jahquan3

On my last 2 services my oil has been almost black. I'm not sure what is causing it but I can say that before my last two services I got an alert a few hundred miles before it was due to check engine oil at next refueling. The 1st time I had to add almost half a quart and this time, I saw no need to add any so I left it as is. I'm wondering if this is part of the cause of the black oil.

Regardless, I was told that eating up some oil was normal at my Indy spot I go to and at the Benz dealership. I'm wondering if others have seen a similiar result as far as the black oil goes.

Either way I get a motor flush again just to be on the safe side on top of the oil change/filter change standard. I was advised not to go 10k miles any longer and to shorten it to 6k or so just to see if the results are different on the next go around. Anyone with a similiar situation or seen this before. I'm at roughly 133k miles now.

Mud

There may be a bit of blow-by past the rings but a dark oil is essentially telling you it's doing it's job by cleaning and holding impurities. Different oils also show different coloring that is affected by the particular additives they contain. I think 5-6k is a good idea. Even on new engines I go with 5k oil and filter changes. Yes of course I know the oil can go further but to me it's one of the cheapest insurance policies out there. It may cost me a few bucks more over 200k miles but that's pennies over the long haul.
A flush may be ok on an unknown gunky engine, but I don't see the need for flushes or additives if you are using a good mfg spec oil. I've never thought the after market can improve on what the mfg spends on oil R&D.

jahquan3

This is now my second flush in a row on top of the fact that I use Fuel injector cleaners every 20k miles or so. The cost of the flush is only like $80 buck so just for the peace of mind I got it. All in all it came to $205 which is still less then a Service A at the dealer and that would not include a flush.

C Smith

Ive spent nearly twenty years in the highline car service business exclusively at franchised dealers, so I say this with expertise: Don't fall for the flush scam. It's nonsense that came into popularity about ten years ago. There is absolutely no benefit to the customer.

konigstiger

https://www.blackstone-labs.com/

jahquan3

Thx. I think I ordered a test kit before but I've misplaced it. Let me take a quick look and see if I can find it. I'll order another if I can't locate the older one. I guess I should wait a few thousands miles and then collect a bit then send it off.

jahquan3

I've heard this from the bulk of forum members and people I've come across so you're probably right.

Ultimately I got it since it can't hurt much. Only negative effect I've heard is that it can move deposits that actually have settled in and become sealant type of thing. In my case it seems to not have caused any issue so it makes me feel a little better at the end of the day.

Mud

Once again MB Forum coincidence lol. I just did an oil change and was sending a sample to Blackstone. I do a once a year check on our vehicles and boat.

Several years ago I had a crown Vic that was running perfectly with zero engine noise. The oil report surprisingly came back with very high silicone and some aluminum. I pulled the front cover and both chain tensioners were worn thru the plastic guides and just getting into the aluminum tensioner supports. Caught this just before getting a ton of aluminum into the oiling system.

IMO an annual oil report is well worth it.

kbob999

My OM642 diesel oil is like black ink when I change it, but I attribute this to high compression, blowby, and particulates in the diesel exhaust. All my other supercharged or turbo gasoline cars are just normal dark oil.

And I do an oil inspection at EVERY oil change on my aircraft (life dependent), but never on my cars. YMMV.

mikemargolis

An OM642 diesel engine will have black oil by the time you get home from the garage after an oil change.

looney100

Engine flushes are useless. No one aside from those performing them recommends them. The colour of your oil tells you little about its effectiveness. Dark oil doesn't mean it's not protecting. Oil analysis is really the only way to distinguish its effectiveness.

Silverp30wagon