Diesel engine oil dirty too soon?

Only 4500? It still needs to break in and the rings need to seat, I would think. Mine has 95k miles and the oil is not black

Your friend has one of those magical diesels. The rest of us have the regular diesels (you included). Next time you change your oil check it after only 100 miles. If it's not black then I'd be amazed. Don't worry...it's normal...just soot. Use a good oil like Delvac or Penzoil. Forget all the hype you've read about Rotella...it's pretty close to the bottom of the list as for quality oil.

Randolf

The reason for black oil is fuel soot being deposited on the clyinder wall and then being scraped by the rings into the lube oil. If in use, the engine creates black smoke in the exhaust, it is also creating soot deposit on the cylinder walls. This occurs when more fuel is injected than there is oxygen to burn it completely. Typical cause is a clogged air cleaner, faulty turbo or any air restriction as well as a fuel curve that is too rich. However, in your case, it could be your fuel management computer's firmware. You should make sure you have the correct firmware loaded. Check for any pertinent bulletins. Please also note that since the 2004.5 model year, the CTDs have been using a triple injection event per cycle solution (Pre, Main & Post) as opposed to the double event solution (Pre, Main) per cycle, which was used in the earlier 3rd generation engines. The change was to decrease oxides of nitrogen at the cost of fuel economy. Now, the CTDs also require a Cat to eliminate the increased particulate (soot) in the exhaust. Isn't progress great! Steve

"croll" wrote in message news: snipped-for-privacy@i40g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...

Just curious, what do you base your condemnation of Rotella on? Facts or scuttlebutt? If facts, please cite the source of this info.

Mike

I use the synthetic stuff that Cummins and Valvoline partnered on ... Premium Blue 5w-40. I go 10,000 miles between changes. When I change it, it is darker than when new but still transparent.

Craig C.

Is everyone basing their claims of 'clear' oil by what they see on the dipstick, or through a gallon container? I have never owned any vehicle, including my '99 Honda Accord that I bought new, that didn't have very dark oil after 500 miles if viewed through a large container. On the dipstick however, they would appear only slightly darkened. Hell, I recently rebuilt a 455 Pontiac that had fairly dark oil after just 90 miles, when I gave it it's first change. HD

P.S. I change oil in all my vehicles every 3,000 miles, and have a Honda nearing 180k and sold a Ford F250 that I had put 135k on the motor I rebuilt for it. I have heard that vehicles burining natural gas will have fairly clean oil when changed, however.

Maybe because the piston rings needed more time to seal?

Look at the numbers...do a search. Rotella is just average at best. Premium Blue (Valvoline), Delvac and Penzoil are much better oils.

Randolf

Hehe, he said "scuttlebutt".

I know the numbers, do you? If so post 'em, show me how and why they are better oils. Show me some VOA's or test data that demostrates your contention, otherwise your post is scuttlebutt or mere opinion.

Mike

A common term amongst Navy and Marines for idle gossip .... but it could apply here as well.

;^)

Mike

While the rings may not have been fully seated, (the cylinders were just honed, not bored), my concern was getting any assembly contaminents out of the engine. I'm sure it will be dark when I change it at 500 miles, and then every time after that. My point was, the oil on the dipstick looked pretty clean, but through a gallon jug it was fairly dark. My question was just how are people judging how dirty their oil looks? I have never in my life seen oil come out of an engine at 3,000 miles that looked only a bit darker when changed than it did when it was added as viewed through a large container. Normally it is very dark brown, nearly black. HD

I thought more often than not, scuttlebutt turned out to be true.

I think a more appropriate term here is 'horsepuckey' :)

You may be right Tom, in fact in regards to the comments about Rotella, you are indeed right.

The "scuttlebutt" aboard a ship is actually the drinking fountain however the idle gossip that occurs around it aquired the name of the scuttlebutt itself. As we all know, there is "informed" gossip and "uninformed" gossip. The comments about Rotella tend more towards the latter.

Mike

I did 20 years in the Navy. I just thought it was funny to see it here.

Oh... well that 'splains it. I was/am a jarhead so we speak the same language.

Mike

Nosey...

You must be a B & B fan. Gotta love those fools!

When my kids were teenagers they watched it all the time so I've seen my fair share of episodes. "King of the Hill" is more my type of Mike Judge humor.