Are there any engine oil UV tracer dye colors other than yellow?

Owen Lucas

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Are there any engine oil tracer dye colors other than the yellow?

The reason for the 2 different dyes is I would like to see overlap between colors if a seal repair fails since using the same color dye could be from prior contamination.
 
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They make them, but can you find/buy them... that is the question.
Looks like I found my answer

https://tracerproducts.com/heavy-duty-multi-colored-fluid-dye-uv-leak-detection-kit/

Tracerline.webp


TPUV93HD
MULTI-COLORED FLUID DYE UV LEAK DETECTION KIT FOR HEAVY DUTY/FLEET
Pinpoint the exact source of multiple leaks in color.

The leak detection kit includes three color-coded dyes for petroleum and synthetic-based fluids: white dye, yellow dye, and blue dye. The kit also includes a specially designed green fluorescent dye for conventional coolant.

By offering a kit with color-coded dyes, a technician can quickly isolate and identify multiple leaks in multiple vehicle systems.

and

https://tracerproducts.com/uv-fluorescent-dye-multi-colored/

Multi-Colored-Fluorescent-Dyes.webp


Blue UV Dye
https://www.amazon.com/Tracer-Products-Tracerline-Oil-Based-TP3340-1P6/dp/B09XWJVP27

White UV Dye
https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/...line-oil-based-fluid-dye-white/trcj/tp33201p6
 
I use the tracer kit shown above. I like the white dye for engine oil and the blue dye for transmission fluid.
What color do you see the tracerline white dye when looking at it under a UV light? I bought a package of the TP3320 white oil based system dye, but it looks bright orange when looking at it under both a 365nm and 400nm UV light. This dye also looks dark red under natural light, so I am wondering if there is a problem with the dye, UV light or both since it never looks white.
 
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What color do you see the tracerline white dye when looking at it under a UV light? I bought a package of the TP3320 white oil based system dye, but it looks bright orange when looking at it under both a 365nm and 400nm UV light. This dye also looks dark red under natural light, so I am wondering if there is a problem with the dye, UV light or both since it never looks white.
It is very concentrated in the bottle and thats what its supposed to look like in the bottle. Once mixed with engine oil it glows white
 
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It is very concentrated in the bottle and thats what its supposed to look like in the bottle. Once mixed with engine oil it glows white

I did not see the dye glow white under any conditions. You can see in the images below under 365nm UV light the white dye is bright orange in the bottle, and orange/yellow when mixed with engine oil. The new engine oil without any dye looks more white than the dyed oil, and the sample of oil that leaked on my vehicle looks like a very dull lightly colored orange. I can't figure out why the color is so far off what it is advertised, and why the color of the leaked oil doesn't match exactly to the oil sample taken off the dipstick.

Dye_NaturalLight.jpg


Dye_365nmUV.jpg
 
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Was the sample of leaked oil taken after dye was added to the suspected fluid? The dye gets installed 1/2 ounce to every gallon of engine oil. Using the 1 ounce bottle in the crankcase is fine. Your new oil with dye sample is likely still not diluted enough to get it to turn white.

My demo on the white dye that I use in class is I put a thumbprint of the white dye on a white box and let it dry then hit it with the UV light.
 
Was the sample of leaked oil taken after dye was added to the suspected fluid? The dye gets installed 1/2 ounce to every gallon of engine oil. Using the 1 ounce bottle in the crankcase is fine. Your new oil with dye sample is likely still not diluted enough to get it to turn white.

My demo on the white dye that I use in class is I put a thumbprint of the white dye on a white box and let it dry then hit it with the UV light.

The sample of oil with dye in the original images was not new oil but rather oil from the sump taken off the dipstick, so I reuploaded new images to correct this mistake. The leaked oil sample was taken off the bottom of the bellhousing after it was cleaned of oil residue and dyed oil was added to the engine.

3/4 ounce of dye was added to a jug of new engine oil and agitated before changing the oil on the vehicle. The final concentration in the engine comes out to 3/4 ounce dye for 6 quarts of oil, which is at the high end of concentration for the 1/2 ounce for 4-6 quarts specified in the instructions.
 
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