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I wonder if the OEM recommended 100hr oci is too long? i've also heard that the color doesn't necessarily mean it's bad. Opinions?
black oil on dipstick on mower?
- Thread starter The motor guy
- Start date
My old Briggs Horizontal Twin used to be really odd in that respect. I would mow, park the mower and then the next time pull the stick to check it before I started to mow again (After sitting a week or so). The metal stick was ALWAY covered in black oil. I would wipe it off, and dip it to take a reading and the oil was always nice and amber colored. I could never figure that one out. It got regular service so I wasn't worried about it, but it always puzzled me.
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Kawasaki fx801v
dnewton3
Staff member
You "heard" this? Maybe on BITOG about 1000 times? I wonder how, after 15 years of being here, you haven't accepted that color is not an indication of the viability of used oil.
These FX series engines are very robust and can handle 100 hour OCIs. If you want to change it sooner, by all means, do so.
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Try 50 hrs or less. Change the oil and check every time before running to see how quickly it gets dark. Maybe the engine has some issues.
The only time I've seen black oil in anything including lawnmowers, pressure washers, outboard motors , motorcycles , cars, etc. was in one of our DI car engines. Granted except the car and one motorcycle, the rest had Honda engines.
The only time I've seen black oil in anything including lawnmowers, pressure washers, outboard motors , motorcycles , cars, etc. was in one of our DI car engines. Granted except the car and one motorcycle, the rest had Honda engines.
If you are worried the mfr recommended 100 hr OCI might be too long, shorten it to 80 hrs for peace of mind.
Or stick to 100 hrs but use synthetic oil. It's only a quart or so anyway.
Or stick to 100 hrs but use synthetic oil. It's only a quart or so anyway.
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You know I'm not really a fan of these oil drain hoses they put on everything from the factory. What happened to a good old drain plug that drains everything out nice and quickly?
100 hours on good oil shouldn't be an issue, regardless of color. Some engines do that. Just make sure you're using proper spec oil.
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I use 20w50 amsoil. Could just be what amsoil does is turn black. Idk
All you can do is take a sample at 100 Hours and get a UOA done, make sure you get a TAN and TBN Reading. As I am posting this you have stated about black oil before in another Thread.
I have changed oil before and noticed a dark color, I know this Board frowns upon the color of used oil when someone posts about the color of the oil. When you change the oil on your mower, have you really looked at the oil, meaning the dark color is what the oil has captured and there is still a golden tint if you run it between your fingers?
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I'm talking about black oil on the dipstick.
dnewton3
Staff member
Wait ... you use Amsoil 20w-50 in a Kaw FX series engine, and you're worried about the color of the oil at the OEM OCI of 100 hours?
Yeah - you're WAAAAAAYYYYYY overthinking this.
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Yeah, amsoil usually stays nice and clean
how much oil does this take?
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About 2.2qts
yes typical on lawnmower, air filtering not always the best. But yeah that black discoloring is contamination regardless what someone might say.
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This engine has an inner filter element too.
mine doesnt, offroad motors suk dirt, always have.
