Engine oil

[shokenore]

Just a quick poser for you, regarding engine oil.
How long in the average Diesel engine ie not tuned or modified would you expect the engine oil to stay clean and not go black?
Not just on a Surf but on any diesel?

[tweak'e]

not go black? about 10 minutes!

how long oil lasts varies a big amount. the 2.4 surf will be lucky to get to 5000km but modern common rail can be 10-20,000km.
some engines come stock with bypass filters and can have 30-40,000km oil change interval.

[tashtego]

not go black? about 10 minutes!

how long oil lasts varies a big amount. the 2.4 surf will be lucky to get to 5000km but modern common rail can be 10-20,000km.
some engines come stock with bypass filters and can have 30-40,000km oil change interval.

I use a fully synthetic Total oil, it stays fairly clear for a few days after an oil change.

[slobodan]

I changed the oil and filter yesterday on an old diesel Cherokee.
Put new oil in, run it for 2 minutes, checked the level on the dipstick and it was as black as Newgate's knocker.


2 minutes.

[gwh200]

Newgate John?....Nellies surely !

[slobodan]

My old mum always said Newgate's

http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/36500.html

[BUSHWHACKER]

Just a quick poser for you, regarding engine oil.
How long in the average Diesel engine ie not tuned or modified would you expect the engine oil to stay clean and not go black?
Not just on a Surf but on any diesel?

Depends on the sulphated ash content of the oil.
High ash content (cheap) oils will go black quite quickly.

Diesel cars fitted with a DPF (diesel particulate filter) need a low SAPS (sulphated ash, phosphorous sulphur) oil. 'Normal diesel engine oil with high SAPS will eventually block the DPF.

[shokenore]

So clean engine oil in a car that has had a oil change carried out less than two thousand miles ago would get the alarm bells ringing?

[NiftyNev]

High ash content (cheap) oils will go black quite quickly.

Why do you associate high ash with cheap? The diesel engine in the Surf requires high ash oil.

Nev.

[tweak'e]

and high ash oils are hard to get now. my high ash oil is specialized jap engine oil.
how fast it goes black comes down to detergent levels (euro oil tends to have more) and if the oil is holding all the soot in suspension or if its dropping it out due to not changing it soon enough.

the other factor to is how much oil is left in the motor after draining.

[shokenore]

Thanks for the replies guys.
I just needed to be sure that oil blackening was the norm rather than the exception.
It proves my thoughts about the cleanliness of the engine oil is purely down to the constant requirement of the topping up of the engine oil due to massive oil leak.
Yes the car I recently bought is a bit poorly.