Oil color
- Thread starter stenerson
- Start date
- Status
Oil colar is not always an indicator something is wrong. If you engine is sludge free I wouldn't worry about it, but if an engine has a lot of sludge in it then that will darken an oil quickly. Over the years my oil just takes on a dark amber colar after 10,000 miles. Never black.
Oil color does NOT matter. Run a UOA if you want to have any data that is useful.
Some people feel if a oil is not black it is not doing its job.
Others feel that clear like new oil is a better oil.
Bottom line is color does not matter.
Take care, Bill
Some people feel if a oil is not black it is not doing its job.
Others feel that clear like new oil is a better oil.
Bottom line is color does not matter.
Take care, Bill
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: stenerson
Thanks. I guess my next question is if there's an easy way to know if there's a sludge problem?
If you can see in the oil fill hole you may be able to determine if the head is clean or not. If you can't, take off a valve cover and that will reveal sludge problems if there are any.
Thanks. I guess my next question is if there's an easy way to know if there's a sludge problem?
If you can see in the oil fill hole you may be able to determine if the head is clean or not. If you can't, take off a valve cover and that will reveal sludge problems if there are any.
if there's an easy way to know if there's a sludge problem?
whatever you can see through the oil fill hole, or pull a valve cover and see everything.
whatever you can see through the oil fill hole, or pull a valve cover and see everything.
Thanks. Will probably drop the pan on wifes caravan (seems easy enough) and post pics next weekend. I'm curious since I've gone 7 plus years with very extended ocis with 15w50 and it turns dark very quickly now (but still runs great at 135K).
Originally Posted By: stenerson
Thanks. Will probably drop the pan on wifes caravan (seems easy enough) and post pics next weekend. I'm curious since I've gone 7 plus years with very extended ocis with 15w50 and it turns dark very quickly now (but still runs great at 135K).
Seems like a heavy oil for NH. What brand do you use?
Thanks. Will probably drop the pan on wifes caravan (seems easy enough) and post pics next weekend. I'm curious since I've gone 7 plus years with very extended ocis with 15w50 and it turns dark very quickly now (but still runs great at 135K).
Seems like a heavy oil for NH. What brand do you use?
I'm sorry you feel that way about M1.
Why are you running 50 weight on a caravan anyways? Makes no sense.
Originally Posted By: hpichris
Why are you running 50 weight on a caravan anyways? Makes no sense.
I posted before but it's because a mechanic where I worked 8 years ago said 15w50 M1 at 10kocis was the cats meow and highly recommended by fleet engineers,etc. I figured he would know. I saw him this summer and he claims he has 285K on his chevy pu and it never burned a drop of oil or loss compression. I knew zero about oil back then and just went with what he recommended.
Why are you running 50 weight on a caravan anyways? Makes no sense.
I posted before but it's because a mechanic where I worked 8 years ago said 15w50 M1 at 10kocis was the cats meow and highly recommended by fleet engineers,etc. I figured he would know. I saw him this summer and he claims he has 285K on his chevy pu and it never burned a drop of oil or loss compression. I knew zero about oil back then and just went with what he recommended.
Originally Posted By: stenerson
I keep reading that oil color doesn't matter and that one shouldn't worry about it.
Why does it turn black so soon in some vehicles. It must be an indicator of something sometimes?
(Not talking diesel)
All engines make gunk (deposits, soot, etc.). Some make more, some make less.
Part of the oil's job is to pick up the gunk.
If the oil is REALLY dark, there are three possibilities:
1. Your engine is producing a lot of gunk (bad).
2. The oil is REALLY good at picking up gunk (very good).
3. The gunk your engine makes just happens to be the right kind to turn your oil dark (neither good nor bad).
Likewise, if the oil is crystal clear, there are three more possibilities:
1. Your engine isn't producing much gunk (good).
2. The oil isn't good at picking up gunk (VERY bad).
3. The gunk your engine makes can dissolve in the oil without darkening it (neither good nor bad).
In reality, it's a mix of things, but you get the idea.
I keep reading that oil color doesn't matter and that one shouldn't worry about it.
Why does it turn black so soon in some vehicles. It must be an indicator of something sometimes?
All engines make gunk (deposits, soot, etc.). Some make more, some make less.
Part of the oil's job is to pick up the gunk.
If the oil is REALLY dark, there are three possibilities:
1. Your engine is producing a lot of gunk (bad).
2. The oil is REALLY good at picking up gunk (very good).
3. The gunk your engine makes just happens to be the right kind to turn your oil dark (neither good nor bad).
Likewise, if the oil is crystal clear, there are three more possibilities:
1. Your engine isn't producing much gunk (good).
2. The oil isn't good at picking up gunk (VERY bad).
3. The gunk your engine makes can dissolve in the oil without darkening it (neither good nor bad).
In reality, it's a mix of things, but you get the idea.
Originally Posted By: stenerson
Originally Posted By: hpichris
Why are you running 50 weight on a caravan anyways? Makes no sense.
I posted before but it's because a mechanic where I worked 8 years ago said 15w50 M1 at 10kocis was the cats meow and highly recommended by fleet engineers,etc. I figured he would know. I saw him this summer and he claims he has 285K on his chevy pu and it never burned a drop of oil or loss compression. I knew zero about oil back then and just went with what he recommended.
The M1 15-50 is a great oil but may be too heavy for your temps. FrankN here on BITOG uses it with great success but lives several hundred miles south of you.
Originally Posted By: hpichris
Why are you running 50 weight on a caravan anyways? Makes no sense.
I posted before but it's because a mechanic where I worked 8 years ago said 15w50 M1 at 10kocis was the cats meow and highly recommended by fleet engineers,etc. I figured he would know. I saw him this summer and he claims he has 285K on his chevy pu and it never burned a drop of oil or loss compression. I knew zero about oil back then and just went with what he recommended.
The M1 15-50 is a great oil but may be too heavy for your temps. FrankN here on BITOG uses it with great success but lives several hundred miles south of you.
Oil color does not matter. Size does matter: but if your oil is white or yellow see a person who thinks the color does matter asap.
I removed valve cover from wife's 2000 caravan. 135k miles. Bought it with 21K in 2002 and have used M1-15w50 since (on advice from mechanic friend). 10K ocis but went to 15K once.
Parts all look bronze colored. I assume thats varnish. Here's a few pics. Valve cover looked very clean.
Parts all look bronze colored. I assume thats varnish. Here's a few pics. Valve cover looked very clean.
Aw c'mon. I went to the trouble of removing this thing. Need expert eyes to tell me what they see. Would the ideal be metallic colored parts? Is this bronze/varnished look normal for a car this age/mileage? Or does the photo not give enough real info about anything?
It's not what i could call varnish, however it may be the lighting my computer ? Looks like a oil film on everything, and maybe stained from that more than any varnish, it's looks clean as a whistle, a great attribute to the oil you have been using, and the 10k OCI...and I'm not a Mobil fan, I have, and do use it, I'm just not in love with it (nor any other oil for that matter) I plan to run the 0w-20 in the future again, maybe the EP again, etc etc.. They do have a great line up of oils.
- Status
