Oil change on a 2013 LaCrosse 3.6 L

I just changed oil for the first time in my 2013 LaCrosse V6. I bought it used and got one free oil change from the dealer. In addition to the expensive recommended Dexos synthetic, I realized it took 6 quarts with the filter. My old '97 LeSabre had a slightly larger engine (3.8L) and only took 5 quarts with the filter. Any reason GM went with a larger oil capacity on a smaller engine?
The filter is on the side of the engine (front end) and is rather hard to get at due to the confined space. The old LeSabre had the filter at the bottom and easy to change.
Progress, I guess.

My wife's vehicle uses Dexos.......I usually changed my oil every 3K miles with regular 10-30W oil........so in the course of 15K miles, I did 5 oil changes.....with Dexos, I usually go every 5K miles between changes....so in 15K miles, you have 3 Dexos oil changes.......so the cost is usually a wash.....

Tech, I usually appreciate your usual good advice, however the 3000 oil change is a myth. With newer engines and better conventional oils, one can go much longer. My 06 Lucerne goes sometimes as high as 8500 before the oil minder comes on, and I use conventional oil. The car is mostly highway driven, and has 180k miles on it, and purrs like the day I bought it new. However, it is your decision, and your time and money.. Have a read here if you are interested. 7 oil change myths
http://www.edmunds.com/car-care/top-7-urban-legends-about-motor-oil.html

I'm still a believer in the 3-5k oil change, especially on the 3.6l. If you go 8500 on that engine...it will not live very long.

Don't know anything about the 3.6 but the 3.8 that I have is a super engine, ton of miles, and has not given me any trouble in any of the cars I had with one. GM did reduce their oil service life indicators for the 4 cylinder because timing chains were snapping. Probably more of a bad engine design, than an oil longevity issue. Anyway, it was just an article of interest and whomever reads it can follow it or not.

GMTECH, why are you saying the 3.6 L wont last doing 8500 mile oil changes. I have a 3.6 in a 07 Lacrosse and change at 5000 miles and the oil monitor is only at 50%. I sent an oil sample to a lab for analysis and they suggested going to 8000.
So what kind of trouble could one expect by not changing oil in this engine.
I would never go 8000 miles on an oil change on my own car though.

GMTECH, why are you saying the 3.6 L wont last doing 8500 mile oil changes. I have a 3.6 in a 07 Lacrosse and change at 5000 miles and the oil monitor is only at 50%. I sent an oil sample to a lab for analysis and they suggested going to 8000.
So what kind of trouble could one expect by not changing oil in this engine.
I would never go 8000 miles on an oil change on my own car though.


Because of all the things that the oil is used to do inside the engine, they tend to use oil. I have had several that come in with rattle noises when making sweeping turns. The oil level is low, moving away from the oil pick-up and losing oil pressure to the timing chain tensioner, or setting camshaft codes for the same reason. Run them long enough like that and you're buying timing chains, gears, shoes, ect...

I have 62000 on my Lacrosse and I have never had to add oil. But a relative had a Cadillac with the 3.6 and on a trip to Florida he about lost his engine because it burned so much oil.
I have read that the rings will stick but if you do hard acceleration several times that it will free the rings up and quit burning oil.
I do not have that problem because winding the engine up is quite fun.

Hmm sounds like someone didn't see the low oil warning lite and buzzer!

Ever pull an engine apart, that normally went 8K miles between oil changes, with regular oil?

People are lazy....ask them the last time they checked their oil level?

GM says it's "normal" to lose a quart in 2000 miles....so driving that old 3.8, you could have 1/2 quart left in 8k miles.....it's two main purposes are to lubricate and remove contaminants in the system......those contaminants build up in a vehicle driven that long between changes....I'd rather pay for a couple extra oil changes than an engine...