# Oil color?



## Shane Hart (Sep 26, 2016)

Just got the oil changed from the dealership and drove home and checked the dipstick and I have a question about the color, should it already be dark? This is my first diesel vehicle but on all my other vehicles (gasoline) the oil stays pretty clear especially right after an oil change!


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## MRO1791 (Sep 2, 2016)

Shane Hart said:


> Just got the oil changed from the dealership and drove home and checked the dipstick and I have a question about the color, should it already be dark? This is my first diesel vehicle but on all my other vehicles (gasoline) the oil stays pretty clear especially right after an oil change!


With modern emmisions controlled Diesel engines that is probably normal. That said, I recently started doing my own changes and it seems less dark.. perhaps the dealership is using dipstick suction instead of drain and not getting all the old oil out? I've done both drain and dipstick suction tube. When done right either gets the job done. 

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## Snipesy (Dec 7, 2015)

Shane Hart said:


> Just got the oil changed from the dealership and drove home and checked the dipstick and I have a question about the color, should it already be dark? This is my first diesel vehicle but on all my other vehicles (gasoline) the oil stays pretty clear especially right after an oil change!


Kinda hit or miss. Some engines will keep nice brownish oil for all 5K miles. Others will be pretty dark after 3 miles. Both perfectly fine.

If its pitch black after 3 miles, then maybe I'd be concerned.


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## Tomko (Jun 1, 2013)

Diesel = normal


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## boraz (Aug 29, 2013)

color of oil on dipstick is wholly misleading

it looks clear, but if you were to drain it, it would be black

refraction


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## CruzeDan (May 17, 2015)

Diesel oil turns pitch black the moment you pour it in the engine. No worries.


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## Shane Hart (Sep 26, 2016)

Thanks everybody I won't worry this is actually the second oil change and I noticed the first time but figured it might be normal for the diesel but this time thought I'd go ahead and check with you guys and get more familiar with this forum. Love the car!


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## diesel (Jun 8, 2013)

Shane Hart said:


> Thanks everybody I won't worry this is actually the second oil change and I noticed the first time but figured it might be normal for the diesel but this time thought I'd go ahead and check with you guys and get more familiar with this forum. Love the car!


I wanted to chime in here too. When I change oil, run the car for a couple minutes, shut off and check again, the oil on the dipstick is black. Very normal and not anything to be concerned about.


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## Snipesy (Dec 7, 2015)

Pics!

3k miles since oil and new filter. Honestly this is about what it looked like when it was changed.


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## MRO1791 (Sep 2, 2016)

Snipesy said:


> Pics!
> 
> 3k miles since oil and new filter. Honestly this is about what it looked like when it was changed.


Yes, but I seem to recall you are deleted? The extra soot and black oil is largely due to EGR and regens..

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## IndyDiesel (May 24, 2015)

It is normal for a diesel. I look at it like this, it is much easier to determine correct amount of oil on a diesel when it turns black quickly. When I change oil on my gassers sometimes it's tricky to see the oil level when the oil is such a light color.


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## KpaxFAQ (Sep 1, 2013)

EGR makes such a difference. With no EGR it will still turn black fast but with egr it's black right after you run the engine for a few minutes and recheck.


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## jason.lucia (Sep 3, 2017)

Ok.... help me out. I have the reverse problem. I’m tuned with and EGR delete. Just started noticing a whirring sound. Started digging into it and checked oil. After 3k miles, oil is still honey colored. I was concerned (always been black in all my other diesel cars I own.... so I changed the oil filter and oil in filter was black, but on dipstick is honey color.

what is going on? .


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