I will never use gc 0w-30 again

[Last_Z]

Well, I it is my experience that oils go from a light amber (new) to a dark amber to a light reddish to darker reddish/brownish to black to flat out asphalt.....were you expecting it to turn yellow or perharps pink?

It's nomal and nothing to worry about.....just do an UOA to calm your fear; although I have a feeling you already made up your mind!

 

[Eiron]

I just had this happen to me for the first time in over 20 yrs of doing my own oil changes. We recently bought a used car for my son, & the PO (of 9 yrs) always took it to the Valvoline quick change place for bulk 10W-30 every 4k-5k miles (about every 8 or 9 mos). When I drained out the oil, I was surprised to see it a dark reddish color I didn't recognize (like you say, sort of a marinated teriyaki steak color). This was the first change on an engine type I've never owned before (Saab I4 8v), but I've never seen any oil this color before, & I'm pretty sure the bulk Valvoline isn't doing any ester-based cleaning.

What do it mean?

 

[Craig in Canada]

I've only ever used one RP product - Synchromax. It was HEAVILY died purple.

You say you switched from RP to GC, meaning there would have been a bunch of RP still in your engine somewhere when you added the GC.

Is RP engine oil also tinted purple? You may have just found your secret teriyaki ingredient. (and wasted a bunch of good GC)

 

[shortyb]

GC user since it came to market here (NEVER used the AC 02 version). Yep, goes in green comes out dark amber-brown. Great UOAs in 2 vehicles tested. I have read in several places where some of the add pack components in Castrol products can leave reddish residue. Classic example is the oil filler cap on late model BMWs using the BMW/Casrol oil. Nothing harmful and most likely a result of ester/cleaning action of these oils. This is what I think you experienced too.

 

[Turbodriven]

Yeah a reddish colour should not concern you, if it goes black and smells burnt, then its time to change.

M1 and GC turn that reddish brown in my car....I think I have a sample of the used CG at home....will look tonight and take a pic...

 

[daemonite]

It's probably because it mixed with some old oil in your engine. Oil changes never completely empty out all the old oil

 

[moribundman]

Quote:

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Any thoughts on why GC turned "red"?????

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Heat a mixture of E104 and E131 and see if it stays green.

 

[GT Mike]

My first experience with GC was with the newer light golden colored formula. It was much lighter color than any oil I'd used previously. It did darken up quite a bit in a short period of time, though. Right now there's ~4000 miles on it, and it's so dark brown I can't read the lettering on the dipstick.
Vehicle is a '01 Dodge Durango 4.7L with 128,xxx miles. It's recieved faithful oil changes by the previous owner every 3K at the Dodge dealer using whatever bulk oil they use and Mopar filters.
When I got it, I started using M1 since I had a lot in stock, but switched to Schaeffer Supreme 7000 once that was used up. I had oil consumption with Schaeffer's that wasn't there with M1. It drank a quart in 3500 miles, which really surprised me.
Now that I'm running GC, the consumption has decreased, but it still consumed roughly 1/2 a quart in 4000 miles. I run it pretty hard, so a little oil consumption is to be expected I suppose.

I planned to do a 5000 mile OCI this time, and if I decide to keep with it, I'll go 7500 miles thereafter. I'm sure I could probably go longer, but even at 5000 miles, the oil gets black as tar, so I like to get it out of there and replace it with fresh, if only to please my senses by seeing "clean" oil on the stick.

 

[bruce381]

purple plus green equals red
oil oils/debris being washed out?
bruce

 

[mdocod]

I was going to say royal purple plug German green = terriaki red, but others beat me to it.

I would also like to say, that the way oil looks is more a factor of lighting conditions and reflective objects in the region than the color of the oil itself. If you were at a gas station with a bright red neon sign behind you "OPEN" your oil would looks redish. If you had typical street lights over you, it would look amber orange, with 5000K HIDs overhead, expect metallic blue. Only time I would worry about how it looks, is if I see artifacts(crud) or evidence of foaming.

 

[mdocod]

plug, geeze,

PLUS

 

[Jim 5]

Like shortyb said, I have heard about many BMW engines turning castrol oil reddish. Mine is included. I have great UOA's and TerryD says GC is "the" oil for my BMW engine.

Too bad you dumped the perfectly good GC.

 

[INDYMAC]

I recently started using GC Gold in my 2003 G35. After about 800 miles it is starting to turn redish brown too. I used PP before for a couple of fills. Historically, this car turns fresh oil dark very quickly, but more on the black side than redish brown. I'm very impressed with GC so far. I wish I had jumped on the bandwagon sooner, before it became extinct!

 

[Jim 5]

GC is a good choice for G35's. If you want back-up for that, EKPOLK has posted several g35 UOA's that are very good on GC. It would also be my choice for a VQ35 engine.