Mechanic - Your Oil is black - i would get this checked out
Thread Starter
Evolving Member
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 367
Likes: 2
From: Northeast
Mechanic - Your Oil is black - i would get this checked out
just got new tires and my x inspected. the guy said he checked my oil and it was black...not quite sure what this means - can someone clue me in? he told me to check it out at the dealer.
i had my oil changed at the dealer 300 miles ago so i'm not sure what the deal is....
i had my oil changed at the dealer 300 miles ago so i'm not sure what the deal is....
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 9,002
Likes: 12
From: somewhere testing various tires, brakes, and suspensions.
Your mechanic is a ****** 
Black is not one of the things to really be worried about. Evo's run rich, that unspent fuel gets dumped out the exhaust and some of the carbon will get into your oil. Its normal.
If the oil was milkshake colored or other - thats an issue.
Oil analysis is a great way to really see what is going on in the motor, if you are worried about it.
Black is not one of the things to really be worried about. Evo's run rich, that unspent fuel gets dumped out the exhaust and some of the carbon will get into your oil. Its normal.
If the oil was milkshake colored or other - thats an issue.
Oil analysis is a great way to really see what is going on in the motor, if you are worried about it.
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Thread Starter
Evolving Member
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 367
Likes: 2
From: Northeast
just saw this on oilbible
Servicing and checking
For God's sake don't skimp on either of these. You can never check your engine oil too often. Use the dipstick - that's what it's there for - and don't run below the 'min' mark. Below that, there isn't enough oil for the pump to be able to supply the top of the engine whilst keeping a reserve in the sump. All oils, no matter what their type, are made of long-chained molecules which get sheared into shorter chains in a running engine. This in turn means that the oil begins to lose it's viscosity over time, and it uses up the additives in it that prevent scuffing between cams and followers, rings and cylinder walls etc etc. When this happens, fresh oil is the key. And don't worry about the engine oil turning black. It will lose it's golden-brown colour within a few hundred miles of being put in to the engine. That doesn't mean it's not working. Quite the contrary - it means it is working well. It changes colour as it traps oxidised oil, clots and the flakes of metal that pop off heavily loaded engine parts. Just don't leave it too long between oil changes.
Thanks for the responses guys
Servicing and checking
For God's sake don't skimp on either of these. You can never check your engine oil too often. Use the dipstick - that's what it's there for - and don't run below the 'min' mark. Below that, there isn't enough oil for the pump to be able to supply the top of the engine whilst keeping a reserve in the sump. All oils, no matter what their type, are made of long-chained molecules which get sheared into shorter chains in a running engine. This in turn means that the oil begins to lose it's viscosity over time, and it uses up the additives in it that prevent scuffing between cams and followers, rings and cylinder walls etc etc. When this happens, fresh oil is the key. And don't worry about the engine oil turning black. It will lose it's golden-brown colour within a few hundred miles of being put in to the engine. That doesn't mean it's not working. Quite the contrary - it means it is working well. It changes colour as it traps oxidised oil, clots and the flakes of metal that pop off heavily loaded engine parts. Just don't leave it too long between oil changes.
Thanks for the responses guys
Evolving Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 195
Likes: 0
From: Italy
I remember when I went to recycle used oil at the local autoparts store and the guy behind the counter tells me I took too long to change my oil. It should come out the same color it went in. What a fool.
