Performing your own oil change isn’t just about saving a few bucks—it’s about understanding your engine and staying connected to its performance. For Duramax enthusiasts, it’s one of the simplest ways to extend the life of your investment and keep that turbo whistling happily for years to come.

For us, routine oil changes are non-negotiable. With 132,000 miles on the odometer of our 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD, we were due for yet another oil change, which is about the 18^th time for this truck. At this point we’ve gotten pretty good at it.

This go around we opted for Germany’s most popular brand of motor oil, Liqui Moly. The company has been developing and producing engine oils and additives exclusively in Germany since 1957 for an international market that now comprises more than 150 countries. The company utilizes the best raw materials, complies with the highest specifications, and completes the most rigorous testing process. From raw material delivery to production and delivery, ensuring the highest level of safety and quality is a top priority for Liqui Moly.

While not the worst warning light that a late-model Silverado can display (and certainly not the worst we’ve seen), we still don’t enjoy seeing the dreaded “0% Oil Life Remaining” message. It’s best practice to follow the built-in oil life monitor when it comes to oil change intervals. That said, GM recommends changing the fluid in its late-model Duramax engines between 5,000 and 10,000 miles, with the average falling right at 7,500 miles.

For this oil change we opted to go with German manufactured Liqui Moly. The company’s line of Truck Top Tec 4450 15W-40 engine oil is a low-SAPS, premium class of heavy-duty oil. The company’s innovative additive technology guarantees the best wear protection and engine cleanliness in the class. The company also claims the lowest oil consumption and highest engine efficiency. This line of lubricant is best used with extended oil change intervals, as we see with Chevrolet’s Duramax engine.

Before getting to the dirty part, it’s important to run the engine for about 10 minutes to help bring the thick heavy-weight oil up to a temperature that will allow it to flow out of all the engine’s tight nooks. To really get the gunk out we utilized Liqui Moly’s Pro Line Engine Flush. The Pro Line Engine Flush is a highly effective formulation designed for the quick and safe removal of deposits in engines prior to an oil change. Because the Duramax engine holds 10 quarts of oil we needed two cans of product, which were poured into the oil before allowing it to idle for the 10-minute warm up.

While the engine was warming up and Pro Line Engine Flush was working through the system, we used the time to round up all the necessary tools. An oil change is a pretty straight forward task, requiring just a 15mm wrench, oil filter wrench, and a large enough catch basin. A creeper and flashlight will come in handy if you’re working on the ground.

While we’re under the truck we’d like to take this moment to point out the small hump at the bottom of the Duramax engine’s oil pan. This design has been used since day one of the Duramax engine program and still exists today. Unfortunately, this small hump prevents the entirety of the engine’s oil from ever being fully drained. Instead, this leaves behind a quart of the worst gunk that collects at the bottom. There are aftermarket pans that fix this, but we’d like to publicly shame GM for the poor design. Again.

Getting to the drain plug is fairly straight forward and requires just a 15mm wrench or socket to loosen. Torque specs for tightening the bolts when complete vary by year, with our 2015 Silverado only requiring 18 ft-lbs. Some earlier Duramax models required as high as 62 ft-lbs and use a crush washer. It’s important to consult the manual if in doubt.

You would think by this point we’d have the oil drain process down to a science. Well, you know what they say about the best laid plans. As the oil draining from the engine begins to slow it has a tendency to trickle down the oil pan and off the engine crossmember. And if you’re not paying attention (as we weren’t) you can end up with a mess. It’s also wise to ensure your catch pan has a capacity greater than 10 quarts. We won’t make that mistake a third time.

It’s always good practice to prefill the new oil filter prior to installation. Thankfully, the Duramax oil filter mounts in a vertical position and is relatively easy to get to. Many other diesel owners aren’t as fortunate when it comes to swapping the filter.

With all the oil changes we’ve performed, we have come to appreciate Liqui Moly’s built-in pour spouts. These jugs make refilling the engine a breeze. Those bold enough could probably get away without a funnel, since the Duramax oil fill is right at the front of the engine bay. However, we’re not that brave (or stupid).

With the task complete and old oil properly disposed of you can reset the oil minder and enjoy another 7,500-ish miles of not having to worry.