I changed the oil in my 2016 Nissan Rouge at 1650 miles using Castrol GTX Magnatec 0w-20 synthetic and the specified Nissan oil filter. It's been a few weeks since I last checked the oil But I checked it today and it appears to be red as almost like tranny fluid. I have never seen oil turn red before. The antifreeze is a blue green color so I don't think there is a head gasket problem. The transmission is a sealed CVT unit so I can't check the fluid and I don't know what color it is any way. The car has 4800 miles on it and the oil has 3100 miles on it. Since I planned on changing it at 5000 miles, I made an appointment with Nissan for an oil change and tire rotation for Monday. I'm hoping it's nothing but I will mention the oil color to the Nissan rep. Anybody ever see this?
Motor oil is now red in color
- Thread starter Frank D
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Report back after the dealer service. ed
I had this happen on the parent's 07 Camry. Checked the oil and it was not only a quart low but RED in color. The car had 44k miles on it at the time and the previous oil change was at a newer Toyota dealer that sent a free oil change coupon to my parents. A different dealer than where the car was purchased. The newer dealer mentions a lot about using various additives during oil changes so I'm guessing it was probably from the additive. Never went back to that dealer for service. Mentioned it to the original dealer and they didn't find anything. It was traded in at 80k with no other issues.
I have not added any additives as I don't use them.
Could just be the additives/wear metals in the FF reacting with the Magnatec. If the oil level is ok and running smooth/no vibration I wouldn't worry about it.
I was actually thinking about that, if it was just cleaning up assembly lubes or breaking in additives.
I had that happen many times in different engines. THIS IS NOT A SEPARATE ADDITIVE. As engine works and goes through internal temperature cycles (Hot-Cold-Hot-Cold-Warm) it heats up and cools down the oil. Oil, in its turn, starts to leave varnish, BUT the additives that are IN THE OIL clean up that varnish after itself. That whole process gives the oil a red, transmission-fluid-like color at the early stages in the oil change interval. IT IS NOTHING TO BE AFRAID OF. It is a normal process of oil cleaning up after itself. Oil color usually starts at gold, then turns into red, then brown, dark brown, and pitch black depending on your OCI length. It is normal and develops as oil cycles through temperatures and collects byproducts of combustion process.
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In the Camry example I used above I remember the current fill had about 4300 miles on a 5000 mile interval. Whatever conventional oil the Toyota dealer was using.
Very normal, this happened to me in a Honda Fit when draining Shell motor oils (all) so don't be alarmed.
Looks just like ATF!
Looks just like ATF!
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I've never seen any of the many motor oils I've used look red. Shades ranging from almost clear to gold, brown and black of course... but never anything I would call red.
I'm 76 and have always done my own oil changes on many cars and motorcycles that I have owned over the years and have never seen oil turn red.
Supertech conventional comes out rust red at times intermixed in the black.
The oil coming out of my focus usually seems to have a red tint to it.
The FF oil was yellow
The FF oil was yellow
I think Vlad is right on with his analysis here. I have had the oil seem to be rather red in color after adding fresh Motorcraft to my lady's Camry. This was quite surprising to me at the time. I just assumed it was the fresh oil pulling off some residue from the other old oil. I knew it was more than likely all right with how well the car ran afterwards.
Originally Posted By: Frank D
I have never seen oil turn red before.
Nostradamus predicted that in the very last days of civilization, oil will turn red.
I have never seen oil turn red before.
Nostradamus predicted that in the very last days of civilization, oil will turn red.
Engine oil can indeed turn red!. There was an in-house 'incident' that happened before I got into crankcase oils that caused a great deal of managerial hand wringing. My memory of this is extremely vague but I seem to recall it had something to do with overbased calcium phenate complexing with ashless dispersant. I've also seen Oronite (Chevron's additive arm) DI packages that were a deep red colour although admittedly that was about 20 years ago.
FYI, I've also seen diesel fuel turn red. It happened over 35 years ago when my old (now very dead!) oil refinery started up its Visbreaker unit. The colour derived from some optically active nitogen species that the process was making.
FYI, I've also seen diesel fuel turn red. It happened over 35 years ago when my old (now very dead!) oil refinery started up its Visbreaker unit. The colour derived from some optically active nitogen species that the process was making.
It seems strange to me. I've been driving for over 46 years and I have never
seen the oil red. I remember in the 70's, Kendall GT1 was green along with GC
a few years ago but never red. It would get mixed up as transmission fluid if
you had a leak.
seen the oil red. I remember in the 70's, Kendall GT1 was green along with GC
a few years ago but never red. It would get mixed up as transmission fluid if
you had a leak.
On the dipstick the oil looks gold/brown. BUT when you drain it after a short interval - it comes out looking red as it pours out of the oil pan. In my experience it is red at 500-2000 mile OCI, and after that it progresses to goldish brown, and so on. So you will see the red color only if you drain oil after short cleaning OCI. If you have been changing oil for 20,50,70, or 100 years, but always kept it at manufacturer's recommended OCI or longer - then no wonder you never saw the red oil color. It already turned into brownish or darker at that point.
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