E300TD W210 oil change - Black?

[AANDYY]

Is it possible for new oil to turn jet black after only 1 mile of travel?
My car is running good.
Since I've had the car it's had 4 oil changes now, all the other changes the oil colour is like the newest oil change at the same estimated mileage, apart from the suspected none oil change time.
I have done another oil change and after a few hundred miles the oil is no way near as black as the other oil change, on a scale of 1 to 10 this oil is like a 5, the other time it was at 10, 1 mile later, I suspected at the time that they didn't change it!
I hate complaining etc and didn't want the hassle for £29.

I hope I've got my point across, I went on a bit then .

 

[bennesspipers]

It would be easy to say NO new oil wont go black in 1 mile, BUT your car is a deisel & some deisel oils are very dark brown in colour, i suggest you find someone whos used to looking at car oils & show them (another garage or a car enthusiast).

 

[sspeed]

Firstly, to be honest I am not familiar with your particular engine but I have owned and serviced many different Diesel engines.
I doubt very much it should be as black as you say after a mile..
I have had many Diesel cars and its certainly fair to say you can see the oil changing colour after a hundred miles or so..
All Diesel engine oil I have ever used is golden / yellow / almost clear in colour..
If you have a dipstick (Some mercs don't) then I would dip it in and put a little on your finger look at the opacity of it. Truly old engine oil looks black enough to stop you seeing your skin through it..
If its just tinted and not very old you will see through it to your skin.
I had a VW Mk IV Golf a while back and I took it back to the dealers after a service because I thought the oil was very black..
The mechanics pointed out that on that particular engine the oil filter housing retained a "fair bit" of old oil so when you started the engine after an oil change it tainted itself black very quickly.
In your case you know your engine and you know its norms which are different than you are now experiencing..
Therefor I would be suspicious in your case.. I wonder if the filter has actually been changed as well ?
This is another reason I swear by the PELA pump for draining oil.. You can suck the oil filter housing clean of the old oil..I am assuming your engine is not the metal cartridge type of filter.
Good luck with your detective work..

 

[andymerc]

It is normal for oil to go black staight away in a diesel,as simon said when you rub in your finger you should be able to see though it.

 

[SSBB]

There is also residual oil in various galleries and oil channels, cylinder head etc that will mix with and discolour new oil.

 

[230K]

Hi

Oil does blacken fairly quick. I always put it down to the fact that the oil cooler is never drained in an oil change and so blackens the oil on start up.

230k

 

[Number_Cruncher]

>>E300TD W210 oil change - Black?

If the T in E300TD is standing for turbo, then, your engine will have an oil cooler full of engine oil which won't get changed as well as any nooks in the filter housing which will trap oil, as well as all the oil in the galleries.

In short, I would be really surprised if the oil stayed clear in your engine longer than the first crank of the engine to fill the filter after the oil change.

Another way of saying this is that on a diesel, forget oil colour completely, it's a complete red herring.

 

[AANDYY]

Thanks so far guys but my original point is that the oil was jet black, solid black not just a shade of black etc and this only after 1 mile.
This made me suspicious that the oil hadn't been changed, the filter had been changed, I marked it before hand.

 

[230K]

Hey

What oil are they putting in your car when you get an oil and filter change for £29?????

Bicycle chain oil???

230K

 

[AANDYY]

As far as I'm aware it's Mobil S.
Plus on the reciept the code for the job looks like it.
I phoned customer services.

 

[230K]

Hi

Thats £5 for the filter, £3/litre (~8 litres) £24

Zero for labour.

Corners are bound to be cut.

230K

 

[SSBB]

Hey

What oil are they putting in your car when you get an oil and filter change for £29?????

Bicycle chain oil???

230K

Thats a good point. Taking off the labour charge....and the profit they added to the cost price of the oil and filter, even Asdas unbranded 20/50 wouldnt be feasible.

 

[ringway]

This made me suspicious that the oil hadn't been changed, the filter had been changed, I marked it before hand.

Next time, just mark the oil, then you'll know if they have changed it.

 

[lynall]

I change a lot of diesel engine oil at work and yes it does go black almost straight away but if you look at the oil on the dipstick you can see its new even though its black.

Its poss they sucked it out and didnt get it all or stopped at say 5 litres, then refilled it.

As for oil prices we buy in bulk and for all singing dancing syn oil its under £3 per litre and if they are using mineral which they must be its probably £1 ish per litre, oil filter wont cost anyhere near £5 prob £3ish.



Lynall

 

[SilverSaloon]

mine too (same engine, OM606) goes black very quickly. As others have said, i put it down to old oil still in the system somewhere mixing with it.

 

[johnsco]

The oil cooler and feed pipes on these cars are low down and do not drain when you drain the sump.
I recently replaced my oil cooler and there is quite an amount of old oil in this part of the system.
My oil always immediately turns black after a change.
I drain it from the sump plug and do not suck it out.
Cheers.
Johnsco