When will the oil get black

[btoscano]

On my newly purchased truck, I'm interested to know when the oil will get black from diesel soot. I've heard the PSD owners have clean oil for at least 3000 miles. Also heard the giant heaters in the air intake are largely responsible (the engine doesn't see cold air). The MB and VW diesels I've used turn the oil black very, very quickly. With 24 hours (engine hours) and 700 miles on the oil, its still clear. I used Chevron Delo 400 Synthetic 5w-40 that I had and a semi filter from Kenworth (LuberFiner). The oil is still clear. How long can I expect it to stay this way? Why is it different than a direct injected car diesel (the VW TDI) - that car has glow plugs but no intake heaters?



Thanks,

Brian

 

[Lil' Dog]

A large part of the good clean oil is the engine design with regard to the compression, turbo charging and piston rings. Also with these engines the majority of the time (except for some guys LOL) there isn't alot of soot produced from excess fuel. . I usually can't see a VW diesel for the smoke and thier engine design doesn't seal off the combustion as well as most. If the engine produces alot of soot, it will rinse down into the oil.



I have noticed with these engines, if you tweek the fuel up to make lots of soot, then the oil gets dark quickly. I usually get about 1/2 way through an oil change interval before the oil gets noticably dark. The newer electronic engines, such as the PSD or DMAX have even less soot produced (EPA driven designs) and their oil stays clean longer.



I hope this helps out a bit.



J-eh

 

[DPKetchum]

It takes almost 6,000 miles for mine to turn black. I change every 11,000 on Amsoils 15w40. On dino oil when i changed every 3k or so it was hardly somewhat dark. I service filter between 5 and 6k with just a top off now.

 

[RGT]

I am about 9k miles on the last change, Castrol enduron, it is finally getting dark, it had stayed very clear through 5-6k I changed the filter at 7500, cut it open, and it was very clean inside, I won't bother changing filters before oil, I plan on changing around 14k. My Mercedes' and VW's was black just from running them to check for leaks and recheck level...

 

[Wayno]

The oil in my truck use to get dark from about 2500 miles to 3000 miles . It gets dark now from about 750 to 1000 miles . I started Bombing it at about 100,000 miles and thats about the same time it started get dark at about 1000 miles . I put the BD injectors in it and tweak the pump . I turn the pump down some and back the smoke screw all the way out but it still gets dark at about 1000 miles . I always change the oil and filter at 3000 miles and I use Shell oil (oil is cheap) and it has 135,000 miles on it now .

 

[btoscano]

Wow! These engines must burn real clean for the oil to stay clear for so long. Not having an EGR or retarded pump timing must help



Thanks,

Brian