IS OIL DISCOLORATION NORMAL, OR A SIGN OF COUNTERFEIT?
Oil change is one of the most important routine maintenance you can do for your vehicles—both for engine and transmission. For regular service, most manufacturers recommend oil change after 5 to 10 thousand kilometers of use.
However, some cars or motorbikes need their oil changed much sooner than the mileage recommendation. This may happen if driving is your main mobility option or if you often get stuck in traffic. Despite sitting idle in traffic and covering hardly any distance, your engine continues to work.
Oil change is simple. All you have to do is drain the used oil through the oil drain plug located under your car, making sure you place a container or a catch pan to contain the old oil. To make the draining process a little faster, you can also open the oil fill cap under the hood. Once finished, reinstall the drain plug and tighten it. Finally, it is time to pour in new oil through the oil fill cap.
Your old oil might appear dark or even black, a lot different than brand new engine oil that is translucent and clean. In some vehicles, discoloration happens in a relatively short time. Does this mean the oil is a counterfeit product?
READ ALSO: DIESEL ENGINE MAINTENANCE GOES BEYOND ROUTINE OIL REPLACEMENT
Oil discoloration can be caused by many things. Even an original and brand new oil does not stay clear and will eventually get darker after several tens of kilometers. But if your oil turns black immediately, this may mean that your engine is dirty with combustion residue. If you see this happening, it is recommended to change your filter oil filter once every two oil changes.
Oil residue is only one of the reasons of discoloration. Another reason is engine overheating, which could be caused by a problem in the cooling system, or certain performance enhancing engine modifications that cause the engine getting hotter much faster.
Not only to lubricate and reduce friction on moving parts, engine oil also cleans and protect the engine chamber from harmful residue and contaminants. So, if you find that your used oil has turned black, this means that it has done its job in dissolving residue and cleaning the engine components.
It is best to avoid spraying high pressure air into the oil fill reservoir, which might blow the residue stored in the oil filter back into the engine components. This could inadvertently contaminate and darken your new oil quicker.
RELATED ARTICLES: