Oil is black on 2005/ 600 miles

[KENNETHMD]

I have a question i hope someone can answer, 6 week's ago i took delivery on my new 2005 cummins 3500 auto, I have 602 miles on her now and I checked the oil this morning and was black, but not over the full mark, it has been very cold around here latly, and i have been ideling quite a bit, plus i only drive 3 miles to work and she never get's up to full temp, do i have a problem or is this normal, this is my first post so i hope i did it right (BTW) should i change the oil now or wait a bit longer, i guess it could be fuel in the oil.

 

[Cigar John]

It's normal for the oil to turn black,it's the detergent in it holding the carbon "soot" in suspension. If you have fuel in the oil it will try to "wash" back down the dip stick.

 

[KevinO]

My 04. 5 does this to the oil real fast too. The short drive you do can't be very good on the motor especially in the cold weather. I noticed a difference when i only drove it a couple miles and shut it off on days i didn't drive for my carpool.

 

[KENNETHMD]

It seem's strange

At about 300 miles the oil was clear, then all so a sudden at600 miles it is black as coal, but what i did notice was at that time period from 300 to 600 the weather chanced from the fifty's to the 20's thank's for the information you guy's have given, so far it sure is nice to no i can get the right answer's from a group of very savy cummins oweners Thank's again.

 

[PWelsh]

My oil turned jet black at about 300 miles too. It used to do that when I had a Olds diesel back in the 70's. My Ford PS got dirty but not as black as the Cummins does. However, I consider it normal and will probably do the same after I have the oil changed. Right now I only have 2100 miles on mine and I expect it to keep doing this. What is different, I wipe the dip stick off with a clean rag, the rag is very black. A day later most of the black on the rag has disappeared. I didn't think oil evaporated.

 

[MABurns]

I live less than 1/2 mile from work and I take the looooooooooooonnnnnnnnnnngggggggggg way every morning, because I want to get the engine up to operating temperature and secondly, I JUST LOVE TO DRIVE IT. Leave a little earlier and enjoy the view!

 

[tkerrigan]

If you are doing that short of a drive to work, use an appliance timer to run the block heater for 3 or 4 hours before you take off in the morning. That will help out your problem a lot.

 

[Bertram65]

If you are doing that short of a drive to work, use an appliance timer to run the block heater for 3 or 4 hours before you take off in the morning. That will help out your problem a lot.

Can you explain why this would make any difference? I cannot see where it would effect the amount of soot being produced and subsequently suspended in the oil.

 

[Alan Reagan]

With the engine "pre warmed" you'll get better combustion and less soot on cold mornings.



I changed my oil today. It was black as coal. Nasty looking. I don't remember my 01 or my 98 ever looking that dirty, even when I went to synthetic and extended intervals.

 

[Bertram65]

Doubt the block heater will make any difference, the new emmisions are what is causing it, my '03 has CA emmisions and the oil is black within a couple hundred miles after I change it.

 

[jimnance]

It's normal for more soot to get into the oil the first few thousand miles. The rings have not completely seated yet and you will have more blow-by gases getting into the crankcase. After the first oil change you should see the oil stay cleaner for a longer period of time.



I've used Delo 15W40 since the first oil change and she stays pretty clean up to about 5,000 miles. I try to change my oil between 5,000 and 6,000 miles. Cheap insurance, and I buy the oil at Costco. I use filters purchased at the local dealer.

 

[tractorseller]

Mine turned black real quick too. The oil in my Duramax never did get black like this .



I'm going to change it at 3,000 miles and we'll see what happens. I don't like running that dirty crap in my engine. I know, I know... ... it's just doing its job and suspending "contaminants" - but I still don't like it.

 

[tkerrigan]

The reason to use the timer and the block heater is to avoid low temp fuel injection enrichment. Of course I'm just assuming that these new rigs have this. The older rigs did for sure. Plus as was previously mentioned, more heat = better combustion.

 

[amsoilman]

Mine turned black real quick too. The oil in my Duramax never did get black like this .



I'm going to change it at 3,000 miles and we'll see what happens. I don't like running that dirty crap in my engine. I know, I know... ... it's just doing its job and suspending "contaminants" - but I still don't like it.

The oil in my 03' is also black! It has 31,500 miles on it, and the recent oil analysis (12-04-2004) showed it to be "suitable for continued use"!

Soot was only 0. 5 ppm. COLOR of oil does not necessarily tell the condition of it



Wayne

amsoilman

 

[LightmanE300]

The '600' series engines blacken the oil quickly, this is a well known issue. As amsoilman said above, color is no indication of quality. That being said, with 18,500 miles on my current run of oil (I have a 555), it's still transparent on the dipstick Must be the CAT/Injection event changes in the 600 that does it.

 

[Bertram65]

The '600' series engines blacken the oil quickly, this is a well known issue. As amsoilman said above, color is no indication of quality. That being said, with 18,500 miles on my current run of oil (I have a 555), it's still transparent on the dipstick Must be the CAT/Injection event changes in the 600 that does it.

Your dual bypass may also help keep it cleaner, doesn't it filter to a much finer particle size?

 

[tractorseller]

The oil in my 03' is also black! It has 31,500 miles on it, and the recent oil analysis (12-04-2004) showed it to be "suitable for continued use"!

Soot was only 0. 5 ppm. COLOR of oil does not necessarily tell the condition of it



Wayne

amsoilman

Well, I'll take your word for it. I guess I'm getting old :{ . You made me feel a little better anyway .