Another oil change related question

[Martin Barrett]

 

I keep getting poked with a stick.

 

73329[/snapback]

 

 

Are you sure just because it's brown and sticky doesn't mean it's a stick

[Guest ratchethack]

I keep getting poked with a stick. 

Man, that WAS a spectacular whinge, wasn't it?!

 

I reckon VERY FEW might have actually read it without fallin' into a coma. Might be a personal "best"...!

 

Stick pokage is what I LIVE for....

 

That and skeet shootin'...

 

"PULL!"

[jrt]

Dammit guys, get this back into it's original thread. This crossthreading is seriously messing with my obsessive-compulsive disorder, mmmkay?

[Guest Aughtsix]

Dammit guys, get this back into it's original thread.  This crossthreading is seriously messing with my obsessive-compulsive disorder, mmmkay?

73356[/snapback]

 

+1

 

This is getting damned old.

 

 

And Rick, from my point of view, the coloration of used oil isn't entirely a function of dirt in suspension - in fact I'd say that it has little to do with it unless we're talking diesels. There's a cob-webby part of my brain that says that the additive package has a lot to do with this - the various chemicals in the additive package(s) reacting to heat in different ways, one of which is to turn dark.

 

I wouldn't sweat it, but for an experiment, try a different brand of oil - like Spectro or BelRay - and see if it does the same thing.

 

 

[Guest ratchethack]

Dammit guys, get this back into it's original thread.  This crossthreading is seriously messing with my obsessive-compulsive disorder, mmmkay?

73356[/snapback]

Sorry, Monk. But once the locomotive's committed to the side-track, how ya gonna stop the rest o' the train from doin' wot comes natural?

[dlaing]

Any chance the blackness could be caused by disolving rubber hoses?????

I used to swear by Castrol before switching to synthetics, and it would get brown and sludgeful on my V65 after 3000 miles, but never black.

Or maybe the oil filter failed and filtered nothing????

Just trying to think outside the airbox Get it, think outside the (air)box

PS you can also order a BMC filter from http://www.ferracci.com/

[bigbikerrick]

+1

 

This is getting damned old.

And Rick, from my point of view, the coloration of used oil isn't entirely a function of dirt in suspension - in fact I'd say that it has little to do with it unless we're talking diesels.  There's a cob-webby part of my brain that says that the additive package has a lot to do with this - the various chemicals in the additive package(s) reacting to heat in different ways, one of which is to turn dark. 

 

I wouldn't sweat it, but for an experiment, try a different brand of oil - like Spectro or BelRay - and see if it does the same thing.

73357[/snapback]

Good Idea , Ive seriously thought about trying the shell rotella T 15/45 in my Guzzi to see how it performs. alot of v twin riders use it and swear by it. Ive used it in my nomad for 31K trouble free miles.

[bigbikerrick]

Any chance the blackness could be caused by disolving rubber hoses?????

I used to swear by Castrol before switching to synthetics, and it would get brown and sludgeful on my V65 after 3000 miles, but never black.

Or maybe the oil filter failed and filtered nothing????

Just trying to think outside the airbox   Get it, think outside the (air)box 

PS you can also order a BMC filter from http://www.ferracci.com/

73367[/snapback]

thanks for the link,I hope none of the rubber hoses are dissolving..... hey that reminds me about the crankcase breather hose thing.....

[dlaing]

thanks for the link,I hope none of the rubber hoses are dissolving..... hey that reminds me about the crankcase breather hose thing.....

73372[/snapback]

I think the crankcase breather hose is made of vinyl or maybe urethane, so it would not break down with black particulates in the same way that rubber would.

 

When I pulled off my fuel injection filter for the first time, it was filled black fuel that I have not seen on subsequent oil changes.

My guess is that I replaced a line that was disolving, but it could be the OEM Webber filter just filters better.

EDIT or I just got a tank of bad fuel...

[Dan M]

Today after returning from a 100 mile ride, I drained the oil on the V11, since I changed the filter at the last oil change 3000 miles ago I decided to not drop the pan and just change the oil, leaving the old filter( my bike has 7K miles on it) I was surprised at how black my oil was, I mean it looked like black ink! Is that normal? I use castrol GTX 20/50 dino oil. also I put in 3.5 quarts and my oil level was about 1/2 inch above the top mark on the dipstick, checking it with the bike perfectly level,and screwing in the stick. I am wondering is 3.5 quarts too much when not replacing the filter? is it ok to leave the level 1/2 inch above the high mark,or will that cause leaks,or blown seals. I just left the bike in the garage until morning to see what the experts here have to say... Thanks 

73060[/snapback]

 

Wow this has been cross-threaded! Back to the original question. Steve G has it right. It is more likely from blow-by than anything else. Air cooled engines have larger clearances and allow more blow-by so oil will get black faster. If your engine is running too rich you will have even more blow-by and more fuel contamination which will cause the carbon in the oil. If the oil is getting black excessively fast, and I'm not sure your's is, you may want to take a look at your plugs and see if they are also sooty black indicating a rich mixture. Also when you drain the old oil check if there is a strong fuel odor. If not, I wouldn't worry too much. Oh yea, one more thing, drain it down to the proper level.

[bigbikerrick]

Wow this has been cross-threaded! Back to the original question. Steve G has it right. It is more likely from blow-by than anything else. Air cooled engines have larger clearances and allow more blow-by so oil will get black faster. If your engine is running too rich you will have even more blow-by and more fuel contamination which will cause the carbon in the oil. If the oil is getting black excessively fast, and I'm not sure your's is, you may want to take a look at your plugs and see if they are also sooty black indicating a rich mixture. Also when you drain the old oil check if there is a strong fuel odor. If not, I wouldn't worry too much. Oh yea, one more thing, drain it down to the proper level.

73426[/snapback]

Dan, I think you and steve hit the nail on the head with the blowby issue. My bike has the Ti Kit racing exhaust /ecu combo and It does seem to run a tad rich at the altitude where I live( 4200 ft above sea level) but the throttle response is excellent, no flat spots,no surging,and she runs like the proverbial "raped ape". the plugs are slightly black around the edges with the center a color of milk chocolate.

[Guest Nogbad]

the plugs are slightly black around the edges with the center a color of milk chocolate.

73455[/snapback]

 

That sounds ideal to me, certainly not way rich and not lean either. Leave well alone and don't worry about the oil.....

[emry]

I will second Nogbad. Let not forget that oil's job is is clean, cool, and lubricate. The internal combustion engine produces some really nasty shit during combustion and the only thing that keeps it out of the oil is those puny piston rings.

[dlaing]

I have not seen his oil, but black is not how I would describe the oil of any machine I have owned after 3000 miles.

Rick wrote, "I was surprised at how black my oil was, I mean it looked like black ink!"

This ain't no squid bike

Your filter may have spun off and be dangling at the bottom of the pan letting oil flow through unfiltered.

Castrol is cheap.

Drain it.

Clean out the pan.

Replace the filter.

Replace oil with synthetic.

ride

observe

ride

[g.forrest]

in the bad old days oil stayed cleaner but sludge built up in engine. with modern oils you get no sludge remnant, to my knowledge all oils have high detergent content,where once it was only added to diesel oils. once when you pulled engines down you would have to scrape off hardened sludge from areas like valve covers not now. anyone who has cleaned out say honda centrifical filters, will know how hard it can compact. so to me its carbons which discolour the oil. and little to do with intake impurities.