45 hrs and oil still clean?

[Sully2]

My New Holland TN70A (3 CYL Turbo Diesel) has 215 hours. I bought it used at 170 hrs. Changed the oil and filter. Oil is still as clean as the day I changed it. I thought it was supposed to turn black real fast. Anything I could be worried about?
Bob

Bob: Seriously..I think a lot of the "black oil" deal came from/ comes from..engines running fuel that isn as good as the new stuff out today..AND...from large capacity ( JUMBO even) machines.

Firts oil change I ever did on my motorhome (8 liter Cummins) the oil was BLACK as ink. (About 10K miles) The book said the "lube system" was 26 qts. I drained it...refilled to the "full" mark..and took it for a short drive and came back and checked the oil. After 7 miles it was BLACK again!!!!

Called the motorhome people the next day and inquired...and thats when I found out that you can ONLY DRAIN "about 20 qts" out of it!!! The rest is inside the lines..remote oil cooler..etc..etc..and no way to get it out! So with each oil change..I have 5-6 qts of the "old stuff" mixed right back in within minutes of startup!

 

[Doc_Bob]

Right at 24 hrs on mine...and when I take a drop from the dipstick..and a drop from a fresh bottle of Kubota 10W-30 oil...put side by side on a piece of white paper...cant see a bit of difference!

So they sold you "used" oil
Bob

 

[Egon]

Pretty sure they must have sold used oil Bob. Why I had the same thing happen to my 5.9L cummins in our truck!

 

[Sully2]

So they sold you "used" oil
Bob

With logic like that...your starting to sound like "some others" on the BB......LMAO

 

[GuyL]

I'm not smart enough to know if its the new engines, diesel fuel or better oil but whatever is in my Kubota 4330 is still clear at 40 hrs. and the Rotella dino oil in my truck at 115k looks like it was run in a clean gas engine when changed every 10k.

 

[Doc_Bob]

I'm not smart enough to know if its the new engines, diesel fuel or better oil but whatever is in my Kubota 4330 is still clear at 40 hrs. and the Rotella dino oil in my truck at 115k looks like it was run in a clean gas engine when changed every 10k.

My Rotella Dino oil finally started to look like it had some soot in it after around 55 hours. Now, at almost 90 hours, still looks like just a little soot mixed in with clean oil. My old VW diesel Rabbit had India ink dark oil after 10 hours.
Bob

 

[slowrev]

It has been about 2000 hours since I changed the oil in my old IH and it is still clean. Of course I have not run it any either. Still trying to get time to finish rewiring it.
Ben

 

[DieselPower]

The color, look or feel of a oil is no indication of it's condition. Just because there is no soot in the oil does not mean it's not contaminated. The best way to judge a oil's condition is to use a used oil analysis program. I have had samples sent back to me that came from oil that looked like it was new but was contaminated with silicon from a bad air filter. Others that had oil that looked new that were contaminated with glycol from a leaking oil cooler or cylinder liner. And others yet that were black as coal that were still fine and did not need to be changed. Unless your eyes can see down into the submicron range, don't judge your oil's condition by it's look, smell or taste for that matter. Let the lab do the analysis.

If your using a high quality oil to start with the oil supplier should be providing UOA's for free to you.

 

[Rob-D]

You can't tell how dirty an oil is from the dipstick!

 

[hsdfcu]

The color, look or feel of a oil is no indication of it's condition.

I said the same thing years ago or 2 months ago on here. I feel, just spend the few $$$ on a UPA and be done with it.