X5 E53 3.0d - Oil Change, but soon so dirty?

[Salty_Dog]

Been trying to give our 2006 X5 E53 3.0d some love lately.

Bought a new Air Filter and Oil Filter (all OEM)
Some Nulon 5W-30 Euro full syn oil.

The vehicle has 212,000k on the clock.
Oil has been changed every 10,000. Although the last change went out to 17,000k.

Dumping the oil it was filthy! Not sure if i'd say it was burnt, but it was as black as black gets!!
Drained out as much as i could, wiped out filter cartridge holder, added new oil.
After a 20 minute drive and letting the vehicle sit over night, the oil was dirty when i checked it in the morning (it was also fairly dirty 10minutes into the first drive).

I am about to replace the Air Filter and PCV (just waiting for a PCV)

1. Will a new PCV possibly help? I don't think its been changed.

I know the vehicle is getting on, but i really went to keep clean oil, air and fuel up to it.

Any ideas guys?
Is it normal? Should i be worried? Anyway to flush the engine out ready for new oil?

Many Thanks.

[Bargain Bucket]

It's a diesel. The oil turns black VERY quickly.

After 212k, I wouldn't flush it. All sorts of baked on crap might be dislodged and block up the oil galleries/oil pickup. I've seen it happen many times. If the oil has been changed every ~10k throughout it's life, it will already be very clean inside the engine anyway.

[Bargain Bucket]

It's a diesel. The oil turns black VERY quickly.

After 212k, I wouldn't flush it. All sorts of baked on crap might be dislodged and block up the oil galleries/oil pickup. I've seen it happen many times. If the oil has been changed every ~10k throughout it's life, it will already be very clean inside the engine anyway.

[Salty_Dog]

Thanks Bargain Bucket, i've only really service petrol engines before.
The X5 is the partners car, she has it serviced by local mechanics, but we have never been sure what oil they use or if they change the filter.
Had heard some stories of Air Filters not being replaced, when the bill reflected they had been.

So thought i'd start servicing its basic needs (Oil, Air, Fuel)

Appreciate the heads up.

[powers1]

The oil breather has no effect on oil colour!You dont need to purchase the complete unit,just the inside vortex!

Its a fact that the oil in diesels is blacker than on petrol,however ,viscosity and your brand of oil are also influencial!In this case we are talking about fully synthetic 5w30 oil and not mineral!On a turbodiesel,you not going to see the oils natural gold transparent colour ,after a few thousand miles but with a good brand you would expect a transparent greyish/dark brown colour ,although definitely not BLACK!

Never heard of Nulon oils but my BP7000 5w30 looks like this after 9000 kms!
Difficult to capture on camera as the tissue soaks up the oil very quickly but you can even see some gold coloured spots and its mostly dark brown.

[Salty_Dog]

Thanks Powers1.

Yes, the oil that came out was Black (after 17,000K's)
The new oil is just a darker colour as you say, not black, and still has some transulantsy.

The oil i used is this about the best i could buy, $148 AUD for 10litres. Full Synthetic 5W-30 EURO Engine Oil- Nulon Australia

[romeokc10]

It has been said for years and years, the color of an oil has absolutely nothing to do with what condition the oil is in. An oil can be black as night, but that doesn't mean it's dirty nor does it mean it has lost its lubrication properties. You simply cannot tell the condition an oil by looking at it.

[JCL]

Originally Posted by romeokc10

It has been said for years and years, the color of an oil has absolutely nothing to do with what condition the oil is in. An oil can be black as night, but that doesn't mean it's dirty nor does it mean it has lost its lubrication properties. You simply cannot tell the condition an oil by looking at it.

Absolutely true, with the qualifier that if it is a milky white colour, you can tell something about its condition due to the water in it.

[Salty_Dog]

Thanks guys, appreciate the input. Now feeling a lot better.
Is it a diesel only thing or true of both petrol and diesel engines?

I say that after years of changing my motorbikes engine oil after 4 rides, it used to come out about as clean as it went in.

[motordavid]

Diesel thing...
My 3 scoots' oil gets changed once a year whether they need it or not, and my two Hondas' oil looks as good coming out, as it did going in...not so much on my ol' 1975 HD Shovelhead however, lol!