Is anyone's oil NOT black immediately after an oil change?

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

Alvin York

Junior Member
Joined
Dec 24, 2021
Posts
13
Reaction score
9
Location
Rangeley, Maine
Ram Year
2022
Engine
Cummins 6.7L H.O
Last year after I changed my oil, my first Cummins oil change, the oil was totally black immediately. I'm used to clean fresh oil staying clean for at least a little while. Once I started it and let it run and then turned it off to check the level, it looked as black as the stuff that came out when I changed it.

I know the oil is supposed to end up black because it has to keep a certain amount of ash in suspension, but shouldn't I expect to have cleanish oil at least for a few days? If the ash is in suspension, and I just drained it, I wouldn't expect what's clinging to be enough to make 3 gallons of fresh oil turn black in 5 minutes.
It's the EGR valve. It pumps some of your exhaust back through the engine. Aren't emission controls neat, lol.
 
OP
OP
Oliver Closehauf

Oliver Closehauf

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 21, 2020
Posts
718
Reaction score
457
Location
Cincinnati
Ram Year
2005 Laramie
Engine
Cummins 5.9
I guess I need to look up exactly how this is supposed to work. I accept that it's not a problem, I just want to better understand the mechanics of it.
 

Govtman

Member
Joined
Jun 19, 2021
Posts
44
Reaction score
34
Location
Oklahoma
Ram Year
2019
Engine
Hemi 5.7
I read one where a guy bought a used power stroke, oil was black just the same. He said his dad told him to substitute some of the oil at oil change with Quicksilver Marine oil. It was supposedly very high in Teflon or something(help repel water contamination) and would treat the cylinder walls and allow better seal or maybe let less soot cling to the metal on upstroke. Guy said after 2-3 oil changes, oil has clean as gas engine now.
 

Gr8bawana

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2015
Posts
1,274
Reaction score
1,059
Ram Year
2017
Engine
6.7 CTD
I read one where a guy bought a used power stroke, oil was black just the same. He said his dad told him to substitute some of the oil at oil change with Quicksilver Marine oil. It was supposedly very high in Teflon or something(help repel water contamination) and would treat the cylinder walls and allow better seal or maybe let less soot cling to the metal on upstroke. Guy said after 2-3 oil changes, oil has clean as gas engine now.
download (3).jpg
 

Gr8bawana

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 7, 2015
Posts
1,274
Reaction score
1,059
Ram Year
2017
Engine
6.7 CTD
Just my thoughts/ experience - If you are not running a bypass filter system I would highly recommend it. Amsoil makes a nice one that I have installed in several brands of trucks. Also a good quality oil is good, but a great oil will impress you. I fully recommend checking out Amsoil. I have had no disappointments. Bypass filter is a good choice for the gas engine also.
Yes I am a Amsoil dealer- but you can buy through whomever you wish.
download (4).jpg
 
OP
OP
Oliver Closehauf

Oliver Closehauf

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 21, 2020
Posts
718
Reaction score
457
Location
Cincinnati
Ram Year
2005 Laramie
Engine
Cummins 5.9
I thought diesel oil didn't have teflon in it on purpose. I mean, if you think about it, the soot in suspension is kind of its own filler. When you season a cast iron pan, it's carbon that creates a non stick surface. This Cummins has more miles on it than any other vehicle I have owned. It can't be a problem, but I just thought it was strange that it is immediately ink black after an oil change. That just seems odd.
 

Marshall

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 17, 2013
Posts
976
Reaction score
723
Location
Sk, Canada
Ram Year
2014 sport
Engine
5.7 hemi
I have had many different brands of diesels over the years, most of them seem to do that
A 3 cylinder Perkins I had would stay clean but it never worked hard
 

Poram

Junior Member
Joined
Jan 25, 2016
Posts
8
Reaction score
9
Ram Year
2016
Engine
Hemi 5.7
As previously mentioned ---->

It's my understanding starting with the 2004.5 Cummins 5.9L the camshaft profile and last injection event timing was changed to allow "in cylinder/combustion chamber EGR" which exacerbated the instant black oil phenomenon. I believe this symptom was addressed in the Turbo Diesel Register magazine in the late 2004.5 & 2005 issues. Just a thought if anyone has followed the trucks through that era.


(My friend's 2003 305hp 5.9L always stayed cleaner much longer than my 2004.5 325hp ever did. )
 

Regcabguy

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 23, 2019
Posts
194
Reaction score
118
Location
92117
Ram Year
2007
Engine
5.9 I-6
Last year after I changed my oil, my first Cummins oil change, the oil was totally black immediately. I'm used to clean fresh oil staying clean for at least a little while. Once I started it and let it run and then turned it off to check the level, it looked as black as the stuff that came out when I changed it.

I know the oil is supposed to end up black because it has to keep a certain amount of ash in suspension, but shouldn't I expect to have cleanish oil at least for a few days? If the ash is in suspension, and I just drained it, I wouldn't expect what's clinging to be enough to make 3 gallons of fresh oil turn black in 5 minutes.
That's normal. You have to go back to an '03-'04 without the internal egr to get oil that stays clear for awhile. Aside from increased soot content my Blackstone readings are nearly identical to my '98.5 24v rattler.
 
OP
OP
Oliver Closehauf

Oliver Closehauf

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 21, 2020
Posts
718
Reaction score
457
Location
Cincinnati
Ram Year
2005 Laramie
Engine
Cummins 5.9
Do you happen to know how the EGR on these work exactly? I can't seem to find any details. All I find is it's done via cam timing and I don't understand how cam timing will affect oil quality unless there are no piston rings.
 

1970Pelle

Member
Supporting Member
Military
Joined
Aug 30, 2021
Posts
64
Reaction score
29
Location
Florida
Ram Year
90 W150,ShortBed/87 Ramcharger 2WD project
Engine
W150 318,4bbl,auto4x4 VGC/ 87 Ramcharger 318/904 VGC
Its a by product of combustion. Your new engine oil is still brand new. The only issue is they dye in the oil has changed to black. From the above statement. You wanted a Cummings, here is a slight negative if you like. But it doesn't effect the function of your engine oil A diesel engine is dirty. Always have been and will always be a dirty running engine by design.
Or switch to alcohol, which means changing design. Look at tractor pulls, Most have gone away from diesel. Same tractors just different fuel.

 

HEMIMANN

Senior Member
Supporting Member
Military
Joined
Dec 7, 2020
Posts
6,800
Reaction score
17,080
Location
Minneapolis, MN
Ram Year
2017 2500 Laramie Crew Cab
Engine
6.4L HEMI
Dye in the oil? Um, no, the only oil that is dyed is transmission oil - dyed red to visually differentiate oil leaks from engine oil leaks.

Blowby soot past piston rings makes oil black from the detergent/dispersant additive carrying it in solution so it doesn't plate out on engine parts. Soot is very abrasive.
 

Hoochiemama38DD

Junior Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2022
Posts
6
Reaction score
1
Location
Toronto
Ram Year
2017
Engine
5.7
Welcome to owning a Diesel. The dirtiest fossil fuel engine ever made. But it does have LOADS of low end torque.
 

Poram

Junior Member
Joined
Jan 25, 2016
Posts
8
Reaction score
9
Ram Year
2016
Engine
Hemi 5.7

seanclark1503

Member
Joined
Sep 13, 2017
Posts
71
Reaction score
42
Location
Seaview, Washington
Ram Year
2008
Engine
6.7 Turbo Diesel
I’m thinking that you might want to change your CCV filter at your next oil change. I have done that with the 3 trucks that I’ve bought as soon as I get them home after purchase, (all were used with between 120k-150k miles. My oil was only black within the week when I didn’t change the CCV filter on the first one with the oil. Those filters are supposed to be done at a 60k mile interval… I’d never go more than a year / 20-25k without this service being done. It’s a difference maker for your oils longevity and that translates to the engine’s extended length of service prior to any need for major repairs.
 

seanclark1503

Member
Joined
Sep 13, 2017
Posts
71
Reaction score
42
Location
Seaview, Washington
Ram Year
2008
Engine
6.7 Turbo Diesel
Obviously (or so I thought it was) , a diesel’s engine oil is going to turn black rather fast compared to that of a gasser (gasoline engine).

The question was,

Is anyone's oil NOT black immediately after an oil change?​

Now I thought that’s what I was babbling about. If you’re intimidated or not understanding what I am saying, you may need to be a bit more specific than, ‘WTF are you babbling about ?’ My response to your question and emoji along with the peanut gallery jumping on the bandwagon is , that’s your response and you’re a senior member ? I am definitely on the we wrong site . I thought everyone was here to help others with information, not to ridicule them. I can’t speak for the condition of any engine but my own , but it takes more than a few days and miles for my oil to blacken.

After an oil change my oil is not immediately turning black again. That’s what I was saying. SO , WTF R U BABBLING ?
I guess I’ll just read and let you say all the words

Is anyone's oil NOT black immediately after an oil change?​

 
OP
OP
Oliver Closehauf

Oliver Closehauf

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 21, 2020
Posts
718
Reaction score
457
Location
Cincinnati
Ram Year
2005 Laramie
Engine
Cummins 5.9
Well, I don't see how the two could possibly be related (I'm talking 2 minutes of run time), but since I don't know if or when that filter has ever been changed, I'll go ahead and change it out.
 

06 Dodge

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 4, 2022
Posts
1,900
Reaction score
1,781
Location
Forest Grove, Oregon
Ram Year
2022
Engine
6.7L CTD
Well, I don't see how the two could possibly be related (I'm talking 2 minutes of run time), but since I don't know if or when that filter has ever been changed, I'll go ahead and change it out.
In the 12 years I owned my 06 5.9 CTD the oil would always be black with in a few minutes after start up of every one of my oil changes, as others have said black oil is just a fact of life in the 5.9 being it has egr factored into the valve timing...
 
OP
OP
Oliver Closehauf

Oliver Closehauf

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 21, 2020
Posts
718
Reaction score
457
Location
Cincinnati
Ram Year
2005 Laramie
Engine
Cummins 5.9
I accept that, but I would still like to know how that works exactly.
 
Top