Omega Owners Forum

Chat Area => General Car Chat => Topic started by: Shackeng on 18 May 2018, 19:59:58

Title: Oil colour...
Post by: Shackeng on 18 May 2018, 19:59:58
...on my Mondeo 2.0L ecoboost, 3700 miles after its first service oil change (so the garage says ::)) looks like a diesel. They claim they used 5-20W full fat, presumably (or possibly) Castrol. If anyone with experience of this engine can confirm this is to be expected with this type of oil, I will be amazed, if not particularly pleased. In any case, prior to a 1000 mile trip, I've replaced the oil, and will be examining it closely.  :-\ :-\ :-\
Title: Re: Oil colour...
Post by: Shackeng on 19 May 2018, 14:32:47
Bump. I now know they used Titan oil 5-20 full fat.
Title: Re: Oil colour...
Post by: Auto Addict on 19 May 2018, 14:36:51
It's a Ford :D
Title: Re: Oil colour...
Post by: Shackeng on 19 May 2018, 15:17:18
Well spotted. :P

Perhaps I should have made myself clearer (unlike the oil) in my OP. The 5w-20 fully synthetic Titan oil was almost black after 3700 miles. Is this normal ? >:( >:( >:(
I have never used full fat oil before and have  no experience of it. :-\
Title: Re: Oil colour...
Post by: biggriffin on 19 May 2018, 15:59:09
Diesel oil, becomes black very quickly due to the soot, and particulates.

Title: Re: Oil colour...
Post by: TD on 19 May 2018, 16:07:10
Yes, if your Mondeo tit is a diesel.... :-\
Title: Re: Oil colour...
Post by: TD on 19 May 2018, 16:12:24
If I could be bothered, which I carnt  ::) if were to look at the dipstick on my Mondeo I expect that to have black oil on it as well.
I get the oil and filter changed when it wants it changed, which is about 12k miles...…

Anyway checking the oil level with black oil on it is easier than if its clear oil  ;) ;D
Title: Re: Oil colour...
Post by: tunnie on 19 May 2018, 16:17:56
Ecoboost means petrol, I think Shack went 2.0 petrol if I remember right.

Personally I would not expect oil to go black that fast, oil in the 3.2 is getting a bit old for my liking at 6k now, but it's still fairly clear.

At a guess because the engine is new it's picking up loads of cr@p as engine is so new and working itself in?  :-\

Did you get a chance to feel the oil? (rub between thumb and index finger) Could just be dark for other reasons, if it felt corse/rough then that would be more of a worry.  :-\

Diesel it's hard to tell, so used to have to feel diesel oil to see if it was full of soot.....
Title: Re: Oil colour...
Post by: Shackeng on 19 May 2018, 17:33:32
Ecoboost means petrol, I think Shack went 2.0 petrol if I remember right.

Personally I would not expect oil to go black that fast, oil in the 3.2 is getting a bit old for my liking at 6k now, but it's still fairly clear.

At a guess because the engine is new it's picking up loads of cr@p as engine is so new and working itself in?  :-\

Did you get a chance to feel the oil? (rub between thumb and index finger) Could just be dark for other reasons, if it felt corse/rough then that would be more of a worry.  :-\

Diesel it's hard to tell, so used to have to feel diesel oil to see if it was full of soot.....


Correct, petrol, should have said so. My old TD went black as soon as the key was turned, but I was used to that, but my 3.2 on semi-synth still looks nice and clean after a year and 4k. Hence my concern at the very dirty looking oil in an engine that has only done 10.7K total, and 3.7k since oil was changed. :-\ :-\ :-\

No sign of serious grit in the oil, just dirty. :-\
Title: Re: Oil colour...
Post by: TheBoy on 21 May 2018, 18:15:59
I would not expect any petrol to turn its oil that dark that quickly, even if ragged a little.

How many miles has it done - if its been on modern, retarded service schedules, it probably needs a couple of quick changes to flush it through.
Title: Re: Oil colour...
Post by: LC0112G on 21 May 2018, 20:28:02
Is it a turbo petrol? Turbo's usually have an oil feed to keep the shaft lubricated, and that shaft gets very hot and 'burns' the oil. That causes the oil to go black quicker than it would in a non-turbo engine.
Title: Re: Oil colour...
Post by: Doctor Gollum on 21 May 2018, 22:28:35
I would not expect any petrol to turn its oil that dark that quickly, even if ragged a little.

How many miles has it done - if its been on modern, retarded service schedules, it probably needs a couple of quick changes to flush it through.
Just over 10k, bought near as damn it new and less than 4k since last change...

From Shacks earlier post ::)
Title: Re: Oil colour...
Post by: Kevin Wood on 21 May 2018, 22:44:47
Some engines blacken it quickly, some less so. Mrs KW's MX5 has a naturally aspirated predecessor of that engine in and it turns black fairly rapidly after a change.

I'm not sure I'd worry too much. The oil probably runs fairly hot as it's a turbo, so make sure the oil is a good quality full synthetic.
Title: Re: Oil colour...
Post by: STEMO on 21 May 2018, 22:45:13
Not happy with pages of discussion of what type of oil to use, we now move on the colour of it.

You should do what I do, it saves a lot of worry. Take it to the garage once every twelve months and don't look at it in between.  ;D
Title: Re: Oil colour...
Post by: Nick W on 21 May 2018, 22:58:12
Not happy with pages of discussion of what type of oil to use, we now move on the colour of it.

You should do what I do, it saves a lot of worry. Take it to the garage once every twelve months and don't look at it in between.  ;D


Yes, that's the key. I change mine annually, but have never worried about what brand I use, buying 4 years worth to save a quid on one oil change, whether the container was the right shape, or that I bought it from an emporium** that has oak-smoked wild garlic hanging over the door so that the stock doesn't revert to tar on the shelf.


** a particularly pretentious marketing-wank word for shop
Title: Re: Oil colour...
Post by: Shackeng on 23 May 2018, 09:59:44
Interesting comments about the turbo affecting the oil colour, not having had a turbo petrol before, suggesting that this is fairly common. Anyway, its now got new full synth oil of the correct spec, and we are halfway through our trip to Scotland, so will check the colour again when I get home.  :y
Title: Re: Oil colour...
Post by: Shackeng on 03 June 2018, 19:09:45
After 1500 miles up and around sunny Scotland, I checked the oil colour and it is discoloured as described earlier, so it seems this is a characteristic of this engine. :y