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black oil after few miles


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fat-katie
User

Nov 16, 2022, 4:04 PM

Post #1 of 8 (1606 views)
black oil after few miles Sign In

The car will go in for inspection next week so I'll get the answer, but I am curious now.

I just changed the oil in a recently stolen and recovered car. The oil became very dirty after only a few miles. This seems like an indication of damage. Any idea what it could be? Car is 2014 Kia Optima 2.4 (GDI). The engine runs great.

Thank you.


Hammer Time
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Nov 16, 2022, 4:32 PM

Post #2 of 8 (1603 views)
Re: black oil after few miles Sign In

It's an indication of a dirty engine probably due to poor oil change intervals.

New oil has a lot of detergent in it so if there is sludge in the engine it will dig into it right away.

It's not unusual though with higher mileage cars.



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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



fat-katie
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Nov 16, 2022, 6:09 PM

Post #3 of 8 (1594 views)
Re: black oil after few miles Sign In

Hallelujah! I was ready for blown pistons and rings and whatever. I'll change the oil again, after... say 50 miles, and before the insurance review. I'm assuming it should stay a little cleaner then.

Thanks


Hammer Time
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Nov 16, 2022, 6:12 PM

Post #4 of 8 (1592 views)
Re: black oil after few miles Sign In

No, It won't. It will take a dozen oil changes before you see any difference.

Not much you can do about that but it shouldn't effect any inspections.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Tom Greenleaf
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Nov 16, 2022, 9:04 PM

Post #5 of 8 (1577 views)
Re: black oil after few miles Sign In

Don't freak out yet on color. It's as Hammer said full of detergents CLEANING up an old problem - just late or under spec oil was used could over more oil changes get better and be done.

THINK? If you washed very dirty laundry and output water was still clean as it went in it didn't work well.

#1 thing is change oil in engines. It's the only thing to lube it up the intervals - goes for anything THAT CRAP YOU SEE READING AN OIL CONTAINER THAT IT'S GOOD FOR A WHOLE YEAR IS BULL!

It gets contaminated is still cheap enough by 5 qt containers, measure out into qt. container of same oil or mark it for next use.

Great DIY thing for many pay attentions to just filter gasket and don't screw up drain plugs the speedy places do that enough for all of us!

Tom



tractorboy
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Nov 28, 2022, 4:12 PM

Post #6 of 8 (1442 views)
Re: black oil after few miles Sign In

When I worked for Chevrolet back in the 70's, I worked in the service lane, not as a mechanic. There were a lot of mechanics that put transmission fluid in with their oil. 1. they said it was good for the seals kept them rubbery AND 2. transmission fluid has a far superior detergent cleaning property than oil alone. I think they said up to a quart in a 5-quart system. you can also get dirty oil if you have a gasket leak...is your motor outside nice and dry? and back then it was mostly OHV motors, not sure with VVT that works with oil hydraulics, but then again, they recommend synthetic oil.


(This post was edited by tractorboy on Nov 28, 2022, 4:23 PM)


Hammer Time
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Nov 28, 2022, 4:31 PM

Post #7 of 8 (1433 views)
Re: black oil after few miles Sign In

No, do not put trans oil in that crankcase.

A little bit is fine in an engine that's not real dirty but that's too much detergent in an engine that is already turning the oil black quickly. ATF also has far less lubrication properties than motor oil.

If you add too much detergent to that oil the sludge will start breaking off in chunks and plugging up critical passages and lifters.

Oil getting black is not a big problem. Loosening it too quick is.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
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Nov 29, 2022, 2:53 AM

Post #8 of 8 (1401 views)
Re: black oil after few miles Sign In

Ditto. Don't use ATF for all those reasons. It's going dark I said it's working just changing it,

T






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