Do I have a problem?

[FirTrader]

Hi all! Forgive this as a non-mechanical guy just trying to get his head clear.

I bought a Ram 1500 with the 4.7L in it back in May. Have 17000 km on it now, changed oil at dealership at 5,000 and 10,000, at a quick lube place at 15000. The oil that came out at 15000 was super black, really dirty looking.

New oil is headed in the same direction - 500 km after the o/c it was golden but you could see it wan't "clean". After another 500 km it's really pretty dirty looking again.

I'm fine with oil "doing its job" and picking up carbon or dirt, that's all good, but I feel like the truck is really making a mess of the oil. It's running great, no lights on the dash.

I washed some winter grime off the other day and noticed that the bumper above/behind the tailpipe is dirty and it wouldn't just spray off. Other side is clean. So now I sort of suspect that the truck is spitting some sort of crap out the exhaust.

Truck is used for carpentry/construction. I pull a small trailer.

Is this just how these trucks work? I went from an 86 Chev 305 to an 08 Ranger to this Ram, have no other Dodge experience, and I'm anything but a mechanic.

Any thoughts appreciated.

 

[Hemitom]

What type of oil has it been installed?? if it is a good synthetic it might be fine. if so has it been used since new?? it might just doing its job. if you are concerned you might want to get an oil analysis..make sure its ok and the engine isnt failing somehow..

 

[FirTrader]

Oil is whatever Dodge dealers use, I assume just conventional oil. I had synthetic put in this time.

If it's super dirty again I probably will get an oil analysis done.

 

[Stangshcky12]

Hopefully someone who knows more about the engine could chime in but I think it would help to clean out your throttle body (because of the pcv and EGR)

 

[FirTrader]

Dealer hooked it up, all scopes green. They aren't super worried (not their truck, haha!), but now it's on the books, so we'll watch the oil for awhile, and see how much carbon builds up at the exhaust.

Looks like there is internal circuitry on these trucks which makes them run a touch rich for the first 10,000 or so. Have not verified this with the dealer.