RocketGuy3

iTrader: (1)

... So I recently had someone do an oil change for me, and I'm pretty sure they didn't actually do anything. When I checked the dipstick after the change, the oil color was a fairly dark brown. I knew I remembered it being much lighter after oil changes in the past, and just to be sure, I stuck the dipstick in one of my extra bottles of Mobil 1 0w-30, and it was indeed much lighter. So I guess my question is... could there be some other explanation for why the oil looks darker right now? Or did they most likely eff up and/or try to screw me over? My oil was about 10K miles old, and I am not running another 10K on it.

I'm attaching a pic in case it helps (new Mobil 1 on the left, oil presently in my engine on the right):

(For the record, I know a lot of people like to encourage people to change their own oil, but it's been hard for me to justify the time and effort it would cost considering it just costs me $12 in labor when I supply my own oil + filter... but I suppose issues like this are why people do some of these things on their own. *sigh*)

llamaboiz

if you're having these types of questions, just go get 7 new quarts/oil filter/drain gasket and do it yourself, to be absolutely sure

SPNinjA

iTrader: (12)

After 10k I would imagine the oil being dark. I am no expert but, putting new oil in and having it mix with the older oil would cause it to be darker than putting the dip stick into a brand new bottle.

RocketGuy3

iTrader: (1)

^^^
Well I change the filter every 5K, and this is synthetic oil that's really supposed to last 15K. Many people on this board go 10K on it with no problems at all (myself included), some of whom have even done a UOA or two to show that the oil had plenty of life left. Also, I'm pretty sure this is how it looked right before the change. To be honest, I hadn't checked for a month or two (~1K miles), but I remember it looking right about this dark.

In fact, if anyone here that runs Mobil 1 in their car and has between ~7-10K or so on their oil wants to do me a favor and take a look at their oil color, it would be appreciated.


Well I'd like to answer the question in a way that gets me compensated for a job poorly done, heh.

diablo1714

iTrader: (4)

maybe they decided NOT to replace the filter, and some leftover old oil is causing the darker color? Write a date onto the filter & next time see if it has indeed been replaced.

Stylnhonda

iTrader: (1)

How long ago did you have the oil changed?

It looks like they changed the oil, but may have left the filter like others have said. If it was 10k old oil, it would be dark dark. I've never left oil in a car for 10k miles, but even at the 3k that I usually have changed at, it's still darker than pictured on the right.

Edit: Just read where you said you brought your own filter in....Have you checked under the car to see if your new filter is on there? Or is it the same brand as last times filter?

Maybe they just did it real quick and did not wait for all the oil to drain out.

Thinktwice

Umm yeah guys the IS doesn't use a screw-on oil filter.

diablo1714

iTrader: (4)

hmmm, didn't know that. only got 4K on mine so far...Thx

RocketGuy3

iTrader: (1)

Thanks for the help, guys.

Yeah, my filter is the same brand (OEM Toyota filter) as the last one they used, so I can't really know for sure.

To answer someone else's question, I had the oil change done about 150 miles ago.


... Buuut, I just talked to my co-worker with a '98 Toyota Supra, and it turns out he also uses Mobil 1 and changed his oil about 400-500 miles ago (3 weeks). I asked him if he could do me a favor and take me out to his car to check out his oil. We did, and it looked even a little bit darker than my oil, and he changed his own oil. Upon taking another look at my oil, he was pretty convinced that it was new oil.

So my mind is at ease now. False alarm, I guess.

IS-SV

My Mercedes C300 with Mobil1 synthetic is the same (new oil is somewhat dark after 25 miles of driving), no problem.