Regular Maintenance Questions

Hi, just discovered the site and have been having a blast reading the old posts (when I should be studying for midterms).

Anyway, question is whether there's any benefit to using the expensive fuel injector cleaners vs. the cheap bulk stuff I can pick up at Wal-Mart (a 3 pack of STP is just $6) on my 2003 Alero, 3400 V6?

My second question is, how much faith do you guys put in the on-board computer in telling you when it's the right time to change your oil, for those that have that feature. I'm 8500km past my last oil change but the oil still looks fairly clean.

Thanks

[AlbinoMonkeyRat]

All the fluids should be changed at their suggested mileages, just to be safe...but it's your car. As for the injector cleaners...something is better than nothing, I guess.

I would say STP is an alright brand. Richard Petty wouldn't have it slapped all over his car if it weren't, right? /sarcasm

Welcome to the site!

[Redog]

The "chage oil" light a never really go by. It doesn't reset itself after an oil change. I change my oil every 3000 miles, but I do not know the km conversion for that.

The oil light has to be reset manualy. Open the fuse box on the side of the dash and push the "reset" button the oil light will flash and hold it again until the chimes chime and it will go out. Same with the low tire pressure light

[brsexton]

Originally posted by Redog@Feb 21 2004, 09:12 AM
Same with the low tire pressure light

Here is another fact I bet alot of you guys did not know.. None of 2003 Alero's have a Low Tire Pressure light. Guess GM got cheap in the 03's. Just thought I would add that little tid bit.

Originally posted by AlbinoMonkeyRat@Feb 21 2004, 09:46 AM
All the fluids should be changed at their suggested mileages, just to be safe...but it's your car.

That's the part I'm concerned about. According to the manual, my '03 has the GM Oil Life System, and thus unless I accidentally reset the system, I only have to change it once a year or when the light comes on, whichever comes first. Does anybody actually follow it?

[brsexton]

I don't follow it simply because I don't trust it. But thats just me. It might be fine to follow because it detects all the aspects of your driving and tells you when it needs to be changed. Who knows.

[AlbinoMonkeyRat]

I trust my lights. I can usually predict whether or not a light is going to come on...so I'm not surprised when "change oil" or "low tire pressure" lights up. (handling funny or hit a big pothole...tire pressure; sometimes it'll take a couple cranks more than normal to start, acceleration is slower than the norm, the last time I actually went to Firestone it was warm out...change oil)

My change oil light usually comes on every 3000-3200 miles. So I just get it changed and rotate tires at same time.

[Fast Eddie]

Originally posted by brsexton+Feb 21 2004, 09:10 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (brsexton @ Feb 21 2004, 09:10 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-Redog@Feb 21 2004, 09:12 AM
Same with the low tire pressure light

Here is another fact I bet alot of you guys did not know.. None of 2003 Alero's have a Low Tire Pressure light. Guess GM got cheap in the 03's. Just thought I would add that little tid bit. [/b][/quote]
It probably has more to do with removing ABS as standard. but I guess that was a cost saving move too :rolleyes:

But the oil light is probabably better than most ppl think b/c it takes into account the engine RPMs, vehicle speed, etc. all of which work on breaking down oil

[Naich]

I would never trust my oil change light. I've always changed my oil every 3k since I got my 89 Buick Century... which I put 200k on the odometer before the door wouldn't stay shut any more and I had to junk it.

The light comes on every 8-9k miles for me. There is no way in bloody hell that I'd trust that. Every 3k, no matter what, and you never need to worry about killing your engine with dirty oil.

Yeah, mine comes on every about 8k-9k miles, too. You know, back when I bothered resetting when I changed the oil. Haven't reset that in a long time. Actually, the last time I reset it was...I don't remember...

While it sure seems like a good idea, I don't trust the thing either. It's kinda like if you see your tire damn-near flat but since your tire pressure light isn't on you decide not to worry about it...

I would also say that checking the oil and having it seem to be clean is okay, but that doesn't take into account the oil breaking down over time, clean or not.

And blueyez, whaddya do to get that light on at 3000 miles? Mix sand in with your oil? :P

lol.....no, no sand. It just comes on right before I go to get the oil changed. I'm surprised that it does come on almost at the time I change the oil.