Two silly oil change questions...

[FlameRed]

I free admit I am a newbie, and I have two silly oil change questions as my next oil change in coming up soon. M998.

1. Last time I changed the oil, I finished up and started the engine to let it cycle before I checked the oil and discovered that the brand new pristine oil on the dip stick was black! Yeah, I wiped it off and looked again - black not the golden color as I would have expected. Yes, it took the expected amount of oil as advertised. I assume that whatever oil was in the oil cooler did not drain? I don't see anything in the procedures to drain the oil from the oil cooler. Am I missing a part of the procedure?
2. Anyone recommended an oil flush? Does not sound like a great idea if a bunch of the oil cannot be easily drained out of the oil cooler.

Thanks in advance!

 

[TOBASH]

Oil change without changing filter first means you’re mixing old and new. I usually flush with extra oil BUT that is me being compulsive and you don’t really need to.

 

[FlameRed]

Oil change without changing filter first means you’re mixing old and new. I usually flush with extra oil BUT that is me being compulsive and you don’t really need to.

I am sorry, I did not mention I did indeed install a fresh oil filter. So the oil filter was not the source of the black.

 

[TOBASH]

When you drain oil, it is not a precise activity. Oil pools all over.

 

[juanprado]

It is normal for diesels to get black quickly. Even new oil will darken much faster than maybe what you are used to in a gas engine. Many diesel oils start off darker anyway because of the additive package.

I believe you probably had residue still left as impossible to drain fully.

I would not use any chemical flush.

Run it 500-1000 miles if you need peace of mind and change oil & filter again.

 

[Mogman]

The Detroit is a nasty beast, black is normal. I would not exceed 3K on oil changes.
Using synthetics is an exercise in futility as it is contamination not "wear" that determines oil change intervals so synthetic oil does not extend the oil life like in a gasser.

 

[Coug]

diesel oil will be black no matter how many times you change it. Just the nature of the beast.

 

[Maxjeep1]

I like to put oil in the oil filter. I put 12 to 14 ounces in the filter and let it sit overnight and I didn’t spill a drop. I have done 3 oil changes on my 2 trucks and first time was a mess. I used a garage tote for the 2nd and 3rd and it was better. Drain pan in slight wind had a small stream blowing everywhere… glad I was in my neighbors driveway while he was out of town.. lol

 

[SmartDrug]

Diesel newbie question - do I need to be following a oil change interval in the TM (semi-annually) even if the truck has seen relatively little use?

I changed my oil/filter about 400mi ago, but it has been about 3 months now. Is this something I should worry about, or am I good if I stick to the <3000mi interval? I likely wouldn't hit that until at least next summer unless diesel cost drops precipitously. I'm not used to this type of service as I run synthetic in everything gas I own, so I have vehicles that can go years between a change (several different seasonal vehicles seeing very light use).

I guess what I'm trying to determine here is whether the contamination comes from use while running or from contact with the various contaminants. Also whether advancements in diesel oil have led to an increased service life in a static vehicle.

Any help/advice is appreciated.

 

[Mogman]

I follow the 3k/1year rule which ever occurs first.
As stated above the 6.2/6.5 are dirty engines compared to today's diesel engines so there is no real advantage to using expensive synthetic oils as they get contaminated at the same rate as the base oils so the change interval is not extended as with modern engines.
EDIT, the longest I have ever seen recommended for a gas engine and top of the line synthetic oil with light use is 2 years, BTW engine oil does have a shelf life.

 

[Retiredwarhorses]

You can’t get the quart of more of oil out of the oil cooler, so you oil is instantly black on these trucks.
15w-40 has a detergent for the high ash content of diesel engines, that’s why its literally the go to oil for all
diesels,

 

[SmartDrug]

I follow the 3k/1year rule which ever occurs first.
As stated above the 6.2/6.5 are dirty engines compared to today's diesel engines so there is no real advantage to using expensive synthetic oils as they get contaminated at the same rate as the base oils so the change interval is not extended as with modern engines.
EDIT, the longest I have ever seen recommended for a gas engine and top of the line synthetic oil with light use is 2 years, BTW engine oil does have a shelf life.

Thank you! I figured a yearly interval with about 1,000 miles would be reasonably safe, but wanted to make sure I wasn't doing anything reckless.

 

[osteo16]

High Jacking in progress !!! Anyone doing a slight cleanse between oil changes, say drain a few quarts, top off with ATF, idle a little bit then drain. Refill with Rotella or whatever and proceed on... Just asking for a friend...

Ocho Out !!

 

[Maxjeep1]

High Jacking in progress !!! Anyone doing a slight cleanse between oil changes, say drain a few quarts, top off with ATF, idle a little bit then drain. Refill with Rotella or whatever and proceed on... Just asking for a friend...

Ocho Out !!

Black is still Black. I believe Rotella has lots of cleansing properties.

 

[Coug]

ATF has more detergents than motor oil does, but modern motor oils are MUCH better than when the practice of adding ATF before an oil change was popular.
It's a diesel engine; the oil will be black no matter what you try, so just do an oil change and stop stressing about it.

 

[osteo16]

In fact, it does have both dispersants and detergents!!! Just looked at it... But will it clear heavy sludge deposits. I imagine if I used it from day 1.. then maybe my chances are good. However, we don't know the frequency or quality of previous oil changes. So I'm asking about a good engine sludge/detergent additive. Such as ATF ? Anyone??? Buehler . Buehler ??


God Bless America on this day in remembrance of Pearl Harbor 1941!!! God Bless Those That Served!! Especially those that lost their lives!!

 

[87cr250r]

Everybody, you do regular oil changes so that your oil never becomes so contaminated that it becomes harmful to your engine. That means that any residual oil left behind during an oil change will not harm your engine. Don't worry about it.

As for ATF, your automatic transmission doesn't have combustion byproducts so it never sees soot or varnish. Your transmission stays clean inside because there is no dirt, not because there is some special detergent in ATF.

Flushes are reserved for when your engine oil becomes contaminated with some foreign substance, ATF for example.

 

[MarkM]

I change my oil about every year to year a a half. I don't put on enough miles for that to factor in at all. Rotella 15w40 is my go to with a Wix filter. Fram is well proven to be trash.

Your fresh oil change will be black within two minutes of idling so don't worry about it.

I don't run my M998 in the winter here in Massachusetts because of the huge amount of rock salt we use. I do start her up and warm it to temp every three weeks or so. Just my 0.2 cents.

Mark

 

[patracy]

High Jacking in progress !!! Anyone doing a slight cleanse between oil changes, say drain a few quarts, top off with ATF, idle a little bit then drain. Refill with Rotella or whatever and proceed on... Just asking for a friend...

Ocho Out !!

No.

 

[TOBASH]

High Jacking in progress !!! Anyone doing a slight cleanse between oil changes, say drain a few quarts, top off with ATF, idle a little bit then drain. Refill with Rotella or whatever and proceed on... Just asking for a friend...

Ocho Out !!

On gasoline engines especially if a friend is using crappy oil, yes. My engines all were bought new so Mobil1 from the start and no wash necessary.

On my Diesels, unless there is a stuck valve, no.