OVERKILL
$100 Site Donor 2021
Are you the original owner of the vehicle? Do you see any red varnish when you look in the fill hole of the engine?
drained engine oil is red.
- Thread starter martse
- Start date
My experience is that synthetics, when drained, can have a reddish color.
I've noticed it on many occasions at my center.
Golden color as new, then red, brown and then black.
M1 seemed to have this trait most often.
I'd bet a UOA would show a lot of life left in that oil.
I've noticed it on many occasions at my center.
Golden color as new, then red, brown and then black.
M1 seemed to have this trait most often.
I'd bet a UOA would show a lot of life left in that oil.
Just be happy knowing that you're changing it before the engine had time to more fully contaminate and oxidize the oil into a black color.
email with photos and lot number the total people see if you get a answer. But yes some Antioxidants can turn reddish in use and is normal for them
Nope. From what I've seen in other threads talking about this it's not a concern. Some additive packs will turn red but it doesn't mean the oil is bad.
- Joined
- Sep 25, 2023
- Messages
- 16
I've been running that particular flavor of oil and other TQ varieties in multiple engines (Advance Auto clearance stock). I do get that weird red tint from at least some flavors and they all definitely look different from my former go-to Mobil 1, but I've always had good Blackstone results. An analysis by the lab of your choice should clarify things.
When I had an injector leaking down, the Mobil 1 5W-30 that only had about 2500kms on it at the time was so fuel soaked it was essentially engine cleaner and no longer an engine lubricant.
I quickly had the injector replaced and dropped that oil. It was so thin from the fuel, and for the first time with this car, drained out with a very red tinge to it. I think.it was varnish that the gasoline cleaned out.
My guess is the OP's car has a bad fuel dilution issue.
I quickly had the injector replaced and dropped that oil. It was so thin from the fuel, and for the first time with this car, drained out with a very red tinge to it. I think.it was varnish that the gasoline cleaned out.
My guess is the OP's car has a bad fuel dilution issue.
CleanSump
Site Donor 2026
Reddish at drain time is normal. The Castrol Euro, Mobil ESP, and Amsoil I've used have all drained reddish from different cars. And it wasn't fuel dilution or any kind of engine or injector problem.
That's very popular oil overseas because it covers ACEA A3/B4, MB 229.5, BMW LL-01, and Porsche A40. At the same time is about half the price of Mobil and Castrol. The same oil also has ACEA C3 version. It's most likely group III oil (because they call it synth. technology and not full synth.) with kind of aggressive detergent / dispersant additive package.
The PDS states:
"Engine cleanliness: Detergent and specific dispersive additives."
Total Energies 9000 5w40
A few people on here (as seen above) reported similar color after using Valvoline Restore & Protect. A quick I-net search shows that oils that turn red after use usually have additive package which cleans sludge and varnish. My Mobil 1 EP 0W-20 was also had turned kind a reddish after 8000 km when I was draining it. However, I've never poured it in a glass jar to check its real color. I'll report how the VRP turns out after 5,000 miles.
Check this thread out as well:
https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/motor-oil-is-now-red-in-color.257951/#post-4181581
How many km your car has?
Does it burn oil?
What oil was used before that and how often was changed?
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One interesting observation is that the fresh oil develops a reddish tint almost immediately after an oil change. This suggests that a certain amount of the old oil remains trapped inside the engine. As we know, several hundred milliliters of oil usually stay in the engine and oil pan after draining and cannot be removed through the drain plug alone.
The only way to remove virtually all of the old oil would be to take off the oil pan and clean it completely. That makes me wonder whether something remaining in the engine is consistently coloring each fresh oil fill.
The only way to remove virtually all of the old oil would be to take off the oil pan and clean it completely. That makes me wonder whether something remaining in the engine is consistently coloring each fresh oil fill.
