My latest oil change on my 2021 Yukon Denali with 95,000 miles only rendered me roughly 5500 miles until it was bone dry. However, the oil life remaining indicator said I still had 30% oil life. Am I burning oil? From the research I can gather, I should get closer to 7000 miles per oil change.
Perhaps a bit more explanation is in order on how the systems in your vehicle works, hopefully this can help you.
The "Oil Life Monitor" built into the vehicle and displayed on the dash displays remaining engine oil
life, not
quantity of oil remaining in the engine.
- It monitors engine revolutions, engine load, engine temperature, etc, and generates an estimated life remaining in the oil, based on much research by the designers.
- It
assumes you filled the oil to the correct level when it is reset, and it further assumes the proper
quantity of oil is maintained in the engine (keeping the level in the safe operating zone on the dipstick).
- When it gets to 15%, the owner's manual recommends to drain the oil, replace the oil filter, and refill the engine with new oil, then reset the OLM to 100%
- It is
not an indicator of the
quantity of oil in the engine.
The Dipstick (under the hood), is what tells you how much oil is in your engine:
- The owner's manual outlines where this dipstick is, and how to read it.
- It is under the hood, on the passenger side of the engine, has a yellow loop on top, and at the bottom, has a full line, a low line, and a crosshatched area. Oil level is to be between the full and low line (in the crosshatched area)
at all times
- Failing to maintain the oil in the safe operating zone will: void any powertrain warranty, may cause extensive engine damage, may shorten the life of your engine, will shorten the life of your oil -- rendering the OLM percentage useless, and is not recommended.
- There is a "low oil warning" light that is present, but it doesn't come on until you are ~2qt low on oil, far too late to mitigate the possible oil life degradation and engine damage mentioned.
If you indeed ran your engine to "bone dry" of oil (ie, all 8 quarts of oil were eliminated from the engine). you likely would have siezed your engine...your "bone dry" maybe means no oil shows on the dipstick, but the engine likely had oil in it. That said, if you ran it to this level...you may have damaged your engine (esp w/ these 6.2L, which seem to have a tendency to blow due to other issues.)
Net, based on what you have shared, I would recommend:
- Reading the owners manual sections called "Engine Oil" and "Engine Oil Life System" in the Vehicle Care section.
- Getting Oil and Filter Changed (you did this) and reset the Oil Life Monitor.
- Check your engine oil level on the dipstick, at every fill up of gas.
- Add a qt of oil when the amount remaining gets to the bottom of the safe operating zone, or add a half quart after it gets half way down the safe zone.
- Get your oil changed at 5-7K miles, or when the OLM gets to 15%, whichever comes first.
