Hi All,


I do not know if I am being paranoid or ignorant or what, but I have a question about my engine oil. I check it regularly at nearly every fill up. It always seems full and I have no performance issues with the truck. However, it is a dark honey color and it has over two thousand miles on it. I would think that with this many miles the oil would be black. The truck has 21,500 miles and was last changed at 19,500. I did not think anything of it until I looked at a buddy's truck and his oil was really black with nearly the sam number of miles. Again, never any problem with the truck and no diesel smell that I can notice. I am running Rotella 15W-40 and a Baldwin filter. Any comments are appreciated. Thanks.


Greg

Could be the filter-Your buddy running a baldwin? Also hard driving has a lot to do with it or heavy loads.


Geno

Same with mine no matter what oil or filter I used. It looks like new well past 4K. Very good ring seal I would say. Later! Frank http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Big Smile.gif

My oil stays at least as clean over time as oil in a gasoline engine. I think the pilot injection incorporated into the Bosch injection system has a lot to do with clean combustion. I have an old Mercedes with mechanical injection and oil gets dirty in just a couple hundred miles.


Does you buddy with the black oil pull trailers or otherwise impose heavier loads?

it probably is the way it's being used. These things run extremely clean for a diesel. The only only way to 'soot up' the oil is by running it hard.

With 58K on my 02 D/A, it will stay quite clean until I hooked on to the 5th wheel. Load has alot to do with it.


My problem is getting clean fuel. First fuel filter lasted 27K. The next one had to be changed at 22K. Now this one today was changed at 12K. When they get dirty it want run pass 2700 rpms. Then I know I have to change filter.


Ralph/MI.

Steelhead: Do what you wish, but I would not run filter till truck will not go over 2700rpms. You are full of crap and some has to be getting through! 8 to 10 thousand at most. just my 02

Back on topic...


I have 3200 miles on current oil and it is fairly dark. Not the gasser type black but rather soot type black. This oil has about 2200 of the 3200 miles in towing service. So, I tend to agree that load is a big factor.


The prior oil had about 1400 miles on it and was really clear, but not towing miles.


My truck has 5600 miles on it now. An LB7 with no CAT.


Just as a point of reference, I've seen engines that never dirty up oil and engines' where the oil was nasty looking after 50 miles. All were new engines. I like to say that engines are like dogs, some are just poop eaters and there's nothing you can do about it.http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Big Smile.gif