I did my last oil change around 6,000 miles and have just ticked over 8,000 miles this weekend. I've got about 500 miles of driving to do this weekend (including towing about 5,000 lbs for 300 of that) and then a 1,200 mile trip at the end of the month. I was going to wait for 10K and change all the fluids and filters in the truck (switching to synthetic).

I checked the oil tonight and it's pretty dark. If this were a gas engine, I'd change it immediately and probably have a compression test done as well. I've been ramping up to 5K miles/change so I haven't checked the oil in the past with more than about 1-1.5K on it.

Should I be concerned or is a nice mocha the normal color of diesel oil after it's been lubing for 2K miles. The level was fine.

Thanks

Completely normal for a diesel.

Normal for a diesel, but if you want to sleep better, install a bypass filter. then it stays translucent longer.

where do i get one of these....

can you show me pics of your computer...thanks

When I installed an EGR blocker plate a while back, I noticed that my oil didn't darken near as fast as it had before. An oil analysis didn't show any lower than usual wear rates with it installed, though, so don't worry about it. Today's diesel engine oils can easily handle the "darkening", & like said above, it's perfectly normal.

Your oil will begin to darken in about 100 miles or less as the soot is washed away from the cylinder walls completley normal for a diesel.

where do i get one of these....
Check your PM.

Color of oil is no indication of condition. Check out the dual bypass filter system and forget about oil changes.

ssgreg is absolutely correct. The old "well it looks dirty" theory is totally bogus.

It's not uncommon at all for diesel oil to turn black immediately--within just a few miles of driving. In fact, diesel-rated oils are specifically designed to suspend large volumes of soot, which causes the oil to turn black right away.

My last oil sample had nearly 10,000 miles on it before being changed, and the oil was black as coal for nearly all of those miles. I'm not running a bypass of any kind, and the Delvac 1 I'm using could have easily gone twice that long according to used oil analysis. Although my wear numbers were slightly elevated, the oil was in great shape.

Unless you drive like Mario Andretti, 5K oil changes are very conservative. If you do mostly highway driving, I'm betting oil analysis will tell you that 10K changes would still be conservative.

Do some used oil analysis--this is the only true way to determine the condition of your oil.

What places / people / machines do oil analysis? Obviously you cannot trust the quick lube guys... How are these oil analysis' preformed?

And remember that the oil analysis that you get will vary by laboratory. The use of oil analysis is valuable only when looking at trends. Don't do anything based on one analysis alone.

where do i get one of these....

I use an Amsoil Oil Bypass Filter on my unit and the oil stays golden and clear with more that 4500 miles on the oil.
):h

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Just started using an Amsoil bypass filter. The oil had about 1000 miles on it at the time of filter installation and is beginning to clean up as I drive. Noticable color change on dipstick and on paper towel used as a blotter.