Dark Mobil 1 at 4,000 miles

[SEroadking]

I have recently changed to Mobil 1 V Twin 20-50 this last summer because of the heat in my new home state of Texas. I am sure that the synthetics stand up to the heat better but I am concerned over the Mobil 1 claim that I can run the oil for 5,000 miles with confidence of full protection aginst viscosity shear. I have the scavenger system installed and do feel good about how much clearer and purer my oil is at change intervals, but, even with that I notice that the color becomes quite dark at just 3,000 miles and now at 4,000 I feel that I cannot let it go any further. In my previous envrionment of the Northern Rockies I used only HD 360 oils based on the season and never let it go beyond 2,500-2,600 miles and most of the time much less miles because of season changes. I 86'ed the chiains very early in this bikes life so I know there is no tensioner degradation.

Has any other Mobil 1 users noticed dark oil in the later miles of the professed 5,000 mile life?

SE Road King
'02FLHRSEI

 

[TripleJ]

I would follow your gut instincts and change it out for fresh oil/filter. Cheap insurance and will keep you from worrying about it to much.

I change my Mobil 1 every 3,000 miles for that reason

BTW welcome from North Texas and congrats on your first post!

 

[Breeze3at]

I don't feel that color is a criteria for oil changes. All of my engines turn the oil dark rather quickly. The filter removes damaging particles from the oil. The oils protective qualities are the molecular chains that can not bee seen. I feel that I change my Mobil1 synthetic too frequently at 4-5 K miles, but after 40 years of 3K changes on Dino oil, it's as long as I can wait.

TripleJ posted while I was writing. You will get as many opinions on oil and changes as there is riders. All are valid in my opinion.

 

[kemo]

If you feel more confident changing you oil more frequently go for it. It sure won't hurt nothing and you will sleep better.
Ken

 

[Wayne R]

I agree if you feel more comftorable changing your oil early then do so, I use Mobil one 20/50 synthetic and I have always seen a rather quick color change on the new oil, I don't really think that means much anything, as i understand it you could actually run synthetic oils longer due to the fact it dosen't break down as early as regular oil, I have also heard if you wanted to you could just change your filter between changes just to get rid of the particles the filter catches, Me personally I change my oil at 5000 mile intervals, with the cost of synthetic oils I want to get what I can out of them safely JMO

 

[BUBBIE]

Wayne,

I think the same as you, thinking you are correct on the longer period and the Fact that Synthetics can be Used Longer with out breaking down in our bikes and changing the filter twice on using the longer periods will do Good.... BUT$$$ on the pocket either way,,,,,,BUT I'm like Many here and change it often..

Breeze thinks good on the oil thing here also..

You know OILs and Oil Changes ARE like a RELIGION and many believe differently will do differently.......

I do all my changes behind Closed Garage Door and won't spill the BEANS on how and when I do Mine.:tounge

:newsmile03: (man this red fire headed guy fits me just fine)

signed....BUBBIE

 

[fin_676]

Oil usually goes dark after a wee bit of use in the engine due to it being contaminated with soot from combustion so going dark is not an indication that the oil is worn out just that it has some soot in it i change my oil when it suits me usually between 2500 and 3000 miles

Brian

 

[SEroadking]

Thanks to all, I've been reminded and have learned a lot about high detergent oil (Mobil1 vs. HD 360) and oil suspension in just 2 hours. As diligent as I have been about seasonal oil changes (every Halloween and Easter) I could imagine that sludge and crud still may have formed, because I did ride every month of the year while in the Northern Rockies. Given all considered, I will fill and new filter and change the oil now. I have a gut feeling that this next oil use interval will not alarm me as much. Agian, many thanks.

 

[TQuentin1]

Thanks to all, I've been reminded and have learned a lot about high detergent oil (Mobil1 vs. HD 360) and oil suspension in just 2 hours. As diligent as I have been about seasonal oil changes (every Halloween and Easter) I could imagine that sludge and crud still may have formed, because I did ride every month of the year while in the Northern Rockies. Given all considered, I will fill and new filter and change the oil now. I have a gut feeling that this next oil use interval will not alarm me as much. Agian, many thanks.

If this is your first oil change since switching to the synthetic, you will see a lot darker oil then after you get the oil galleries cleaned up. When I switched over, I did a series of short cycle oil changes (1k then 2K) for that very reason, and did interim filter changes between the oil changes. Probably overkill. Now I change my oil between 3k - 4k. I do all the fluids, filter and plugs each time.

TQ

 

[ironmark]

Oil usually goes dark after a wee bit of use in the engine due to it being contaminated with soot from combustion so going dark is not an indication that the oil is worn out just that it has some soot in it i change my oil when it suits me usually between 2500 and 3000 miles

Brian

I had a few diesel trucks and when you do a oil change and start the engine the oil is black in the 1st minute but it doesn't mean that the oil is bad.