Is this normal looking?

Mrchntmarine · 09-15-2015, 03:59 PM

So I finally decided to check the dip stick and saw the filthiest looking black oil I've ever seen. This is the 1st time I've checked this car as its all been done by the dealer under warranty so far. My last oil change was 8 months ago and 4500 miles ago. Is this normal looking?

DETSGTSTARSKY · 09-15-2015, 04:13 PM

Yes it is normal. I had my oil done at the dealership and checked it right away and it was amber colored. After the drive home and maybe a week later I checked again. Diesel oil turns black real fast but it is doing its job. I don't drive the car many miles currently. I plan on doing 5k oil changes which was 8-9 months last time. So maybe do yours at 5k since you are at 8 months and start again with fresh oil. But not to worry.

Mrchntmarine · 09-15-2015, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DETSGTSTARSKY

Yes it is normal. I had my oil done at the dealership and checked it right away and it was amber colored. After the drive home and maybe a week later I checked again. Diesel oil turns black real fast but it is doing its job. I don't drive the car many miles currently. I plan on doing 5k oil changes which was 8-9 months last time. So maybe do yours at 5k since you are at 8 months and start again with fresh oil. But not to worry.

Man, that's the nastiest thing I've ever seen. 5k for me now on...

BB_cuda · 09-15-2015, 04:31 PM

Mrchntmarine, not to worry. Its perfectly normal. Diesel engine produces soot. This gets into crank case from blow by (which is normal). The soot is suspended in the oil. Diesel oil is specially formulated in part to keep the soot in suspension. Go read over in another thread about bypass filtering if you would like to learn how to reduce the soot accumulation in your oil. Low on my priority list but i sure like seeing clean oil on my dipstick too. Mine stays amber for about 200 miles but i change my oil often.

Mrchntmarine · 09-15-2015, 05:19 PM

BB_cuda - I'll check out the other post if I can find it. Just did the oil change and added def at dealer. Here's a new pic - not as bad as the 1st

335dFan · 09-15-2015, 07:57 PM

Normal for diesel engines that I have owned. I have driven diesels a total of about 330k miles, and that's what the dipstick looked like in no time at all after an oil change. The first vehicle lasted me 280k miles; the 335d is nearing 50k.

rspring · 09-16-2015, 06:53 PM

Changing oil before the OCI is not a good thing. The additive packets actually increase wear to some degree when they are new, later on your oil may be dirty, but it is still doing it's job. If you a worried about your oil protecting your engine, sampling is cheap and tells you what is happening in there. Much cheaper than shortening your OCI. Also, use the right oil, synthetic only and from a quality manufacturer like Opti-Lube, etc.

Mrchntmarine · 09-17-2015, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rspring

Changing oil before the OCI is not a good thing. The additive packets actually increase wear to some degree when they are new, later on your oil may be dirty, but it is still doing it's job. If you a worried about your oil protecting your engine, sampling is cheap and tells you what is happening in there. Much cheaper than shortening your OCI. Also, use the right oil, synthetic only and from a quality manufacturer like Opti-Lube, etc.

so this is a new one for me - I've never heard that it's bad to change the oil... what's OCI?

rspring · 09-17-2015, 12:25 PM

Oil Change Interval. I'd recommend doing some reading on "Bob Fout The Oil Guy" website. Very informative.

Big_Daddy_38 · 09-18-2015, 09:20 PM

I thought this pic fit in this thread well. I don't know when it was changed last. I have been doing my own maintenance for the last 25,000 miles so it was before that. I guess i need to change it more often.

Attachment 1282060

09-15-2015, 03:59 PM	#1
Mrchntmarine Private First Class 19 Rep 151 Posts Drives: 335d (sold) Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: LA iTrader: (0)	Is this normal looking? So I finally decided to check the dip stick and saw the filthiest looking black oil I've ever seen. This is the 1st time I've checked this car as its all been done by the dealer under warranty so far. My last oil change was 8 months ago and 4500 miles ago. Is this normal looking? Attached Images __________________ 2005 Mercedes SL55 (sold) 2006 Range Rover HSE (sold) 2006 Porsche 911 C4S Cab 2010 BMW X5 Diesel (sold)2010 335D (sold) 2010 Range Rover HSE (sold)2012 Q5 TDI (sold) 2014 Q5 TDI 2016 Audi A6(sold) 2023 Porsche CayenneGTS - sold. 2024 Cayenne POS - getting ready to sell
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09-15-2015, 04:13 PM	#2
DETSGTSTARSKY Private First Class 69 Rep 127 Posts Drives: BMW Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: FL iTrader: (0)	Yes it is normal. I had my oil done at the dealership and checked it right away and it was amber colored. After the drive home and maybe a week later I checked again. Diesel oil turns black real fast but it is doing its job. I don't drive the car many miles currently. I plan on doing 5k oil changes which was 8-9 months last time. So maybe do yours at 5k since you are at 8 months and start again with fresh oil. But not to worry.
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09-15-2015, 04:31 PM	#4
BB_cuda Brigadier General 796 Rep 3,572 Posts Drives: 2011 335D Msport, 2013 X5D Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Clear Lake, Texas iTrader: (0)	Mrchntmarine, not to worry. Its perfectly normal. Diesel engine produces soot. This gets into crank case from blow by (which is normal). The soot is suspended in the oil. Diesel oil is specially formulated in part to keep the soot in suspension. Go read over in another thread about bypass filtering if you would like to learn how to reduce the soot accumulation in your oil. Low on my priority list but i sure like seeing clean oil on my dipstick too. Mine stays amber for about 200 miles but i change my oil often.
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09-15-2015, 05:19 PM	#5
Mrchntmarine Private First Class 19 Rep 151 Posts Drives: 335d (sold) Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: LA iTrader: (0)	BB_cuda - I'll check out the other post if I can find it. Just did the oil change and added def at dealer. Here's a new pic - not as bad as the 1st Attached Images __________________ 2005 Mercedes SL55 (sold) 2006 Range Rover HSE (sold) 2006 Porsche 911 C4S Cab 2010 BMW X5 Diesel (sold)2010 335D (sold) 2010 Range Rover HSE (sold)2012 Q5 TDI (sold) 2014 Q5 TDI 2016 Audi A6(sold) 2023 Porsche CayenneGTS - sold. 2024 Cayenne POS - getting ready to sell
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09-15-2015, 07:57 PM	#6
335dFan Jumping Jack Flash 330 Rep 1,692 Posts Drives: 2021 X3 M40i Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: California (east of Sacramento) iTrader: (0) Garage List 2021 BMW X3 M40i [0.00] 2017 Toyota Prius [0.00]	Normal for diesel engines that I have owned. I have driven diesels a total of about 330k miles, and that's what the dipstick looked like in no time at all after an oil change. The first vehicle lasted me 280k miles; the 335d is nearing 50k. __________________ 2021 X3 M40i: M Sport Differential, Adaptive M Suspension. Previous BMWs: 1971 BMW 2002, 1973 BMW R75/5, and 2011 BMW 335d Previous Other Vehicles: '67 Cougar, '70 911e, '86 Jetta Diesel, '05 and '12 Foresters, et al.
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09-16-2015, 06:53 PM	#7
rspring Private 20 Rep 84 Posts Drives: 2011 BMW 335d Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Florida iTrader: (0)	Changing oil before the OCI is not a good thing. The additive packets actually increase wear to some degree when they are new, later on your oil may be dirty, but it is still doing it's job. If you a worried about your oil protecting your engine, sampling is cheap and tells you what is happening in there. Much cheaper than shortening your OCI. Also, use the right oil, synthetic only and from a quality manufacturer like Opti-Lube, etc.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

09-17-2015, 12:25 PM	#9
rspring Private 20 Rep 84 Posts Drives: 2011 BMW 335d Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Florida iTrader: (0)	Oil Change Interval. I'd recommend doing some reading on "Bob Fout The Oil Guy" website. Very informative.
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09-18-2015, 09:20 PM	#10
Big_Daddy_38 Private 5 Rep 67 Posts Drives: 2011 335d Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Southwest Ohio iTrader: (0) Garage List 2011 BMW 335d [0.00]	I thought this pic fit in this thread well. I don't know when it was changed last. I have been doing my own maintenance for the last 25,000 miles so it was before that. I guess i need to change it more often. Attachment 1282060 Attached Images Last edited by Big_Daddy_38; 09-18-2015 at 09:45 PM.. Reason: missing pic...
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