Black Oil after 400 miles

[Mr. Hemi]

Have 400 miles on my last oil change and after checking the oil it is already quite black.

Oil change intervals have been 3500 miles and 7500 miles, less than 3 months between changes.

Oil, Pennzoil Long Life, 15W-40, 5 gal pails as any smaller quantity seems to have a different formaulation that would have the oil vapor smell.

Anyone else seeing this happen?

 

[WNowlan]

This is normal for the oil to turn black. These engines produce a whole lot of soot. The oil is keeping your engine clean. I spent a whole lot of time working for them and LL was my product.

 

[RPosey]

Black oil

The oil in my 95 didn't get black untill it had over 70,000 miles. The oil was black in my 03 almost immediately. I buy Shell oil in 55 gal drums and it still smells. I'm not sure the container size has anything to do with smell.

 

[WNowlan]

Pennzoil is now owned by Shell. The smell you refer to is normal. These engines are putting a whole lot more in the oil than the 95. The emission system loads it back up.

 

[DLeno]

400 miles and black oil! sounds like my 1982 GM 6. 2L. my 04 (555) is still amber at 3,000 miles. the 04. 5's might put a bit greater load on the oil, but they don't have EGR and 400 miles sounds off the charts to me. unless all you do is burnouts at the track...



is this real? you 04. 5 guys are turning the oil black after 400 miles?

 

[travisch]

Yup - its as black as ink in a very short time.

 

[Mr. Hemi]

My 96 would take about 4000 miles to even get slightly black.

Makes me suspect the injection events are putting in more fuel than the engine can handle, or in too soon so it washes down the cylinders and ends up in the oil.

I am getting the oil analyzed to see what the fuel dillution level is.

Seems to be more in the crankcase than I put in at the time of oil change.

 

[WyattEarp]

my 2 cents worth

I have noticed over the years since getting my first vehicle that some oils turn darker alot quicker than others and then there are those oils that it takes several thousand miles to become black, im no oil doctor but just my opinion that it might be different additives in the different brand of oils causing this but as i said before this is something that i have just seen over the years from changing my own oil as i have used different oils in the same vehicle, for example Havoline turned black with in just a few hundred miles but this was in a gasser also so i could be totally of the track with my theory/idea... Oo.

 

[Po' Riggity]

yup, mine gets black quick. No biggie. .

Scott

 

[DLeno]

well I guess if all the 600s do that, then we know its no biggie. keeping soot in suspension is what oil does. might want to get some oil analysis going to validate your drain intervals -- and especially be prepared to shorten the drain interval with any power enhancement.

 

[Mr. Hemi]

I thought they lengthed the oil change interval on the HPCR engines?

If so they sure run dirty compared to a 12 valve.

I think I will keep up with oil analysis every other change, and change every three months or 3500 miles as by then it looks like crude.

 

[PJ]

My 04 305-555 got the oil changed every 3000. When i traded it in at 13,000, the oil was still clean as new. My new 600 has about 800 miles on it and still is clean. I would hope it stays that way. I use Chevron Delo and have the dealer do the service.

 

[DLeno]

interesting. so you have double the miles and your oil still looks clean. have you 400-mile black oil 600 guys had the latest ECM flashes, you have no injector knock, and you're getting reasonable fuel economy?

 

[Mr. Hemi]

I have yet to have any reflashes or TSB's done. I am kind of reluctant as I get 18. 5 MPG at 70 MPH on a trip, and anywhere from 15. 5 -17 mpg around town depending on fuel and driving habits. ( mileage seems to really be influenced by fuel quality).

None the less, I have oil that is more contaminated than I am used to seeing from a CTD.

My truck does have a slightly noticeable ping but not as bad as other trucks (325/600) I have driven.

All told I wish the mileage was a little better, but it seems the EPA has killed that!