Redline changed from red to light brown in color ?

[brianpavlovic]

This is my first run with Redline 5W-40 in my 05 Jetta GLI 1.8T engine. I changed my oil at 10k and used Redline oil 5W-40. I drive 80% highway and 20% city driving. Almost 4000 miles later, (now I have 14k miles) the oil is now a light brownish in color. The oil used to be red. What is going on? Should I be worried?

-Brian

 

[LarryL]

Your oil is doing its job, and the darker color is just part of the process of cleaning and lubricating. If you have any questions, you can call tech help, Dave, at Red Line.

Red Line Synthetic Oil Corporation (800) 624-7958

Red Line FAQ's

 

[brianpavlovic]

Okay, so here's the thing, It has only been in my motor for about 4,000 miles. Either my engine was really dirty or the other oils have not been doing their job. But, I will say that the engine is a lot quieter and the turbo spools up with no lag and sounds sweeter!!!!!!

-Brian

 

[moribundman]

Isn't there a chance the red dye isn't heat resistant and simply turns dark? How's the color of the green Elven brew change over time?

 

[ARB1977]

I used to use redline from 9K to 45K in my tacoma V6 for me it was always clear when it was poured then turned darker as it was used.

 

[buster]

Same here....was never RED out of the bottle. That is just dye anyway like the German Castrol is green. Goes away very quickly. Oil should get dark. Dark means that it is doing it's job. Oil 101.

 

[wavinwayne]

For comparison, when I ran green GC in my VW 1.8T, it would go from green to brown after the first 100 miles or so.

 

[wavinwayne]

AFAIK, all oil, regardless of color, turns brown/black once it has been in use for a while.

The color of Redline oil is just a dye. It doesn't have anything to do with the actual lubricating properties of the oil.

 

[brianpavlovic]

Okay, so I gather that the oil is doing it's job, but I am still going to stick with 5k miles for my oil change. Either my engine was really dirty or the oil has a lot of detergents.

Brian

 

[bruce381]

Run RL 10-12K and no problem Run ANY SL DINO to 5-7K get up to date everyone.

I have almost 7K on a GPII SL oil 5w30 in my expy and TBN is still 4.0 down from 8.0 or so new.
bruce

 

[daemonite]

changing the redline out at 5000 is a waste...

Change it at 10,000. Redline is a mighty nice oil.

 

[Alan]

Hey Bruce your right.
It seems here on Bitog a lot of us can't see the forest because of the tree's.

 

[Pablo]

brian - relax - it's just a red oil dye as the others have said.

Amsoil S2K 20W-50 has a red dye also - fades to brownish as the oil darkens as ALL oils do with use. Normal.

 

[abimanyu]

Yeah, we've been so indoctorinated that dark colored oil is bad. Just do an oil analysis for your Red Line oil, and you will discover that it's a mighty robust oil. I wouldn't worry about it, change at 5k or 10k it's up to you. But I don't have the patience to wait until 10k,I'm always looking forward to my next oil change. If I have a $30K car, I woudn't mind spending some $50 or so for new oil and filter every 5K or 6 months.

 

[LarryL]

Red Line does a much better job keeping an engine clean than other synthetic oils. I've switched several engines from Amsoil and Mobil 1 to Red Line and the Red Line will produce a terrible uoa while cleaning up the crud. If you give it some time, things will look better. My wife's Volvo is so clean inside that it's really difficult to read the dip stick. The car is a 96 with almost 150k miles and is absolutely clean inside, like it was assembled yesterday. Don't worry about the darker color, you oil is just doing its job.

 

[TallPaul]

I like what I am hearing in this thread. I filled my wife's '92 Aerostar with Redline in Oct and now have 1000 miles on the oil. I was planning to run it one year, about 7000 to 8000 miles, but perhaps I can run 1.5 years. We'll see.

 

[Ray H]

Terminal panic attack. The original poster would go nuts if he drove a diesel.

 

[bulwnkl]

When did Redline start coloring their motor oils red? I've used their motor oils since ~'99 and have never, ever had it come out of the bottle red. The most recent stuff I bought was a bottle of 10W30 a few (4?) months ago at a local shop with very good turnover. It was not red. I still have just a little in the bottle out in the garage. It is not red. Did I miss something?

In any event, my 10,000-mile run this year turned the 10W30 quite dark. According to my cardstock tests there was absolutely nothing in the oil (contamination-wise I mean). My used oil analysis at ~8,200 confirmed the high remaining TBN, very low wear, and 0% insolubles. Dyson Analysis commented that it was working very well and the color was not an indicator of oil trouble.

FWIW.