Too Cheap to Do an Oil Analysis

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Sep 18, 2002
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I figure I could post this question here and save me an oil analysis fee. And it's not a question that is gonna change my life or anything.
I am merely curious. That is all.

What would you think would make used engine oil at a 3000-5000 mile OCI have a red tint? It's actually quite attractive but no other oil
that I have ever used turns this color. I am not bashing the oil. I thought it was my engines issue but it did it on multiple cars. I experimented with
another oil and it does not tint red. Could there be some special additive? Some secret ingredient?

When I say red tint, the oil looks like used oil in the drain pan. It's when it fans out during the drain or when you swirl the drain pan that the red tint
shows up. Or on your paper towels during clean up.

I enjoy sarcasm so have at it ;)
 
IMO oil analysis is usually a waste of $$$ as most cheeper analysis dont say a lot. unless your running an over the road rig that uses cases of oil to change it matters not! just change oil in a timely manner, usually 5 thou!
 
IMO oil analysis is usually a waste of $$$ as most cheeper analysis dont say a lot. unless your running an over the road rig that uses cases of oil to change it matters not! just change oil in a timely manner, usually 5 thou!
Amen
 
Because it is the lifeblood of the engine? Anyway I used to use an oil that was red tinted, I think it was Lubrication Engineers but my memory is fading.
 
Is it Rotella Gas truck because it seems like I have noticed the same. In no way do I think it's anything detrimental and it is also possible that its a figment of my imagination. I never thought twice about it as like you once in the pan it looks like any other used oil, it's just the stream coming out appears redish in color.
 
Some times when pics are posted of engines the varnish to me looks like it has a red tint to it, this could be my monitor or I am red/brown color blind.
 
I figure I could post this question here and save me an oil analysis fee. And it's not a question that is gonna change my life or anything.
I am merely curious. That is all.

What would you think would make used engine oil at a 3000-5000 mile OCI have a red tint? It's actually quite attractive but no other oil
that I have ever used turns this color. I am not bashing the oil. I thought it was my engines issue but it did it on multiple cars. I experimented with
another oil and it does not tint red. Could there be some special additive? Some secret ingredient?

When I say red tint, the oil looks like used oil in the drain pan. It's when it fans out during the drain or when you swirl the drain pan that the red tint
shows up. Or on your paper towels during clean up.

I enjoy sarcasm so have at it ;)
What would you think would make used engine oil at a 3000-5000 mile OCI have a red tint? # engines. I would say the 3,000 to 5,000 mile oil change intervals.
 
Ambient lighting in your garage when you change it? It's not something I would worry about - there are several possible explanations, and none of them are detrimental to the life of your cars...
 
Red tint - you didn't cut yourself during the oil change? ;)
Doing a UOA doesn't necessarily cost anything. The cost of UOA is comparable to the cost of changing the oil. When the oil change due date is nearing, take a 3 oz. sample without changing it. If the UOA results say the oil has plenty of life (as it often does), you just saved yourself an oil change. This has happened to me several times.
 
ATF mixing with oil? Royal Purple mixed with other oil? Someone put some dye in the oil to check for oil leaks?
I just tried my first RP because I got it on closeout at WM about 15 months ago for just barely under $20 a 5 quart Jug. Looked very Purple pouring it in but now on the dip stick it is nearly totally translucent. Yes I thought that Purple was going to make the dipstick a lot easier to use but it isn't. I don't worry so much about how many miles my oil has on it. I only worry about nice, dry and warm weather so my OCI are in April and October on a sunny day of course.

Besides I do UOA on occasion I got my Wix kits through RA for $9.95 each.
 
I just tried my first RP because I got it on closeout at WM about 15 months ago for just barely under $20 a 5 quart Jug. Looked very Purple pouring it in but now on the dip stick it is nearly totally translucent. Yes I thought that Purple was going to make the dipstick a lot easier to use but it isn't. I don't worry so much about how many miles my oil has on it. I only worry about nice, dry and warm weather so my OCI are in April and October on a sunny day of course.

Besides I do UOA on occasion I got my Wix kits through RA for $9.95 each.
Laying in the snow under your vehicle when its windy & cold, getting hands covered with black motor oil, now thats the makings of a real man.
 
I have actually had this happen on vehicles I used to own. Interestingly enough the oil didn't matter, no difference in brand, conventional or synthetic either. When ever I would drain the oil at 5k intervals it was red for sure. It was both a Ford five hundred and a freestyle. Both with the Duratec 3.0 in them. I figured it was just dissolving varnish and never gave it a second thought. the oil wasn't really dirty looking for 5k, probably about the color of maple syrup. If I let the dealer do the oil change, I would think they put red tranny fluid in it like they did with the CVT tranny. But that is a whole other conversation.
 
When I worked on NAVY helos we did a ton of oil analysis on the gearboxes, but on my vehicles nah! better things to do and a waste of money, just stay away from extended oil changes. ;)
 
When I worked on NAVY helos we did a ton of oil analysis on the gearboxes, but on my vehicles nah! better things to do and a waste of money, just stay away from extended oil changes. ;)
I don't know about other planes in the USAF but every F-16 that landed where I worked got an oil analysis after a flight.
 
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