i just had a full service at an independant garage who i have used before with no problems, however this time my engine oil looks thick and black, and i have only driven 30 miles since it was done, i am thinking that the oil was never changed, or do some oils go black very quickly?

sounds like they forgot to change!! i done my service yesterday and my oil was the same nasty stuff! could be worth checking to see if the other parts were replaced too!! take a spark out or somin mine were evil!!! is the car any differnt as my car is now very quiet and alot more resonsive!!!!

Hmm they may have not allowed gravity to play its part very long and didnt let it all drop from the sump. If the oil has not been changed in a long while it will coagulate.

If I found myself in that position, I would dump some Engine Flush* in her before pulling the sump plug which will thin the oil out to the almost consistency of water. This allows even the old oil stuck in the hydraulic tappets to become free resulting in a nice smooth sounding lump (If your motor has um) =]

If even after all that you STILL have jet black really thick oil quite soon after you do this, combustion gases finding there way into places they shouldn't be finding themselves is most likely to blame and I suggest you have your engine inspected by a specialist on those bases.

Or..... It's fine and your oil is turning colour as it should :) Would really need to be there to see I guess. Photo maybe?

*http://www.halfords....tegoryId_255221

Daz

_{Hi Guys}

_{thanks for all your input on this, i have been back to garage this morning, and the owner said he wasnt sure if oil had been changed but he assumed it had, he left it to a young lad to service my car and took his word that everything had been done correctly, he never checked the lads work at all, so i insisted that they change the oil and filter whilst i was there, so reluctantly they did and i stood next to my car watching, so another garage down the pan no longer will they get my custom, why cant they just do an honest days work and stop trying to rip people off they charge enough without looking for extra}

A result in any case ! Well done for standing your ground Matey ;)

I used to be a service manager/spanner at Sandall BMW, and it does happen where the yougsters/apprentices miss something quite obvious but essential... It was my job to look at their hands and the engine BEFORE it was cleaned/valeted before signing the vehicle out as completed...

Like I said, well done for returning the car for satisfied outcome ;)