rjlinney

Hi,

This is an odd one...
I've got a 51 plate GX, owned from new (which is soon due for replacement/upgrade!).

My car was serviced (48k) about a month ago. Have been running backwards and forwards to work - 300 miles per week.

Checked oil on Friday night just before trip to Yorkshire for the weekend.
Oil level fine, nice clean colour and quite 'runny'.

Blasted up M6 for 2.5 hours (70 to 80, 3,500 rpm etc)

Checked oil yesterday (after returning, and cooling down etc)...
Oil level is still fine, but it's now thick and black!

I noticed exactly the same thing happen once before after a service.
Is the oil getting too hot or is this what's supposed to happen?
It's strange that this colour change has happened after a prolonged period at speed on the motorway.

Any explanations as to what's going on?
Does the GX have an oil cooler?
Do I need to worry?

Any info would be great!
Thanks!

Richard

pmarch

In my experience, it doesn't take long before new oil starts to look black-ish. Did you have an engine flush done when oil being changed? - as this might have some bearing one way or another - cue the technical types to elaborate................

JohnD

iTrader: (5)

3500rpm is unlikely to cause the oil any distress (unless you're running on chip fat!) and I would'nt have thought it would have reached any higher a temperature than you would get on your 30 mile journey to work. With 48k and with 1200 miles on the present oil, the colour you describe doesn't sound out of the ordinary.
JohnD

Bob Rawle

What oil is it ?

bob

oilman

iTrader: (9)

All oil changes colour in use. The speed of this will depend on quality and type of oil used, mineral, semi-synthetic, synthetic etc.

Cheers
Simon

rjlinney

Hi guys,

Thanks for all of the responses.

I'm not 100% sure which oil has been used...
The car has been serviced from new by my dealer, Oaken Subaru - so I'm confident that it'll be the right stuff! I'm pretty sure that they use BP.

From what you're all saying it doesn't sound like I need to worry too much.
It does seem strange though that I'd been running around in the car for a month or so, backwards and forwards to work etc, then when I take it on a longer run, at speed for a prolonged period, the oil should change colour so dramatically.

Richard