How Dirty Is Your Oil, Right Now?

[a2jack]

Ugh! Last changed at 9k, this pix yesterday at 17.5k.

A2Jack.

[Quagmire]

Sqeaky clean... Just changed it

Mine wasn't quite that dark at 5000 miles... But as I mentioned in another post, I don't like dirty oil in any of my vehicles. Yeah I know I'll get flamed for changing my oil at 5000 miles but I do my changes around the 5000 mark

[Old smart]

I changed my delivery oil and filter at 85 odometer miles. There were some "fines" in the filter element, as I would expect. But, after the drained, hot, delivery oil sat quiescent and cooled in a broad pan, it became covered-over with a waxy scum - when I drew a wire across the surface it actually made a trail (a "lead," as we called such things in Polar Shiphandling). I don't know what it was, but I'm glad that it is gone.

The fossil oil (and new filter) that then went in for another 500 miles came out just slightly darker, but with no such scum, and no fines in the filter.

My present Mobil 1 fill (with a 3rd filter) looks like new on the dipstick (at 2K more).

[forestacademy]

Gee Old Smart, and Quagmire thought he would get flamed for changing at 5000 miles.

[Old smart]

Originally Posted by forestacademy

Gee Old Smart, and Quagmire thought he would get flamed for changing at 5000 miles.

I know that my usage qualifies as "severe service" - high year-round humidity, high pollen and mold spores at various times of the year (some of which enters the engine through the intake system), and numerous short trips of less than a half-hour that won't cook-off condensation. I am on a 6-month oil change regimen, which right now looks like a +/- 5,400 mile cycle.

I care not to waste fat-fingering time to defend my decisions.

[xcrew229x]

Great minds think alike........... nah, I'm not in Old smart's league, but I like my motor as much as he does.

[forestacademy]

Originally Posted by Old smart

I know that my usage qualifies as "severe service" - high year-round humidity, high pollen and mold spores at various times of the year (some of which enters the engine through the intake system), and numerous short trips of less than a half-hour that won't cook-off condensation. I am on a 6-month oil change regimen, which right now looks like a +/- 5,400 mile cycle.

I care not to waste fat-fingering time to defend my decisions.

Well 6 months is not all that Severe. I Struggle trying to figure out a service for my F150 that is now only getting 3000 miles a year

[jwight]

Just put around 1,300 miles on ours in 5 days; if there was any H2O in the oil it's gone now.



Oil at 4,100 miles.

[a2jack]

The Idea for this post came from J's pix of the dip stick in his car. (J, please repost pix here.)

Anyone care to post some pix showing oil color at various mileages would be appreciated. A2Jack.

[fortow]

Oil colour gives no indication as to the continued usability of the oil. To know whether the oil is retaining viscosity, is acidic or not, still has a good compliment of it's additive package, and if there are excessive wear and dirt particles in it you have to have it analyzed.
Some oils will turn dark sooner than others due to chemical changes. The colour also changes because of combustion chamber deposits and possibly oxidation. The colour doesn't necessarily indicate that it's "dirty" or that whatever particles might be in it are harmful to the engine. You don't change oil just because of the colour change.