Does this look like new oil to you?
05-12-2005, 08:36 AM
#1
Does this look like new oil to you?
<img src="http://gator16.hostgator.com/~oliver/IMG_0963.jpg">
I had my 15,000 service done yesterday, and my car just didn't <i>sound</i> like it had an oil change/was full of oil. Those of you familiar with the chain rattle upon cold startup may know what I'm talking about--it's much quieter with a full serving of oil.
So I looked at the dipstick, and yes, it was a little low...a level which from experience I know causes the chain to rattle. But it also looks quite dirty for brand-new oil, do you guys agree? Maybe I'm out of line, but I've always thought new oil looked nearly transparent on the dipstick.
On another note, I asked for synthetic oil. I would be surprised if that's what they used (if indeed they used anything), mainly because they've never done anything I've asked them to in the past, and the paperwork just said "oil change." Is there any way to tell?
(BTW, it's very hard to take a macro pic while holding the camera still in your right hand and holding the dipstick steady in your left--hence the blurriness. Yes, those are my feet.)
I had my 15,000 service done yesterday, and my car just didn't <i>sound</i> like it had an oil change/was full of oil. Those of you familiar with the chain rattle upon cold startup may know what I'm talking about--it's much quieter with a full serving of oil.
So I looked at the dipstick, and yes, it was a little low...a level which from experience I know causes the chain to rattle. But it also looks quite dirty for brand-new oil, do you guys agree? Maybe I'm out of line, but I've always thought new oil looked nearly transparent on the dipstick.
On another note, I asked for synthetic oil. I would be surprised if that's what they used (if indeed they used anything), mainly because they've never done anything I've asked them to in the past, and the paperwork just said "oil change." Is there any way to tell?
(BTW, it's very hard to take a macro pic while holding the camera still in your right hand and holding the dipstick steady in your left--hence the blurriness. Yes, those are my feet.)
05-12-2005, 08:41 AM
#2
Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,853
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
You can change the oil again (I would anyway, to be comfortable) and send a sample to Blackstone...
labs for analysis. They'll tell you if the oil has higher than normal levels of Fe and stuff that would indicate old oil. They'll tell ya. It's like 20-30 bucks. But you could walk in that dealership and OWN them if it ever turned out there was something questionable. Even if it is new it could have alot of old oil in there. Sometimes they are lazy w/ the drain. I gave them 7 qts. on my B5 and the dipstick was way overfilled when they used all 7 qts. They apologized and re-did it.
05-12-2005, 08:48 AM
#5
AudiWorld Super User
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 12,011
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Sheethead... It's hard to tell...
The stuff on the dipstick could have been there before. The oil itself looks kinda clean, but there's no way to tell in a PEEK-chure...
If you really want to see, maybe you can pop off the oil filter cover and take a look. I'd assume that the filter element looks different if it was replaced. Still doesn't guarantee that they changed the oil, though...
As for saying "use synthetic"... I'd suggest that you BYOB. That way, you KNOW what they used. Ask them up-front to return any usused oil to you.
-JPC
If you really want to see, maybe you can pop off the oil filter cover and take a look. I'd assume that the filter element looks different if it was replaced. Still doesn't guarantee that they changed the oil, though...
As for saying "use synthetic"... I'd suggest that you BYOB. That way, you KNOW what they used. Ask them up-front to return any usused oil to you.
-JPC
05-12-2005, 08:50 AM
#7
Banned
Remember that only 9.5 of the 13.5 qts of oil are changeable
So you still would have 4 qts of "old " oil in the crankcase. I think that is the reason that it does not look completely amber and clear.
Trending Topics
05-12-2005, 09:15 AM
#10
Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,318
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Chances are it's new oil but there is a few interesting flakes in there...
and it's funny how some people think dealers are infallible. I gave my dealer 7 qts. to put in my B5 S4 and when I checked the oil level later that day it was a 1/2 inch up past the orange cutoff. They obviously were too lazy to fully drain it. Had to go back and they were lik, "oops, sorry". You can just make a statement so definitively that the oil is fresh because how the hell do you know. Are you such an oil analyst? Either way, the level looks low. Don't be such a smug, know it all, bro.