Everything, even the smallest of things, can affect the performance of your engine. Whether topping off your fuel tank or driving on motor oil past its expiration date, you're slowly killing your car.

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.

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 ...

Before exploring the causes of excessive oil consumption, it is helpful to point out that all engines consume some oil through normal operation. Your engine oil forms a lubricating film between the ...