all kinds of free advice.

(first thing is to read your owners manual, and know the engine takes 7 quarts of oil, so be prepared.)

:wootwoot:

you should see if you can find out if the transfer case fluid was changed. needed at 50,000. if it was not done, you should put it on the schedule pretty soon.

 

[joepro17]

if she is up for it i'll have her do it (since she insisted on taking the envoy over her sedan). if not, could be an opportunity for my first oil change.

 

[meerschm]

tell her about the seven quarts. most places will charge extra for over five quarts, and she should know they are not messing with her.

 

[NoDak Ninja]

if she is up for it i'll have her do it (since she insisted on taking the envoy over her sedan). if not, could be an opportunity for my first oil change.

Do you mean you've never changed oil on a vehicle? If so, by all means let her drive it back and change it yourself. It's a good excuse to crawl around under you vehicle and take a look around. And, maybe she'll be impressed with your mechanical skills and give you a kiss or something...

 

[triz]

And by all means put some synthetic in there.

AMSOIL SAE 5W-30 OE Synthetic Motor Oil

or the XL

AMSOIL SAE 5W-30 XL Extended Life Synthetic Motor Oil

As always when you place an order and sign up as a Preferred Customer you get 10 dollars back.

 

[meerschm]

I also think it could be a fun learning experience.

there is room to screw things up, however, you have to judge your skills.

have you worked on a bike or lawn mower? change a tire?

one of my brothers ended up calling for a tow, cross threaded the filter trying to get it back on, and could not get it back off, or on so it would not leak. I was out of state by then. you also can cross thread the drain plug, or over torque it. this is not to scare you off but to have you think a bit.

there are some nice u tube videos that show what to do, but still a little mechanical skill is needed. also need to think about where to dispose of the used oil, and how you will transport it. ( I use a plastic jug from ww fluid or even a gallon from milk, can take to any oil place and they should take it and dispose of it properly.)

It is rewarding, and you can save a few bucks. also, you will know it is done right, and what the quality of the oil is. you should be able to do a DIY with full synthetic oil for the price of a conventional oil change.

 

[tbyoda]

ok. i feel a little better. she did end stoppeing at a gas station to check the oil level. it was low, about at the bottom of the acceptable level range. she added some, now the oil level is right in the middle. i was going to have her get the oil changed while out there. i'm thinking maybe just have her drive it back now and get it done when she gets back instead of interrupting her trip (300 miles Pittsburgh to Philadelphia). let me know if anyone disagrees.

thanks for the replies.

Do you know if she was on level surface? IMHO with 73k your oil level should not be low. ( good that she topped it off) do you have a DIC? Remember the indicator is calibrated for dino not synthetic so it will not read correctly with synthetic and you could be at10k+ since last change. Most owners of TB might not know this about the indicator. IMHO don't trust the other guy, just change it when she gets home, maybe again after a week or two. And get under the TB and look around to know the current state of things. If you see any signs of oil residue any were clean it off with break cleaner and keep a eye on it. Remove plastic oil skid plate if you have one and clean it good. Check the front and rear diff's for leaks. One good tip I got from this site is cycle thought the 4x4 (if not 2wd) switch setting monthly and listen for high pitch wine of the engagement of 4hi in/out & 4Lo while in neutral. Front passenger side is disconnect, under driver seat transfer case. This way you will have 4x4 drive when you need it and no switch issues. Also don't engage to 4HI while moving unless in a emergency you could blow the disconnect and don't use auto4wd. It will wear out the 4x4part faster with engaging/ disengaging action.

 

[NoDak Ninja]

Do you know if she was on level surface? IMHO with 73k your oil level should not be low. ( good that she topped it off)

Another thought: if she pulled the dipstick shortly after shutting off the engine, that could give a false low reading as well.

 

[tbyoda]

Another thought: if she pulled the dipstick shortly after shutting off the engine, that could give a false low reading as well.

Agree.

 

[joepro17]

I also think it could be a fun learning experience.

there is room to screw things up, however, you have to judge your skills.

have you worked on a bike or lawn mower? change a tire?

one of my brothers ended up calling for a tow, cross threaded the filter trying to get it back on, and could not get it back off, or on so it would not leak. I was out of state by then. you also can cross thread the drain plug, or over torque it. this is not to scare you off but to have you think a bit.

there are some nice u tube videos that show what to do, but still a little mechanical skill is needed. also need to think about where to dispose of the used oil, and how you will transport it. ( I use a plastic jug from ww fluid or even a gallon from milk, can take to any oil place and they should take it and dispose of it properly.)

It is rewarding, and you can save a few bucks. also, you will know it is done right, and what the quality of the oil is. you should be able to do a DIY with full synthetic oil for the price of a conventional oil change.

i have some, not much experience with cars. simple stuff, tire change, air filter change, once a MAF and oxygen sensor change on a chevy prizm.

Originally Posted by Rs8892
"Do you know if she was on level surface? IMHO with 73k your oil level should not be low. ( good that she topped it off)"

she was on level surface and waited about 15 mintues to check the level.


I watched MAY03LT's oil change video. doesn't seem too bad. She did agree to get the oil changed while out there this time, but i will definitely do the next one myself.

Rs8892, just curious if i were to hear a high pitch wine regarding the 4hi and 4lo what would that imply?

 

[The_Roadie]

...just curious if i were to hear a high pitch wine regarding the 4hi and 4lo what would that imply?

Our 4WD system has two motors that run during mode changes. You can do this with the engine off but the ignition switch in the RUN position to hear them better. When you change from 2HI->A4WD, there should be two sounds. One from the front actuator on the passenger side of the oil pan, is a high pitched whine that finishes in under a second. The other noise is a lower pitched motor whine from the encoder motor on the side of the transfer case just aft of the transmission. This one can take around one second to change modes. The next mode transition from A4WD->4HI only moves the transfer case encoder motor, so the high pitched whine from the front axle area should be silent. To change from 4HI->4LO, you need the gear shift to be in NEUTRAL because there's an interlock. For that one, the encoder motor moves again, a little bit longer, and you might hear a clunk as the transfer case shifts some internal gears. All of these noises also happen in the reverse mode transitions. The mode switch will flash a light on the commanded mode while the motors are moving, and then the flashing shold stop and the light should be steady in the selected new mode. If it continues to flash, then goes out, or stays on the OLD mode, then there's a problem. We can help with that. As mentioned, you should always run this test monthly to see if the 4WD is working, BEFORE you get to conditions where you need it. So you can fix it in warmth instead of wet and icy.

...Remember the indicator is calibrated for dino not synthetic so it will not read correctly with synthetic and you could be at10k+ since last change. ...

Since the OLM (oil life monitor) can't tell if you have synthetic or dino oil, it was designed to tell you when dino oil needs to be changed. That may indeed be 10K miles, because the GM engineers did their job right. Synthetic may last longer, but in general, I change my Mobil1 at 9K or 10K when the OLM says I have 10% life left. What error do you think the system has?

 

[tbuckalew14]

Completely off topic...but where in PA are you located?

 

[joepro17]

Ardmore, PA

 

[The_Roadie]

Tim asks because he'll probably help you for beer.

 

[tbuckalew14]

Tim asks because he'll probably help you for beer.

exactly. I'm about 45 minutes from you...I know it's a drive, but if you ever need a hand let me know.

 

[joepro17]

exactly. I'm about 45 minutes from you...I know it's a drive, but if you ever need a hand let me know.

thanks. i may have to hit you up on that offer. good thing i can quote you on that!

the envoy has returned safely.

 

[tbuckalew14]

thanks. i may have to hit you up on that offer. good thing i can quote you on that!

the envoy has returned safely.

No problem. I'd be glad to help.

 

[Mark20]

May03LT's trick of moving the skid plate out of the way is great. A lot easier than trying to get to the filter through the little trap door.

 

[MAY03LT]

I watched MAY03LT's oil change video. doesn't seem too bad.

Sweet! If you decide to do it on your own, good luck!

May03LT's trick of moving the skid plate out of the way is great. A lot easier than trying to get to the filter through the little trap door.

Damn it's good to hear that someone finds that helpful. The dumbass youtube trolls, who I have labeled as "saturday afternoon technicians", think that moving the shield is too much work and defeats the purpose of the too-small-to-be-worth-a-f*** access door. We'll never hear how it's 'too much work' on ones that don't have the access door.

 

[Mark20]

I sometimes found it tricky to get the access door lock screws to engage. Their 1/4 turn or so. The four bolts that hold the skid plate are full thread with no significant torque. So I have to stretch a little to reach the ones in the back. I can start them all with my fingers. Easier than trying to put upward force on the lock screws.