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6.4L Power Stroke Diesel Engine fitted to 2008 - 2010 F250, F350 and F450 pickup trucks and F350 + Cab Chassis

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Old Dec 2, 2009 | 05:21 AM
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Black oil

I understand that regen causes black oil but i can change my oil crank truck and check oil and it is already black. I dont like this.Will dpf delete and tune solve this or is this just a 6.4 anomally? Do i need a oil analasys?
 
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Old Dec 2, 2009 | 05:38 AM
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I have a 2007 GMC Duramax in a 2500HD truck
When I change the oil I always check the level when I am done and it is already black

Now I also have a 1997 f-350 7.3 and it doesnt turn black that quick....
If I were you I wouldnt worry about it I believe it is normal
Just change it every 5000 and all should be ok
I use Amalie 15-40 and a Wix or Ford filter and the 1997 has 198k on it with out any problems due to oil
 
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Old Dec 2, 2009 | 06:19 AM
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mollikate, your oil turning black has nothing to do with the regeneration cycle! It's a characteristic of a diesel engine. The only effect the regen cycles may have on your oil may be a small amount of fuel dilution due to unburnt fuel washing the cylinder walls and contaminating the fluid.

Deleting the DPF would have no effect whatsoever on how fast your oil turns black!
 
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Old Dec 2, 2009 | 10:34 AM
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The 7.3 i had lasted awhile before doing this my 6.4 is almost immediate at a 3k oil change i had 2 qts extra with no adding oil along the way. I changed at 3k just to see cause i thought dip stick was lying
 
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Old Dec 2, 2009 | 04:50 PM
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For those of you that know about these things, my engine oil runs 196 to 230 degrees depending on engine load. Is this hotter than most? Does it contribute to the cooking of the oil? I do know that the 6.4 runs hotter than a traditional diesel, I think?

I hauled a heavy load Sun/Mon and my oil and water temps were peaking at 230 when the outside temp was below 45. There were extended periods of 1200 degree exhaust temps, brief 1350 degree temps. It's fun to push this motor!
 
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Old Dec 2, 2009 | 05:27 PM
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mine turns black almost right away as well
 
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Old Dec 2, 2009 | 08:03 PM
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Originally Posted by ruschejj
For those of you that know about these things, my engine oil runs 196 to 230 degrees depending on engine load. Is this hotter than most? Does it contribute to the cooking of the oil? I do know that the 6.4 runs hotter than a traditional diesel, I think?
I don't think the 6.4s run any hotter. Here's why I say that:

Back when I was driving a tractor-trailer, my truck's '05 Cat C15 operated between 190-200 degrees. The fan wouldn't kick on until 220 degrees.

The early 7.3L PSDs ('94-98) had a thermostat that didn't start to open until 205 degrees. The thermostat was fully open at 230 degrees. Here's my SOURCE(page 46).

The '99-03 7.3L PSD operated between 192-205 degrees. SOURCE(Page 44)

I can't find what the 6.0 runs at, but I'd be willing to bet it's somewhere in that same range.

I don't think it's a temperature thing with these engines. I believe what causes oil to turn black is contamination rather than being "cooked." Now I'm no chemist but I do know for a fact that the color of the oil is not a direct indicator of how well the oil can do it's job. Every oil change cycle my work truck ran hard on oil that was as black as my tires. The oil was pitch black for about 20,000 miles before it was ever changed, as we used 40,000 intervals. I had over 550,000 miles on that truck when I turned it in.
 
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Old Dec 2, 2009 | 08:07 PM
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i always thought that the soot helps with the turning black
 
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Old Dec 2, 2009 | 08:17 PM
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Oil turns black because of soot being held in suspension . These engines have a lot of plumbing for oil lines, coolers, etc.., add in the filter as well, and there is a lot of oil that does not get touched during an oil change. It doesn't take much dirty oil to make fresh oil look dirty.
 
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Old Dec 5, 2009 | 06:38 AM
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tHANKS GUYS FOR SOME EASE OF MIND
 
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Old Dec 5, 2009 | 07:27 AM
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with my 6.0, i used to change the oil every 5000 kms and drove the hell out of it and it would always stay clean enough to see the dipstick, with my 6.4 its like you guys say black as soon as you turn the key... my tractors are like that as well.. there must be alot of extra oil in the system after a change that would help it stay black, im sure it is normal

koboss
 
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Old Dec 5, 2009 | 08:49 PM
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mine is brand new and the oil is black , was black when i got it with 100 miles
 
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