Engine oil turns black from a combination of combustion byproducts, heat oxidation, and detergent additives suspending carbon particles in the fluid. Black oil is not automatically a sign of a problem ...

Under normal circumstances, most modern engine oil and gasoline brands work fine on their own to keep your engine running smoothly. But there may be cases where even the best of them could use a ...

Analyzing the oil in your vehicle is like sending your blood to the lab for tests. An engine oil analysis can provide clues about the health of your engine – without any invasive surgery. By analyzing ...

Walk into any parts store and you'll see the rows of glossy bottles promising to stop engine wear, boost fuel economy, and make your old clunker run like it just rolled out of the factory. The auto ...

Engine oil color reveals its age, contamination level, and operating condition. Fresh oil is amber or light brown. Oil darkened to black but still translucent after a few thousand miles is normal.

Diesel engine oil additives are popular add-on layers of protection, but many of their cornerstone benefits are already engineered into base lubricants. Brian Humphrey, OEM technical liaison for Petro ...

As someone who's driven classic cars daily for around 15 years, as well as working on and restoring such cars throughout my education, I take vintage automotive maintenance very seriously. Many of ...

We earn commissions from purchases you make using links in our articles. Learn more. Most drivers know that regular oil changes are necessary to maintain the life and performance of their vehicle. For ...

Engine oil seems so simple. It's slippery. It keeps metal parts from fusing together. It's messy, especially when it has been squeezed, slung, and sprayed around the inside of a hot engine for ...