OK, I know that many believe you cannot tell the condition of your oil by just looking at it or feeling it between your fingers. That a used oil analysis should be performed. However, it is a method I have used for years, if the oil is still not completely black, in my mind, it is still decent. I know black oil may still have some life left in it but does anyone disagree that if it is not completely black yet it is still OK? Of course assuming no fuel or coolant problems. Seems like a way to check for those who don't have the money on an UOA.
Checking condition of oil on dipstick
- Thread starter mbell1968
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If you have dirty engine it might turn black very quick. Or diesel engine--it turns tar black sometimes in few miles. Some oils will stay very light even after full OCI.
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I always check wiht a dipstick...I see no sense in paying for a UOA my oil looks a browninsh gold its good for me...as far as when it turns black its never good I would change it out when it goes black...even if its just cause of a dirty engine the sooner you change it out and get clean oil you can help prevent some further buildup IMO
How I found BITOG...Oil Blotter Test - Bob Is The Oil Guy
i look at it put in between my fingers and smell it, does that tell me the whole story? No, but it makes me feel better..Some oils get darker faster than others partly because they clean better when i used to use pyb it got darker faster but seems to keep an engine very clean like they claim When i use q.s. it seems to stay clean a long time...Both great oils from the same company.
I now use bulk Conoco Phillips oil in the drums and like that oil very much and it is priced right
I now use bulk Conoco Phillips oil in the drums and like that oil very much and it is priced right
The amount of oil on the dipstick is so little, less than 1mm thick so that it doesn't look dark/black. Do a blot test on a white paper will give you a better idea.
Ive seen some very dark oil with a 8.0 TBN and some almost clear oil at 0.7 TBN. In my opinion if you use the same oil in the same car darkness may be an indicator. In other cases it may be misleading.
Originally Posted By: mbell1968
OK, I know that many believe you cannot tell the condition of your oil by just looking at it or feeling it between your fingers. That a used oil analysis should be performed. However, it is a method I have used for years, if the oil is still not completely black, in my mind, it is still decent. I know black oil may still have some life left in it but does anyone disagree that if it is not completely black yet it is still OK? Of course assuming no fuel or coolant problems. Seems like a way to check for those who don't have the money on an UOA.
I know at least you method does not work when checking diesel engine (diesel engine oil gets sooty black fairly quickly, even recent oil change.
Q.
OK, I know that many believe you cannot tell the condition of your oil by just looking at it or feeling it between your fingers. That a used oil analysis should be performed. However, it is a method I have used for years, if the oil is still not completely black, in my mind, it is still decent. I know black oil may still have some life left in it but does anyone disagree that if it is not completely black yet it is still OK? Of course assuming no fuel or coolant problems. Seems like a way to check for those who don't have the money on an UOA.
I know at least you method does not work when checking diesel engine (diesel engine oil gets sooty black fairly quickly, even recent oil change.
Q.
Color on a dipstick means little or nothing.
My Subaru oil looks dark on the dipstick after a thousand miles or so. The same brand of oil looks "golden" after 6000 miles on the dipstick of my Hyundai. Both look pitch black when pouring out of the oil pan when changed around 7000 miles, and both still have TBN left on the occasion I do a UOA.
The "oil eyeball" test is about as accurate as the infamous BITOG "butt dyno".
My Subaru oil looks dark on the dipstick after a thousand miles or so. The same brand of oil looks "golden" after 6000 miles on the dipstick of my Hyundai. Both look pitch black when pouring out of the oil pan when changed around 7000 miles, and both still have TBN left on the occasion I do a UOA.
The "oil eyeball" test is about as accurate as the infamous BITOG "butt dyno".
Judging just by the dipstick, the oil in my wifes '01 Lexus RX-300 (1MZFE) still looks quite clean(darker than Honey but lighter than Maple Syrup) after 3300 miles/8 months. I'll guess that this particular 1MZFE isn't a sludge monster! Dumping the oil just the other day, the oil was maple syrup color in the white pan that I used to catch the oil. The oil always looks darker in the pan than on the dipstick.
Judging by the dipstick only, the same oil in my '04 Altima(QR25DE) looks darker than that after just 1 month. Both engines use 2 qts popular syn(lately PP) and 3 qts popular dino. Right now, I have PP, QSTP, Castrol SynTec/Edge syn oils in my stash along with Havoline DS, VWB and QSAD dinos
Judging by the dipstick only, the same oil in my '04 Altima(QR25DE) looks darker than that after just 1 month. Both engines use 2 qts popular syn(lately PP) and 3 qts popular dino. Right now, I have PP, QSTP, Castrol SynTec/Edge syn oils in my stash along with Havoline DS, VWB and QSAD dinos
As I do 10K OCIs under all kinds of conditions I do this test linked below at 7K and then again at 10K. It always looks fine. Now if I was loseing coolant and couldn't find it outside the engine I would do a UOA.
http://www.acustrip.com/specs/onedrop.html
http://www.acustrip.com/specs/onedrop.html
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^ my slugde monster has and had pretty clean oil on dip stick too. It doesn't mean anything. I had and have sludge for sure.
Originally Posted By: Char Baby
I'll guess that this particular 1MZFE isn't a sludge monster!
Not necessarily. My 2AZ-FE Camry could go 3k on cheap dino and not cloud at all. I put M1 HMO in it and after 1k it was awful. When I changed it all kinds of [censored] came out. Took 4 OCI's to look good by appearance. To me dark is good, means its cleaning something.
I'll guess that this particular 1MZFE isn't a sludge monster!
Not necessarily. My 2AZ-FE Camry could go 3k on cheap dino and not cloud at all. I put M1 HMO in it and after 1k it was awful. When I changed it all kinds of [censored] came out. Took 4 OCI's to look good by appearance. To me dark is good, means its cleaning something.
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The one thing the appearance of the oil on the dipstick can tell you is if the appearance is different than you expect. If the same engine, same brand of oil, same mileage on that oil change, and the oil looks a lot different, look for the reason.
Other than that, there isn't much to be learned.
Other than that, there isn't much to be learned.
If an engine does normally color the oil, then having it turn jet black is an indication that something is awry.
I do not want to see black oil in my cars, but that does not mean it is horrible for everybody [esp diesels].
I do not want to see black oil in my cars, but that does not mean it is horrible for everybody [esp diesels].
Very informative posts from everyone! I agree with all you guys. I have experianced the oil lightening dipstick many times. I know color is no indication of anything but scientific but the way things look are very impacted by how thin they are. Next time you change your oil pull out the stick and note color then drain oil and note color. I bet the drained oil is darker. I think a dipstick is used better when checking for things like moisture and obviously level. Which could mean a few different things say if the level is rising then you would have a internal leak or a horrible fuel dilution problem.
Back in the day my dad bought a brand new 1990 chev 3/4 ton w/ a 350. Nice truck its a little rusty now but still nice. I used to maintain it when i was in highschool and one day I pulled the dip stick and it was covered in white goo.Even then I knew what condensated oil looked like so I changed it out replaced and cleaned pcv system started letting it warm up a little more.It never did it again.Imagine if the oil pan only had a drain and fill plug you would never have seen the mess, I bet some people wouldnt anyway. It did under 2 mile trips for 300,000 or so km's and it still does. My pops is retired and he works and hangs out at the golf course. Its so close that he start his truck takes a left to the highway gets up to 80 then has to slow down for the left turn into the course then a 1 minute idle to the parking lot. He bought a 2010 trimph bonneville so he uses that in the summer. So i guess a dipstick may be very helpful in most things but not to tell oil condition. UOA has my vote.
Back in the day my dad bought a brand new 1990 chev 3/4 ton w/ a 350. Nice truck its a little rusty now but still nice. I used to maintain it when i was in highschool and one day I pulled the dip stick and it was covered in white goo.Even then I knew what condensated oil looked like so I changed it out replaced and cleaned pcv system started letting it warm up a little more.It never did it again.Imagine if the oil pan only had a drain and fill plug you would never have seen the mess, I bet some people wouldnt anyway. It did under 2 mile trips for 300,000 or so km's and it still does. My pops is retired and he works and hangs out at the golf course. Its so close that he start his truck takes a left to the highway gets up to 80 then has to slow down for the left turn into the course then a 1 minute idle to the parking lot. He bought a 2010 trimph bonneville so he uses that in the summer. So i guess a dipstick may be very helpful in most things but not to tell oil condition. UOA has my vote.
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I own a 97 Mustang with almost 150k on the 4.6. It holds 6 quarts of oil. When I check the oil with 6k on it I still have to take the dip stick to some better light to see the level on it. When I dump the oil it does look somewhat dark though.
My son checked the oil on my car one day and he was yelling at me that he couldn't see any oil on the dip stick. I just laughed at him because i knew how hard it was to see it.
My son checked the oil on my car one day and he was yelling at me that he couldn't see any oil on the dip stick. I just laughed at him because i knew how hard it was to see it.
3400 miles on oc
From: ACUSTRIP® One-Drop Instant Lubricant Test
My engine oil blot looks like this. There is a ring around a center spot. So even though the picture is named mt test I say it's good for continued service.
Differential (F&R), Manual Transmission & Transfer Case Test
GOOD - The oil has become slightly darker than the new oil. It is still well within the normal range for typical gear oil. No action is required other than testing again in about 10,000 miles.
http://www.acustrip.com/specs/onedrop.html
From: ACUSTRIP® One-Drop Instant Lubricant Test
My engine oil blot looks like this. There is a ring around a center spot. So even though the picture is named mt test I say it's good for continued service.
Differential (F&R), Manual Transmission & Transfer Case Test
GOOD - The oil has become slightly darker than the new oil. It is still well within the normal range for typical gear oil. No action is required other than testing again in about 10,000 miles.
http://www.acustrip.com/specs/onedrop.html
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I would not use color to judge an oil's life. I have drained pitch-black oil that came back from a UOA as having several thousand miles left on it.
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