My Engine Oil Is Sure Staying A Lot Cleaner Than It Used to

[Goose55]

I have a 2019 Ram 3500 w/ the HO 6.7, that I bought brand new. It now has almost 13,000 miles on it. Lately, after an oil and filter change, I am noticing the engine oil staying a lot cleaner and for much longer than it used to and I don't know why. It used to turn almost black after only a couple hundred miles. Anyone have any ideas? The oil is Shell Rotella Synthetic.

With my limited understanding my only guess is that the engine has now fully broken in, and the rings have seated, and there is now little to no blow by of soot/ un-burned fuel. Would I be right on that?

 

[HEMIMANN]

Say more - the oil is cleaner than what? Same oil in same engine? Oil change intervals? Ambient conditions?

 

[Goose55]

Say more - the oil is cleaner than what? Same oil in same engine? Oil change intervals? Ambient conditions?

Cleaner that it has ever been after a couple few hundred miles on the oil. I thought I was clear: Same oil. Same engine. 5,000 mile intervals.

 

[GTyankee]

Maybe you are just idling the engine less ?

 

[Goose55]

Maybe you are just idling the engine less ?

If I idle for a couple minutes, I always use the cruise control buttons to idle up

 

[HEMIMANN]

Must be break-in ring seating, then?

 

[Goose55]

Must be break-in ring seating, then?

That's what I'm thinking and it makes me smile.

 

[Zoe Saldana]

Probably due to warmer air temps - engine gets up to operating temps.

 

[Oliver Closehauf]

Did you change the type of oil? This is my first diesel. I learned a lot about oil I didn't know from reading the manufacturer's fact sheet. The reason diesel oil is dirty is because it's supposed to be. The particulate to a certain size is supposed to be suspended in the oil and not settling out. I use the Valvoline recommended by Cummins.

I put golden spectro full synthetic in my bike. It's never ever been dirty. It looks as good when I drain it as the day it went in. It kind of got me wondering. I've never expected it to be dirty, and I know in a diesel it's getting a lot more ash thrown at it, but it never dawned on me that you want the oil to be dirty because that shows it's doing its job, according to Valvoline.

Now in my bike there is nothing to make it dirty except for the clutch, but it does have me thinking that clean oil may not be a good indicator of wear, depending on the oil. Particulate may be settling out. Hopefully it's getting filtered.

 

[HEMIMANN]

Did you change the type of oil? This is my first diesel. I learned a lot about oil I didn't know from reading the manufacturer's fact sheet. The reason diesel oil is dirty is because it's supposed to be. The particulate to a certain size is supposed to be suspended in the oil and not settling out. I use the Valvoline recommended by Cummins.

I put golden spectro full synthetic in my bike. It's never ever been dirty. It looks as good when I drain it as the day it went in. It kind of got me wondering. I've never expected it to be dirty, and I know in a diesel it's getting a lot more ash thrown at it, but it never dawned on me that you want the oil to be dirty because that shows it's doing its job, according to Valvoline.

Now in my bike there is nothing to make it dirty except for the clutch, but it does have me thinking that clean oil may not be a good indicator of wear, depending on the oil. Particulate may be settling out. Hopefully it's getting filtered.

Correct.

Plus you don't know the oxidation degradation rate of the oil, additive depletion rate, etc.