Really black oil at 5000k first oil change, should I be worried?

[borgia]

Sorry, a noob question.

I just changed the oil and filter myself (for the first time ever actually ) at 5000k/6 months in my 2012 STI. It got babied for 1600k, but thrashed since then, including 2 track days. The oil that came out was deep black and tarry. I have no idea how it should look, but I thought it should be least a little like the stuff I was putting in. Is it normal for it to be like that after 5000k? Should I change it more often, or is it just because its the first ever change?

Thanks Ivan

Oh, and Itried to search this, could not find anything, apologies if this has been asked before.

[nickmcgill]

Yep more or less normal.

If the oil came out clean then it wouldn\'t be doing it\'s job.

Might pay to do changes if you\'re doing trackdays in it though.

I know Subaru recommends doing a oil change after one.

[borgia]

Every track day?

Wow, that adds up!

130 for the day, 120 for gas, at least 200 worth of rubber, and now 100 for oil and filter!

Lucky its all separate items I can hide on the credit card.....

Thanks

[Guest]

 nickmcgill said:

Yep more or less normal.

If the oil came out clean then it wouldn\'t be doing it\'s job.

Not exactly esp with it being brand new.

Being a brand new car so I imagine you would get a bit of assembly lube/etc out of it first change. I wouldve thought you would need to get servicing done at Subaru till its out of warranty anyway?

[boon]

I can\'t remember the exact ratio but I\'ve been told 1 track km = something like 100 road kms, oil-wise.

Oil is cheap, bottom end bearings aren\'t

[borgia]

 evowrx']

[quote name='nickmcgill said:

Yep more or less normal.

If the oil came out clean then it wouldn\'t be doing it\'s job.

/quote]

Not exactly esp with it being brand new.

Being a brand new car so I imagine you would get a bit of assembly lube/etc out of it first change. I wouldve thought you would need to get servicing done at Subaru till its out of warranty anyway?

Well, I bought a service plan, but the first oil change is 12k or a year, and I didnt want to wait that long. I figure as long as I use a subaru filter ill be fine. I dont even want to think what a oil and filter change would cost at the dealer. Every time I take it there they put a bottle of "fuel treatment" in the tank and charge me $25 plus GST....

Cheers

[tebbyj]

Your running the car on 98octane gas?

I agree with you that 12,500ks for a service is a bit long. But i would think that after only 5000 on a fresh engine oil wouldn\'t be tarry, black i can believe as this is what the oil is designed to do. I known that at the dealer they use 5w-30 Castrol Magnatec Professional or as its an STI you may get the 5w-30 motul. But im unsure what oil they come with out of the factory, maybe its a different oil to help engine break in?

[T.Rev]

I would have thought there was an oil change after 1500km(running in oil)then 5000km after that..but Im no expert. Good luck with longevity thrashing it after 1500kms.

Oil goes black compared to honey colour at start.

[Marky]

Was the car "run in" when you bought it - or was it still at under 100km or so?

I have no idea how things go with "brand spanking new" cars mind you but I would have thought the first change would have been long before 12 thou

+1 to changing it after each track day, for a motor worth more than my whole car it\'s cheap insurance

[borgia]

 T.Rev said:

I would have thought there was an oil change after 1500km(running in oil)then 5000km after that..but Im no expert. Good luck with longevity thrashing it after 1500kms.

Oil goes black compared to honey colour at start.

What\'s wrong with thrashing it then? 1500 or 15000 it should be bedded in and ready to go I would have thought? There are a lot of websites that say you should go hard from day 1...

It\'s subaru owners manual that has the change at 12k, that\'s new for 2012 as previously there was a change around 5k or so. I got it brand new and followed the manual.

[loner]

I change the oil before and after a track day... and the filter with one of those changes. 12500 km between changes is crazy

for an STi or any turbo...a turbo cooks the oil really fast.

[Kiwi_Fozze]

Most guys here tend to do oil and filter every 5k...

[Guest]

Will also depend a lot on the oil and its make up. If youre going to do this sort of thing just get an oil test done then you\'ll have a fair idea of whats going on and how the oils holding up. Might be worth changing the filter though as they have a serviceable life and oils are starting to outlive the filtration nowadays.

Not a good comparison at all but few guys running CJ in their fleets up here to 15thou and the oils still well within spec and trucks work relatively hard most of their lives doing 1mil+ km. Genuines telling one to push them out to 20k.

Short story change it at 5k like the rest of the world who gives a s*** and before/after every race but make sure youre within your warranty terms whatever you do. Idk how anal they are with warranty but if its anything like stihl saws then watchout if you have a problem and arent using their oil.

[nickmcgill]

My owners manual says that it should be changed before and after doing track days.

Normally I change mine between 4-5k as I\'m fussy and as it\'s been said it\'s cheap insurance and good piece of mind to know things are happily lubed.

Still always comes out fairly black though.

[familyman]

Wouldn\'t a track day void a warranty from dealer? Or is that just insurance?

[Pappu1]

change at 5k or lower and u will be sweet

i have sometimes changed at under 2k

just cos oil is cheap

i just chuck in oil changes whenever really end up doing abt 4-5 over an year on average

[filthyrich]

I change mine every time I am bored (often), but then they are free for me....