Dye's in oil

[grbr95]

It's been spoke of many times here at BITOG as far as engine oils containing dye's in them which make oils appear to have differences...
I've used Valvoline, Castrol, and Mobil C 5000 and Havoline in the past 2 years, and each brand is somewhat different in color... Recently I used Havoine, and it by far is the darkest engine oil of all the brands I've used. Is this really because of dyes or differences in additives, or quality? Valvoline; although, the least preferred is the abolutely the cleanest looking oil of any I've seen. You can't even see it on the stick after you fill your engine with it. It's almost water clear, but not quite. So what is the fact of what I'm bringing up here for discussion. I would like to hear from someone who really knows, or who as spoken about this in the past.

 

[Al]

I know for sure schaeffer puts in a dye that turns it green. Other than that..I don't know.

 

[Ray H]

Pure Kentucky windage on my part, but until proved otherwise, I suspect the amber coloration associated with motor oil is from the (often used) Group I carrier oil and the additive package, itself. (Group II and Group III paraffin base stocks, and Group III PAO base stocks are virtually water-white clear by themselves.) I also find reasonable that at least some of the darkening associated with some motor oils is the result of certain additive components changing hue upon heating to engine temperatures as has been speculated by others on this site. Obviously with continued use all internal combustion engine oils will eventually darken from the buildup of unfilterable, though detergent neutralized, contaminants. To summarize, though opinions will surely vary, I personally doubt the presence or absence of quick buildup of color, or the initial virgin coloration in a given motor oil is evidence of superior or inferior formulation.

 

[grbr95]

Ok Ray,
Then is Havoline using grp I? Man that stuff is dark. I can't get over how dark Havoline is compared to Valvoline and Castrol? Does anyone really know if Havoline is Grp II or higher?
I'ver heard people say it is.

 

[G-MAN]

99.9% of the color of finished motor oil comes from the additive package. Some additive packages have dyes added to give a unique hue. Some motor oils have dyes added to give a unique hue.

Havoline is Group II and Group II+, which means the base oils used are water-white clear.

 

[Mr Nice]

The GF3 SL 5w20 Havoline and Exxon Superflo was very dark, it looked like used oil.

The GF4 SM 5w20 Havoline and Exxon Superflo is very light in color.

 

[grbr95]

quote:

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Originally posted by LT4 Vette:
The GF3 SL 5w20 Havoline and Exxon Superflo was very dark, it looked like used oil.

The GF4 SM 5w20 Havoline and Exxon Superflo is very light in color.

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Exactly...When I recently use 10w30 in my van, I poured a 5 qt jug of Havoline and it nearly looked like used motor oil that had only 3-5 hundred miles on it.

 

[bruce381]

PCMO's will vary from light to dark amber due to add pak nothing to do with dyes.

Dyes when used are normally green or yellow, color
is just a variation in add paks more than base oils which will be water white GPII and GPIII.
bruce

 

[KYhunter]

I use Havoline 5w30 SM and I find it to be Very clear. I can hardly read it on dipstick after 1000 miles it's so clear.

 

[Dominic]

For me, valvoline isn't the least preferred. I get my best wear with it, even over Mobil 1 (using synpower).

And, I like my undyed oil.

 

[Leo]

So one could say the darker the oil, the beefier the add pack?

 

[Cooper]

NO....Look at some of the best oils. IE...GC Gold, Mobil 1, PP. They are all very light in color. They are also some of the better protecting oils on the market. Don't ever believe that the darker the oil the better. They could put horse manure in the oil, and it would be darker, would you want to use it then?