oil color significance???

[dwcopple]

When I use a synthetic blend like TropArtic or Kendall GT1 or Motorcraft the oil is very light almost like canola oil but when I use the Citgo High Mileage oil it is dark like almost used oil dark...what's the deal? Is it from the High Mileage additives? BTW I just did an oil change from Citgo to TA GF4 semi-syn and my car is quieter and a touch smoother too...I was using a Super Tech filter but this time used a Quaker State(Purolator).

 

[rg144]

I was just wondering the same thing - the Trop/Artic (I finally get it - hot/cold - duh!) is really clear.

So I'm thinking 'clear' = less additives required = better base stocks. Then I bought some 30W T/A for the lawn equipment - and the same wicked smell in the oil and color.

I guess we have to ask Terry why he thought this oil was decent.

 

[msparks]

Amsoil is usually darker coming out of the bottle,

It will turn a little darker but not much and will stay that way over many thousands of miles.

 

[jaj]

There was a thread a while ago, in the "Question of the day" section that Molekule runs. Apparently most base oils and additives are clear colorless liquids.

The "Question of the day" was "what is the most expensive component in motor oil?" The answer was "the dye that colors it" - it costs more per ounce than any of the other components; luckily, they don't use much.

The key point here is that the color of the oil is a marketing decision - apparently "people" don't think oil that's colorless and clear has enough "stuff" in it to work properly or last a long time, so the blenders add color to it. That's why GC was green, and Royal Purple is purple, and most other oils are yellow-through-brownish in color.

Cheers
JJ

 

[widman]

First is the base oil color. Group II is clear. I have to explain to dozens of mechanics why my group II hydrulic oils and turbine oils are clear, not yellow. Different Group I base oils are different colors. The plant I buy from once produced motor oils from both Tulsa and Houston. The Houston product was too dark for some my customers and they insisted it was recycled. After many explanations, I finally had to post a sign in the warehouse to only send Tulsa product to that customer.
Then come the additives: Calcium and Magnesium are different colors. Right now I don't remember which, but I think it is Magnesium that is darker. So you can make the same CI-4 oil two different colors by using different detergent/dispersant (of course you will also effect the ash level, as magnesium has a higher ash content.) And if you add moly (black) it will get darker still.

 

[LVHospiceRN]

quote:

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Originally posted by jaj:
The key point here is that the color of the oil is a marketing decision - apparently "people" don't think oil that's colorless and clear has enough "stuff" in it to work properly or last a long time, so the blenders add color to it. That's why GC was green, and Royal Purple is purple, and most other oils are yellow-through-brownish in color.

Cheers
JJ

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Actually GC is green cuz, well, cuz the elves make it that way...secret blend that is a closely guarded secret...not for us mere mortals to know or understand...

Just IMHO, YMMV
darrell
sin city