Oil color question

[GreeCguy]

Good evening fellow oilers:
Another basic question about oils that maybe you guys can help me with. Every now and then I use non-detergent motor oil. I use it in an oil bath air cleaner on an old Case tractor. I have noticed that certain brands have different colors. "Freds" ND 30 weight has a dark brown, (like tea) color. "Unilube" as a very light brown, (like honey). Recently, I purchased a quart of "Accel" at Walmart. The oil was totally clear, like water. I even thought it might be kerosene, but it does have the feel and consistency of motor oil. Does anyone know why these different brands have different colors? Remember, all brands are non-detergent SA rated, 30 weight motor oil. Thanks in advance!
Glenn

 

[pitzel]

As Molakule has stated, motor oils tend to come out of the refinery as being clear, colourless liquids. I can personaly verify this, albeit with respect to Voltesso transformer oil, because at my former job, I would receive shipments of the product by the tanker-load.

Added to motor oil are dyes that give motor oil its honey-like colour. Apparently its too hard to market a clear, colourless motor oil to the general public without running into individuals who will not buy the product because its clear and does not look like their 'fathers motor oil'.

 

[GreeCguy]

Well I'll be dogged! You know, I have to be honest, when I first poured it into the air cleaner, I was sure that I have been jipped into buying a quart of Kerosene because, like you said, it sure didn't look like Papa's oil. Then I got to thinking, "if that's really oil, why don't they make a 'clear, clean oil." Wouldn't that be better in your motor as it would stay cleaner longer? Go figure - thanks for the reply.

 

[pitzel]

I wouldn't mind having access to a motor oil that isn't dyed.

Actually Esso XD-3 is pretty darn close un-dyed as well. I can stain a napkin with the stuff and it only looks greasy, not with an actual colour.

 

[Gilitar]

While pouring some Royal Purple in today I was thinking about the dyes used. I imagine that the dyes have no effect on the oils properties. If you want to see some funny looking oil you should check out Royal Purple. It looks like grape kool-aid, but it just doesn't have the same taste.

 

[99]

I love the quasi neon yellow of Valvoline VR1 Racing 50WT.

 

[Ugly3]

quote:

---

Originally posted by pitzel:
I wouldn't mind having access to a motor oil that isn't dyed.

Actually Esso XD-3 is pretty darn close un-dyed as well. I can stain a napkin with the stuff and it only looks greasy, not with an actual colour.

---

Little hard to see on the dipstick?

 

[Kestas]

I was told that the US market prefers brown-colored oil, whereas the European market prefers green-colored oil. Can anyone confirm or deny that?