BY MATTHEW C. KEEGAN / ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED APRIL 6, 2018 / NATIONAL AUTOMOTIVE PARTS ASSOCIATION / Motor oil lubricates the engine and absorbs heat, enabling the&hellip;{"id":10472,"date":"2018-05-07T10:24:42","date_gmt":"2018-05-07T17:24:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.pomonaswapmeet.com\/blog\/?p=10472"},"modified":"2018-05-07T10:24:42","modified_gmt":"2018-05-07T17:24:42","slug":"engine-oil-turns-black","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pomonaswapmeet.com\/blog\/2018\/05\/07\/engine-oil-turns-black\/","title":{"rendered":"If Your Engine Oil Turns Black, Don&#8217;t Panic"},"content":{"rendered":"<h5><span style=\"color: #000000;\">BY MATTHEW C. KEEGAN \/ ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED APRIL 6, 2018 \/\u00a0NATIONAL AUTOMOTIVE PARTS ASSOCIATION \/<\/span><\/h5>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Motor oil lubricates the engine and absorbs heat, enabling the engine\u2019s internal parts to work efficiently without overheating. As oil ages, it begins to lose its protective properties and must be changed. When engine oil turns black, however, that doesn\u2019t always mean a change is imminent. Here\u2019s how to tell when it\u2019s time for an oil change.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Amber That Won\u2019t Withstand the Ages<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">New motor oil is typically amber and transparent, similar to the color of honey. It doesn\u2019t retain its original color for long, as each heat cycle darkens its color.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">A heat cycle represents each time your engine reaches its normal operating temperature, typically somewhere just below 220 degrees Fahrenheit, then cools down again. Each trip to the store, commute to work and trek home from your children\u2019s activities means your engine will heat up, then cool down. The more trips you take, the more heat cycles your engine completes.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Besides the heat cycle, contaminants will also darken\u00a0<\/span><strong><a class=\"SWhtmlLink\" title=\"CAR ENGINE OIL AND HOW IT'S MADE\" href=\"http:\/\/knowhow.napaonline.com\/car-engine-oil-made\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">engine oil<\/a><\/strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\">. Tiny metal particles from engine parts will break free and circulate in the oil. The dust and dirt kicked up from the road and not trapped by the oil filter is another contributor to the oil\u2019s darkening process.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Additives Cause Blackness<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Engine oil also includes additives \u2014 chemical compounds designed to improve lubricant performance. Modern engines require these additives, found in both petroleum-based and<\/span><strong>\u00a0<a class=\"SWhtmlLink\" href=\"https:\/\/www.napaonline.com\/en\/p\/MOR102991?cid=social_blog_032018_Synthetic_Motor_Oil\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">synthetic oils<\/a><\/strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\">. Without additives, your engine will fail. With them, your oil will darken, regardless of the number of heat cycles and abrasives present.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The best way to determine when the motor oil needs a change has everything to do with the maintenance intervals as outlined in your owner\u2019s manual. If your engine takes synthetic oil and can go 10,000 miles between oil changes under normal driving conditions, then your oil is likely fine. However, if your driving habits fall under the severe-duty schedule \u2014 including frequent short trips, dusty roads and extreme temperatures \u2014 then you\u2019ll need to change your oil more often. Again, consult your owner\u2019s manual for the correct change intervals.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Warning Signs<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Just as motor oil will gradually transition from amber to black, there are other signs that an oil change is necessary. Some of these signs may quite possibly point to a related problem.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">For instance, if the engine oil contains more than the usual trace amount of water, it will appear milky and diluted when you pull the dipstick. Water droplets clinging to the end of the dipstick are especially problematic.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">This is a serious problem, one possibly caused by driving through<\/span>\u00a0<strong><a href=\"http:\/\/knowhow.napaonline.com\/avoiding-a-flooded-engine-keep-calm-and-drive-on\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">flood waters<\/a><\/strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\">. If this is the case, don\u2019t start the vehicle. At a minimum, you\u2019ll need to remove the oil and oil filter and flush out the oil pan. Next, add new oil and an oil filter, then drive your car for a few hundred miles before changing both again. However, for a long-submerged vehicle, you\u2019re looking at a complete engine teardown.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Another problem to consider is oil that has a foamy or milky appearance along with a cream-like color. This is a clear sign of a head gasket leak, also confirmed by white smoke emanating from the exhaust or an increased consumption of coolant. Have the required repairs performed, then treat your engine with new oil and a new filter.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">When your engine oil turns black, it may or may not be time for an oil change. It is a good idea to keep an eye on the color of your engine oil, though, as it can indicate other issues. When in doubt, consult your owner\u2019s manual or a trusted mechanic.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Check out all the<\/span>\u00a0<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.napaonline.com\/en\/c\/chemicals\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">chemical products<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0<wbr \/><span style=\"color: #000000;\">available on<\/span>\u00a0<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.napaonline.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">NAPA Online<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #000000;\">or trust one of their 16,000<\/span>\u00a0<strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.napaautocare.com\/store-finder.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">NAPA AutoCare locations<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #000000;\">for routine maintenance and repairs. For more information on engine oil, chat with a knowledgeable expert at a<\/span>\u00a0<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.napaonline.com\/en\/store-locator\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">local NAPA AUTO PARTS store<\/a><\/strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><em>Photo Credit:<\/em><\/span>\u00a0<em><a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Draining_motor_oil.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Draining motor oil<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #000000;\">by<\/span>\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/User:Dvortygirl\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Dvortygirl<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #000000;\">(<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/3.0\/legalcode\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>CC BY-SA 3.0<\/strong><\/a><span style=\"color: #000000;\">)<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"color: #000000;\">This article has been reproduced with the permission of the copyright holder, National Automotive Parts Association. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Click here for more<\/span>\u00a0<\/i><strong><i><a href=\"http:\/\/knowhow.napaonline.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">automotive tips and stories<\/a><\/i><\/strong><i>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #000000;\">from NAPA, or here for more information on<\/span>\u00a0<strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.pomonaswapmeet.com\/event-info\/car-show-hours-dates\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">the next Pomona Swap Meet &amp; Classic Car Show<\/a><\/strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":null,"protected":false},"author":98,"featured_media":10211,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"cos_headline_score":0,"cos_seo_score":0,"cos_headline_text":"","cos_headline_has_been_analyzed":false,"cos_last_analyzed_headline":[],"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[805],"tags":[6298,6294,3696,3626,88,3491,3026,3730,6295,6299,6296,6297,5135],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.pomonaswapmeet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/1024px-Draining_motor_oil.jpg?fit=1024%2C759&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p9nnZN-2IU","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pomonaswapmeet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10472"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pomonaswapmeet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pomonaswapmeet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pomonaswapmeet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/98"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pomonaswapmeet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10472"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.pomonaswapmeet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10472\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10473,"href":"https:\/\/www.pomonaswapmeet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10472\/revisions\/10473"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pomonaswapmeet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10211"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pomonaswapmeet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10472"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pomonaswapmeet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10472"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pomonaswapmeet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10472"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}