suspect oil after service
Discussion
hi all - i've lurked a long time and learned a lot. i need some help/advice and couldn't think of a better place to ask 
i'm worried the garage missed an oil change at a recent service.
I took my 1.9tdi to main dealer for it's service (2.5 yr old with 37k). once done and I got it home, I checked the oil level and found the oil looked decidedly black. it was not too bad when hot but when cold you can't see light through 2 mm of it in the bottom of a plastic container.
so i thought perhaps they 'missed' it. so I went back today taking specimen of oil (obtained drop by drop from the end of my dipstick
) in a small plastic container. i spoke to the chap at the service desk and he said they do that ‘cause they are a diesel. he could not explain further. he then went to fetch the workshop manager who said yes, they do get it from time to time and does seem to happen more in diesel cars.
he said some old oil remains and new oil mixes with this and colours it.
ok, but i said - you drain out as much as possible with the engine warm (yes) and take the filter off and replace it (yes) and re-fill with 4.5 litres of fresh straw coloured oil (yes). so how much can it possibly colour it? not enough to make it black, i don't think. he also could not explain why it was worse in diesel as the oil is in the sump and does not mix with any fuel.
the 1st guy did say he's had several customers come back over the years with the same comment and one even took them to trading standards but the oil checked out ok. the manager also said they would never function if they forgot to change oil as services (this i agree with).
now i've changed oil and filters in my cars before and after a change it's very hard to actually read the oil level as the colour is so light. basically, i'm not happy with their explanation, and am asking for thoughts on this.
thank you
david
>> Edited by tandart on Monday 5th September 14:07
i'm worried the garage missed an oil change at a recent service.
I took my 1.9tdi to main dealer for it's service (2.5 yr old with 37k). once done and I got it home, I checked the oil level and found the oil looked decidedly black. it was not too bad when hot but when cold you can't see light through 2 mm of it in the bottom of a plastic container.
so i thought perhaps they 'missed' it. so I went back today taking specimen of oil (obtained drop by drop from the end of my dipstick
) in a small plastic container. i spoke to the chap at the service desk and he said they do that ‘cause they are a diesel. he could not explain further. he then went to fetch the workshop manager who said yes, they do get it from time to time and does seem to happen more in diesel cars. he said some old oil remains and new oil mixes with this and colours it.
ok, but i said - you drain out as much as possible with the engine warm (yes) and take the filter off and replace it (yes) and re-fill with 4.5 litres of fresh straw coloured oil (yes). so how much can it possibly colour it? not enough to make it black, i don't think. he also could not explain why it was worse in diesel as the oil is in the sump and does not mix with any fuel.
the 1st guy did say he's had several customers come back over the years with the same comment and one even took them to trading standards but the oil checked out ok. the manager also said they would never function if they forgot to change oil as services (this i agree with).
now i've changed oil and filters in my cars before and after a change it's very hard to actually read the oil level as the colour is so light. basically, i'm not happy with their explanation, and am asking for thoughts on this.
thank you
david
>> Edited by tandart on Monday 5th September 14:07
Yup, an oil change is one of the more important things to do on a modern car with huge service intervals.
Fortunately, it's also one of the easiest to do, and it's amazingly cheap to do!
As per diesels, they turn golden oil black in a few days.
And no matter how well you drain an engine, even flushing it, *some* residue remains.
Usually it seperates when the car is stood too, sometimes a feint difference is noticeable on some cars dipsticks. Mine has just had new cyan coloured fully synth, but the bottom 1mm of the dip-stick always has a dab of black oil on it?!
Dave
Fortunately, it's also one of the easiest to do, and it's amazingly cheap to do!
As per diesels, they turn golden oil black in a few days.
And no matter how well you drain an engine, even flushing it, *some* residue remains.
Usually it seperates when the car is stood too, sometimes a feint difference is noticeable on some cars dipsticks. Mine has just had new cyan coloured fully synth, but the bottom 1mm of the dip-stick always has a dab of black oil on it?!
Dave
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