Clear Oil? What's up with that?

BKH · **Posted:** Mon Aug 20, 2007 11:24 am

For two years, I've changed the CRD's oil every 4K miles because mine gets mostly stop-and-go city and mountain driving. Every time the oil is changed, I make sure it's not low (don't trust dealerships to fill it all the way). Every time I'd check the oil, the new oil was the typical black, sooty, cruddy-looking stuff we've all seen. So, what I'm about to share kind of floored me.

I had the oil changed when I had the CRD in for a TSB last week. As usual in the summer months, I've been running B100 about 80% of the time. I got home, checked the oil level, and to my surprise the oil looked clean! Like clear, synthetic oil usually looks.

I hadn't had the oil changed since last winter when we'd just switched over to ULSD. Is it possible that between ULSD and possibly the bio-diesel that our oil (and engine?) is going to be cleaner? I'm no mechanic, but that's correct, it's got to be good for the motor I assume.

techTim · **Posted:** Mon Aug 20, 2007 11:34 am

absolutely good for the engine

by your signature I guess you have no mods to the CRD, the EHM or provent will keep crank case gasses (oil, water vapor) out of your intake, but you may not need those if your oil is as clear as that. :shock:

have you pulled the MAP sensor yet? I'm curious about the state it's in as you run a lot of BIO, maybe if that is clean as well, the BIO is the big difference.

have you asked the dealer what they think? maybe they gave you some super secret anti-soot absorbing oil developed by NASA with help from E.T.

robert46123 · **Posted:** Tue Aug 21, 2007 9:48 am

I don't know how it could possibly be clear at all. I just changed the oil on ours this weekend and when I checked the level after the new oil fill it already looked dark. The oil that comes out of this CRD is the nastiest stuff I've ever seen come out of an engine.

BKH · **Posted:** Tue Aug 21, 2007 10:52 am

I pulled the MAP sensor about six months ago. It had some build-up on it, but it was NOTHING compared to the photos I've seen on here! And that was early, early spring, after a winter of running non-bio diesel. So, maybe it does have something to do with it. I know that I've been in a couple other CRDs and I'm always amazed how smooth mine idles and runs compared to the other ones. Maybe this is part of it? Now if it could just get better in-town mileage (16-18 ). But at least its highway mileage is off the charts at 26-33.

PS: Tech - the Denver dealers are idiots when it comes to this engine. They almost dread it when you bring one in. This last time was ridiculous when all the service managers asked each other how much it cost to change the oil in a CRD. Everyone shrugged and one even said, "I hate those things." Nice. I remember the first dealer I used (where I bought it) when I had a bad CAC hose. They gave it back saying, "sounds fine to us." Hell you think the engine bay covered in oil might be a sign that something is wrong???? Ugggh. Now I use a place called Lithia Jeep on S. Havana in Aurora, CO. A long drive, but at least there must be a mechanic at this mega-dealership who knows what's going on with this motor as they've done a good job so far. They even did the F37 without a single glitch. So, I put up with the service advisers....

techTim · **Posted:** Tue Aug 21, 2007 10:55 am

wow! 33mpg! is that running stock tires?

(boy I could watch Stewie dance all day)

BKH · **Posted:** Tue Aug 21, 2007 10:59 am

Tech - I just edited my response when you replied. Check it again. As for Stewie, there's a much more obnoxious version of this where's his hands are doing things that would probably get me kicked off of here. If I ever sell the CRD, I'm going to put that on here just to see how long it takes for someone to notice.

oldnavy · **Posted:** Wed Aug 22, 2007 7:35 am

BKH wrote:

Tech - I just edited my response when you replied. Check it again. As for Stewie, there's a much more obnoxious version of this where's his hands are doing things that would probably get me kicked off of here. If I ever sell the CRD, I'm going to put that on here just to see how long it takes for someone to notice.

Probably not long at all!!!! :wink:

Hey how is he '07 CDI doing? I was going to buy a '08 model (R320CDI) the dealer had coming, but got leary about all the extra crap hung on the engine and stepped back to a slightly used '05 CDI that was flauless. Decided to wait and let others see what,if any probems need to be worked out of the vehicles. Hope I didn't make a mistake as I was offered a heck of a good price on the R class, not much more in reality then what I paid for the E class.

BKH · **Posted:** Wed Aug 22, 2007 12:12 pm

The 07 CDI is doing great. The engine is amazing. We've put about 5K miles on it since May. No problems with the engine at all. Now it's had the typical ML problems of a couple rattles, airbag warning stickers put on the back side of the sunvisors - upside down, crooked, and wrinkled!, and one side of the rear suspension having to be re-done due to this LOUD "creaking" noise. Having had one ML before, this is nothing.

I've considered an earlier E320CDI - that engine is supposedly indestructible. I work with a guy who has an 05 and he treats it like dirt. It'll probably run forever. So, I'd say you probably did well. Keep it maintained and it'll be with you a long time. And it'll keep its value better than an R class. Have you seen how badly those depreciate???

oldnavy · **Posted:** Wed Aug 22, 2007 1:56 pm

Cowpie1 · **Posted:** Wed Aug 22, 2007 9:40 pm

robert46123 wrote:

I don't know how it could possibly be clear at all. I just changed the oil on ours this weekend and when I checked the level after the new oil fill it already looked dark. The oil that comes out of this CRD is the nastiest stuff I've ever seen come out of an engine.

You ought to see the crap that comes out of my '06 14L Cummins ISX in my Volvo semi! it's an EGR motor like the CRD and the oil gets looking nasty within 500 miles of an oil change. Don't have bypass on it and have been changing at 30K. Got 295K on it now and it runs better than ever. Now if it will do 1.4 million miles like my last Cummins without a major repair, I'll be content.

o8k · **Posted:** Thu Aug 23, 2007 9:15 pm

Even w/ my Bypass filter i get the dark stuff, takes longer to darken but dark stuff none the less....

My guess is someon badged a gasser w/ the CRD badges hehehe....

bentrod · **Posted:** Wed Sep 05, 2007 10:40 am

I would love to see clean oil for a change.

oldnavy · **Posted:** Wed Sep 05, 2007 1:43 pm

bentrod wrote:

I would love to see clean oil for a change.

Just buy a gasser. Hahahahahahaha!!! :lol:

Clear Oil? What's up with that?

Who is online