I am pretty much a diesel guy and I haven't had to deal with a gas engine in anything for a long time. I bought my wife an Infiniti QX80. I changed the oil in it the other day and the oil was very black. Not as black as a diesel but way blacker than what I was expecting from a gasser. Is this the norm for gas engines now days? I did a fill and drove it for a week and then drained and put in a fresh fill. Oil is now clean. I have been running Pennzoil Pure Platinum synthetic. Am I getting alarmed over nothing? Will probably catch a sample for analysis on the next oil change.
Black Oil
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Was the black oil factory fill or did you buy it used?
I ran it 10,000 kms which would be 6000 miles. Not sure what the oil I drained was as I had it changed at a dodge dealership previously (it was -20 and I didn't have a shop).
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The oil in my DIT is very black when I drain it every 5000 miles...has happened with M1, QSUD, and whatever the dealer used. I suspect that the turbo is cooking it up pretty good, but that's just a guess.
MoS2 will make your oil really black, but I doubt that a Dodge dealer put that in.
MoS2 will make your oil really black, but I doubt that a Dodge dealer put that in.
The oil changing colour just means it's retaining carbon and other deposits that aren't supposed to settle in your engine which is what an oil should do , colour doesn't matter as much as the distance that car has done with that oil and what were the driving conditions
The Oil in my 2013 Sonata is black when I change it at 6000 kms. 2.4l gdi engine.
Place some of the oil in a shallow white or clear plastic container. That's a better judge of how dark it is vs. sitting in a black plastic container full of 2"-3" of oil. My oil always looks black to me once drained out. On the dip stick it looks a dark honey bronze.
Yeah, I'd like to see a dip-stick swipe on a clean white paper towel to see the "blackness". Dark is what happens. Black is something else.
I assume the vehicle was used, or a lease return? If new, it should not do that. If used, who knows what the previous service history was... I'd be short changing it for a while with an aggressive cleaning regimen (8 oz Kreen per) and see if it changes over time?
I assume the vehicle was used, or a lease return? If new, it should not do that. If used, who knows what the previous service history was... I'd be short changing it for a while with an aggressive cleaning regimen (8 oz Kreen per) and see if it changes over time?
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The oil in my Nissan is still a transparent golden amber after 3000 miles. The oil in my gf's Mustang (4 liter V6) is pitch black after 3000 miles and even stains my hands.
After 10k miles on the Camry the oil gets pretty dark. But a good UOA relieved any concern:
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/3954381/2012_Toyota_Camry_UOA#Post3954381
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/3954381/2012_Toyota_Camry_UOA#Post3954381
Originally Posted By: Howard
I ran it 10,000 kms which would be 6000 miles. Not sure what the oil I drained was as I had it changed at a dodge dealership previously (it was -20 and I didn't have a shop).
Perhaps the previous owner didn't keep up on the oil changes, and the dealer's oil cleaned it out some. I'd keep to maybe a 5k interval and IMO the color will improve each oil change.
Perhaps the previous owner didn't keep up on the oil changes, and the dealer's oil cleaned it out some. I'd keep to maybe a 5k interval and IMO the color will improve each oil change.
Originally Posted By: Howard
Oil is now clean. I have been running Pennzoil Pure Platinum synthetic. Am I getting alarmed over nothing? Will probably catch a sample for analysis on the next oil change.
Don't do a UOA just yet. Keep up with the PP and in 4 more OCIs then do one. If your wife is a short trip driver/stop and go traffic then she is severe service and change the oil at 5000 miles. My 2 mile commute turns my oil black in 4000 miles (PP or QSUD) but the UOAs are excellent.
Oil is now clean. I have been running Pennzoil Pure Platinum synthetic. Am I getting alarmed over nothing? Will probably catch a sample for analysis on the next oil change.
Don't do a UOA just yet. Keep up with the PP and in 4 more OCIs then do one. If your wife is a short trip driver/stop and go traffic then she is severe service and change the oil at 5000 miles. My 2 mile commute turns my oil black in 4000 miles (PP or QSUD) but the UOAs are excellent.
Every car I've bought used blackened oil extremely fast the first 2-3 oil changes and then was normal after that. I must keep buying cars that people just don't take care of. The exception was the LS, but that was my father in laws car and he's was very meticulous about servicing and that car was driven very sparingly and I'm not sure how often he had the oil changed, but I'd be willing to bet it was still twice a year.
I had a GTO that I purchased with 17k miles and had small sludge chunks come out of it on the first two drains. I kept that car for 7 years and never had a mechanical issue whatsoever. It had a mild oil burning issue on 5w30 driven hard, but M1 0w40 rarely dropped on the dipstick with 7k mile OCIs. Whatever was done or not done with it didn't affect it negatively in the long term.
I had a GTO that I purchased with 17k miles and had small sludge chunks come out of it on the first two drains. I kept that car for 7 years and never had a mechanical issue whatsoever. It had a mild oil burning issue on 5w30 driven hard, but M1 0w40 rarely dropped on the dipstick with 7k mile OCIs. Whatever was done or not done with it didn't affect it negatively in the long term.
We bought the car with 8000 kms on it. It was purchased by the dealerships parents but it was too big for them and they brought it back. It was basically a new car. I have had the previous oil changes done at the dealership because my son is the sales manager and I get all maintenance at cost. He changed dealerships so I am back doing my own maiantenance. I didn't see what the oil looked like on the previous changes; just expected the oil to come out a little more amber. The motor is a Nissan 5.6 litre V8. It runs extremely well and is very quiet. It gets driven mostly highway and she drives like a grandma.
I don't think it would affect the oil but I run regular fuel in it. The manual "suggests" premium but says regular is ok. The regular does meet the minimum octane rating that the manual says it should have.
I don't think it would affect the oil but I run regular fuel in it. The manual "suggests" premium but says regular is ok. The regular does meet the minimum octane rating that the manual says it should have.
Uhhhmmmm.... No.
Castrol edge gold @9k miles
Oil that turns black by 6,000 miles only gets purchased once.
Castrol edge gold @9k miles
Oil that turns black by 6,000 miles only gets purchased once.
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Originally Posted By: meborder
Uhhhmmmm.... No.
Castrol edge gold @9k miles
Oil that turns black by 6,000 miles only gets purchased once.
Color doesnt matter much. Only an analysis will really tell you whats going on.
Uhhhmmmm.... No.
Castrol edge gold @9k miles
Oil that turns black by 6,000 miles only gets purchased once.
Color doesnt matter much. Only an analysis will really tell you whats going on.
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