Oil Colour

[RobL]

I'm no engineer, my dad was, but i'm definitely not.. Well partially not true, i am a qualified software engineer.. anyway..

A question for engineers of the right type; My car was serviced 500 miles ago and my oil has now changed from the lovely slightly yellow clear looking stuff to the dark brown slightly off black stuff (told you I wasn't an engineer!). My previous car even with a 10 year old engine took longer to produce this level of discolouration.

Does this indicate a problem? Dirty oil due to running in? Running rich with petrol leaking into the oil? Carbon build ups or such? Or is it just turbo/hot running engines that make this happen faster?

[rwbaldwin]

If your car was serviced 500 miles ago, the oil turned black 499 miles ago

It's normal for a diesel.

[RobL]

If your car was serviced 500 miles ago, the oil turned black 499 miles ago

It's normal for a diesel.

Should have said the car in question is the one on my profile. Fabia vRS mk2 estate, the 1.4 tfsi petrol. Even more worried now lol!

[Ootohere]

It would help lots to give the full story,

but probably not change any answers.

We know which car now, so.

What Service done by who on what age of car with what mileage on it, and what oil was charged for on the invoice!

If it was someone like Kwik flick fitters, they sometimes dont even change the Oil Filter, just wipe it clean then put a dirty finger mark on it.

So, vRS 1.4 tfsi,

How old,

how many miles on it,

which service,

was it done by a Skoda Dealership & what oil did they put in?

george

[RobL]

It would help lots to give the full story,

but probably not change any answers.

We know which car now, so.

What Service done by who on what age of car with what mileage on it, and what oil was charged for on the invoice!

If it was someone like Kwik flick fitters, they sometimes dont even change the Oil Filter, just wipe it clean then put a dirty finger mark on it.

So, vRS 1.4 tfsi,

How old,

how many miles on it,

which service,

was it done by a Skoda Dealership & what oil did they put in?

george

2011,

10350

First Service

Skoda Dealership, Oil no idea - presume their own.

[Ootohere]

Fair Enough.

I would advise that you check your oil level carefully after your oil is up to temperature,

too many technicians appear to just warm the oil on vRS's & dip.

Worth having a look at the Invoice to see what oil they charged you for, after all it was probably not cheap.

I actually supply my own if i do not trust what is being used.

Mostly,

and importantly to me the reason for asking is so you are topping up using the same oil it is worth know what has been put in..

I actually supplied my own oil to be used with the vRS,

5w 30, Castrol Edge or next time it will be Mobile 1, if they are not going to provide at a reasonable price,

I wait while my car is being serviced if during warranty period,

& ask if i can watch the oil being put in, so that its not going off in the boot of some Fitter/Technicians car for their own use.

(The paranioa comes about from years of being involved in the Motor Trade & Garages)

If a garage can not agree to using the oil i want or supplying at a fair price & letting me see what goes in, then they would not be doing my service.

Tyre/Exhaust places are often a joke when it comes to which oil they pump in.

Over the years i have asked with engines and autoboxes like on a Metro, which required a certain grade of oil, and they had no idea or interest.

Last year a family members car came out of a 'Service Garage' with dirtier oil than it went in with, THE WRONG GRADE OF OIL, only 3 miles later.

The oil filter had not been changed only wiped over, and no new sump plug fitted.

The bill was big enough and was supposed to include a 'Full Winter' safety check, which was brakes, fluids and emissions.

It was such a bargain that my neice had taken the offer before and been ripped off, which was why we had booked in a second car & watched the Oil Change being done from a distance.

A Glasgow kiss was administered due to that situation, it seemed to get the point pushed home..

Seemed fair since the manager, area manager & HQ were not taking the complaint seriously enough..

george

Edited 13 May, 2012 by sk4gw

[Ad Lav]

It will go black almost immediately - doesn't stay gold for long even from new.

[VRS-Powered]

Also you have a 1.4 TSi bud not a tfsi

[Wilko251088]

Could I just ask what oil temperature yOu would be looking for when going to dip? Thanks

[Ootohere]

Re Checking oil level.

There is another thread on here in the last 2 weeks about vRS oil and it includes excerts from the Skoda Owners Manual & the VW Polo manaual and they read differently.

I am running the vehicle up to running temp which is between 85 - 90 degrees celcius, at this time of year thats taking me about 10-15 minutes or about 10 miles,

then stopping the engine and letting the oil settle and dipping and looking closely.

Obviously its easy to dip cold and see the level & then know what it shows, but some people do need to go to Spec Savers.

You would think you would then know the levelm that matches a cold dip to that when at temperature.

Funnily some are filling to maximum level with cold dipstick checks only.

Cr4p dipstick & Cr4p Owners manual. IMO

'Checking oil level' appears to have lost 'in translation' something from CZ to English.

george

Edited 13 May, 2012 by sk4gw

[RobL]

It will go black almost immediately - doesn't stay gold for long even from new.

Thanks for all the replies. Ah wonder why my old 1.6 petrol ran cleaner longer? Maybe I guess due to me topping it up with a litre every 1k.

I check my oil at 87 degrees straight after a good run. I was actually advised to check when cold by Skoda UK when I queried the manuals instructions but there's a few threads clearing this up now; one includes a copy of the Polo GTI's instructions which are a damn sight better.

VRS_Powered: oh well at least it isn't as confusing as the Golf version where the twin charge has a red TS and the turbo has just a T!

Edited 13 May, 2012 by RobL

[Ootohere]

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/233266-check-oil-level-465-miles

[VRS-Powered]

VRS_Powered: oh well at least it isn't as confusing as the Golf version where the twin charge has a red TS and the turbo has just a T!

Totally agree mate, seems like odd names to me as well!