From golden to dark immediately!?

how would you mark a drain plug to tell if it had been removed for an oil change?? put a tiny blob of grease where plug is, by the oil pan?

First oil change on toyotas is 10k so if it does get missed, (not changed) its a 20000 mile run to the "next" change?
 
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There is a lot of assumptions in this thread. Different brands of oil will vary in shade. I have seen some brands of new oil that is straw colored and others with a darker amber color. What I see here is a darker shade of clean oil. It's not black.

If the op is not comfortable with the current oil then change it yourself.
 
This exact same thing happened to us with my new Hyundai at 3K. When the wife brought the vehicle home after it's free oil change, the oil color had not changed. However, the washerless drain plug when new, now had a copper washer on it and the drain plug now contained a colored dot on it.

So I suspected the dealer uses a dark colored oil and should be using a more clear-colored oil. I'll bet Elder Hyundai Dealership gets lots of complaints about this. I told the Service Manager I'll never get another oil change from them again. I changed the oil again - within 500 miles and my dipstick returned to be crystal clear..... hard to read in broad daylight.
 
They probley sucked it out the dipstick hole, only got half out and didn't change the filter.
If your lucky maybe you got 2 quarts oil to mix with the old stuff.
I do here that's how some do it now thru the dipstick hole.
I don't participate in the free oil change thing.
Oil is cheap, if you can do it yourself
 
This has always been my issue with others doing my oil change. Unlike going in for brakes, tires, replacement of a faulty part where most times it is obvious whether or not something was done, with oil changes, in particular, it would be so easy to not change the oil and say you did. Few people probably check the oil in the first month after an oil change and by then ok sure it's getting darker. Even if they do change the oil there's no way to know what they actually used. I've had at least one UOA come back more like a 5W-30 when they said they were using 0W-20. For all I know it was cheap 5W-30 conventional. Is it the end of the world? No, but not what I paid for and for cars going 7500-10000 miles not what should be used. So now I do it myself every time.
 
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Originally Posted by PWMDMD
This has always been my issue with others doing my oil change. Unlike going in for brakes, tires, replacement of a faulty part where most times it is obvious whether or not something was done, with oil changes, in particular, it would be so easy to not change the oil and say you did. Few people probably check the oil in the first month after an oil change and by then ok sure it's getting darker. Even if they do change the oil there's no way to know what they actually used. I've had at least one UOA come back more like a 5W-30 when they said they were using 0W-20. For all I know it was cheap 5W-30 conventional. Is it the end of the world? No, but not what I paid for and for cars going 7500-10000 miles not what should be used. So now I do it myself every time.

The worst part about getting bulk oil-oil changes is additive settlement in the bulk tank. The customers being served the bottom-half of the bulk tank are getting more additives that settled there, than those being served from the top-half of the tank.

Not everywhere does this happen. It all depends on how often that bulk tank gets refilled.
 
Don't go by color, go by feel and smell. Take each sample and smell. The new oil shouldn't be gassy. Then feel each between your fingers. The new should feel "not sheared" almost gel like. The old should feel watery. I think they changed it....and I feel for shop owners dealing with this kind of issue. What's next, do they have to video the oil change to prove it happened?
 
After every oil change done yourself or by someone else, pop the hood, check your oil. People don't do this and trust the 17 year old working the oil change pit? This makes me seem as OCD as co-workers would tease me about when I used to wash my hands before lunch. Then COVID hit and nobody makes fun of my 30 second hand scrubbing any more. Once reality bites, change your behavior.
 
Originally Posted by philipp10
Don't go by color, go by feel and smell. Take each sample and smell. The new oil shouldn't be gassy. Then feel each between your fingers. The new should feel "not sheared" almost gel like. The old should feel watery. I think they changed it....and I feel for shop owners dealing with this kind of issue. What's next, do they have to video the oil change to prove it happened?

Phil
Which one of the gas-only, synthetic Dexos 2 Gen 1 Virgin oils are dark? I need to know - to avoid them.
My water is always the same non-color
My pop is always the same color
My milk is always the same color
My beer is NOT always the same. I also don't act the same after drinking different one's either...... lol
 
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Doesn't look changed to me. Toyota engines run pretty darn clean. That looks worse than my old Tundra's oil.
Find out what oil they use.
As others have said, service your car yourself.

Good luck.
 
Originally Posted by Triple_Se7en
Originally Posted by philipp10
Don't go by color, go by feel and smell. Take each sample and smell. The new oil shouldn't be gassy. Then feel each between your fingers. The new should feel "not sheared" almost gel like. The old should feel watery. I think they changed it....and I feel for shop owners dealing with this kind of issue. What's next, do they have to video the oil change to prove it happened?

Phil
Which one of the gas-only, synthetic Dexos 2 Gen 1 Virgin oils are dark? I need to know - to avoid them.
My water is always the same non-color
My pop is always the same color
My milk is always the same color
My beer is NOT always the same. I also don't act the same after drinking different one's either...... lol

sorry oils are not ALWAYS the same color. Why do you need to avoid dark colored oils? I guess oils and beers are similar....

Could it be your motor is dirty and discolors oil quickly? Has this happened in the past?
 
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Originally Posted by Triple_Se7en
Originally Posted by PWMDMD
This has always been my issue with others doing my oil change. Unlike going in for brakes, tires, replacement of a faulty part where most times it is obvious whether or not something was done, with oil changes, in particular, it would be so easy to not change the oil and say you did. Few people probably check the oil in the first month after an oil change and by then ok sure it's getting darker. Even if they do change the oil there's no way to know what they actually used. I've had at least one UOA come back more like a 5W-30 when they said they were using 0W-20. For all I know it was cheap 5W-30 conventional. Is it the end of the world? No, but not what I paid for and for cars going 7500-10000 miles not what should be used. So now I do it myself every time.

The worst part about getting bulk oil-oil changes is additive settlement in the bulk tank. The customers being served the bottom-half of the bulk tank are getting more additives that settled there, than those being served from the top-half of the tank.

Not everywhere does this happen. It all depends on how often that bulk tank gets refilled.


Not to hijack but I always wondered about bulk oil in tanks and additive pack(s). Do they ever get "mixed", off the truck and wheeled onto the shop floor?
 
Phil
I am clean engine-anal. I just thought you knew of a couple Dexos oil brands that pour darker than golden. Valvoline and Pennzoil don't. My Castrol Edge from 1-1/2 years ago was somewhat amber as a virgin.
I have no idea on Quaker State, Mobil-1 or Supertech.
 
Most likely they didn't change it . We considered a new Corolla . I looked under the Corolla for location of oil filter ( easy access ) and plastic panel ( prefer less for access ) . If remember correct , oil filter is now on the left side of the new engine and has a full size under panel . I've had a few incidents with oil changes in the few past years . They lied to us on both occasions and one left the dipstick partially out after oil change . I always check the work as soon as possible . Find nearest parking lot and check all work . Such as oil , oil level , oil filter , drain plug , etc..
 
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In the US dealership oil change isn't necessary to keep manufacturer warranty? Here in Brazil you can only keep the manufacturer warranty if you do the oil change and other parts check at the dealership.
 
Originally Posted by twouvakind


Not to hijack but I always wondered about bulk oil in tanks and additive pack(s). Do they ever get "mixed", off the truck and wheeled onto the shop floor?



Highly unlikely and very doubtful

Depending on the base oil characteristics, additive package ( or sweetener package) there is a level of precision mixture and almost always a mixing ( agitation) time and agitation requirement and often a heat/.soak requirement.

Its not like making Kool Aid.

To do that from a truck or point of fill for an end use container would be difficult to say the least and the results would most likely be obvious and rejected.
 
Originally Posted by TrainingPolicy
My question is, if you were so suspicious at the dealership why didn't you go back and ask them? Instead of driving it home, taking photos, posting on BITOG and paying for a used oil analysis? I feel like just speaking with a service manager probably could have answered any questions you had. They probably could have even shown you the 'new oil' they put in cars so you could verify the oil color.



I did this before I left. The service manager wasn't on site and the service advisor just got agitated.
 
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