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I just checked my oil and it looked dark red. Has anyone seen that? I'm used to old oil looking dark, but not dark red, like it has some amount of transmission fluid in it.
Did I just never notice before or is this dark red some bad sign???
(my wife says "possessed - like blood..." but that is only because of the other quirks (gas filler door won't release, rear door lock very loud but won't lock...)
I always run synthetic and had just changed it in June and the oil had less than 3000 miles on it. My dipstick has been rusting at the top , and I am wondering if the tube is rusty?
I changed it today to see what happens next.
--
1993 240 Classic; 1992 240; 1997 850 GLT
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How does this red oil feel when you rub it between your fingers?
Did your oil come in a large container, or small containers?
Where did you buy it?
--
'96 855R,'64 PV544 driver, '67 P1800 basket case, '95 855, '95 854, the first three are mine, heh, heh, 435,000 miles put on 9 bricks
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posted by
someone claiming to be Matt
on
Sat Sep 29 18:52 CST 2007 [ RELATED]
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While red oil may sound strange, the original color of our two stroke Lawnmower oil is bright red (it's a bottle of Castrol stuff, don't know any more than that). It's black when it's changed though but the original color is bright red.
Hopefully that will give you some peace of mind.
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posted by
someone claiming to be fixit2003
on
Tue Sep 25 03:07 CST 2007 [ RELATED]
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Maybe get on the Mobil web site and send them an e-mail describing what happened. Sometimes additives are changed for whatever reason or ingredients are gotten from different suppliers that behave differently. Could be some more crap from China??? Anyway I don't think it's tranny fluid and there's certainly not much that can rust in the 850 engine. What kind of oil filter do you use? May be some dye coming off the filter paper.
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posted by
someone claiming to be fixit2003
on
Tue Sep 25 04:41 CST 2007 [ RELATED]
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Another thing you may try is to heat some Mobil 1 up to 300-350 deg F or so on the stove and see what happens. If it turns red there's your answer.
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posted by
someone claiming to be CN
on
Wed Sep 26 03:33 CST 2007 [ RELATED]
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If you decide to do it, heat the oil on the grass outside of the house. At that temp, the engine oil is combustible, more so than cooking oil.
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Any chance that whoever changed the oil last put T fluid, or some, in it? May want to change the oil (and filter) again and keep track of it. Have no other reasonable ideas.
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I appreciate everyone trying to help solve this mystery. I feel better just knowing that it isn't immediately a sign of something terrible that has been seen before. I'll keep an eye on the new oil that I have in there and hopefully you won't hear back from me on this topic, if it never re-occurs.
Thanks.
--
1993 240 Classic; 1992 240; 1997 850 GLT
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posted by
someone claiming to be CN
on
Mon Sep 24 08:35 CST 2007 [ RELATED]
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How long have you owned the car?
Perhaps the P.O. filled the engine with transmission oil???????
The only oil that looks red is transmission oil.
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As I indicated, I have been running synthetic in the car. No prev. owner oil involved.
--
1993 240 Classic; 1992 240; 1997 850 GLT
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We need to get some very direct answers to some very direct questions.
You say that you are "running synthetic in the car." What does that mean? Does that mean that YOU changed the oil and used synthetic? Or, does that mean that a shop changed the oil and used synthetic?
Do you know what color the synthetic oil was before it went in to the car?
What brand of synthetic are you, or your shop using?
The fact that you have not yet told us who last put oil in the car is a MAJOR fact that we all need to know.
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Thanks again for everyone's attempt to help.
Here are some very specific answers (which I thought I already covered in my emails).
We need to get some very direct answers to some very direct questions. OK
You say that you are "running synthetic in the car." What does that mean? The car has had synthetic Mobil 1 in it every oil change for at least the last 4 years every 3,000 to 6,000 miles.
Does that mean that YOU changed the oil and used synthetic? Or, does that mean that a shop changed the oil and used synthetic? I have been the one to change the oil every time at my house. No one else, no shop involved w/ oil changes.
Do you know what color the synthetic oil was before it went in to the car? As I recall, Mobil 1 color: light tan.
What brand of synthetic are you, or your shop using? Mobil 1
The fact that you have not yet told us who last put oil in the car is a MAJOR fact that we all need to know. See above
--
1993 240 Classic; 1992 240; 1997 850 GLT
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As of yesterday, I put in new oil and filter myself and I plan to periodically check the color.
Before the oil change, the old stuff looked to me like it either:
picked up lots of rust color; or
it had some transmission fluid in it (I don't see how); or
instead of turning dark brown, it turned dark red.
It was new oil, put in myself w/filter change in June about 3,000 miles ago and at 3,000 miles it usually doesn't look that dark to me, let alone dark red.
One wild theory is that I had some bad gas w/water in it (my wife likes to run the tank down to zero before refilling) and it somehow created some rust somewhere that the oil picked up?
Other non-pertinent info: the engine runs like a champ w/ nearly 140,000 miles on it. It is a 1997 850 GLT light pressure turbo, auto transmission, white paint in excellent condition, with peeling roof rail vinyl recently covered with 3/4 inch black detail striping tape, driven in SoCal at or near sea level it's entire life, at speeds ranging from 0 to 80 mph, w/mismatched tires front to back, black leather seats in good condition,a stuck fuel door release (use the release in the trunk each time, right rear door lock...
Signed:
Torque "I love the Brickboard" Severs
--
1993 240 Classic; 1992 240; 1997 850 GLT
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Are you sure you are checking the oil, and not the t fluid? Dip sticks are fairly close. Tranny stick has yellow handle.
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Yes, it is the engine oil. I drained it and it was very dark red. Thanks for checking.
--
1993 240 Classic; 1992 240; 1997 850 GLT
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Torque,
Try taking the oil filler cap off the top of the engine and
taking a sample out with a Q-tip. If it's red too, you may
want to have it checked at a shop.
Armie
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Luck favours the prepared.
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It looks the same: under the cap, on the dip stick, and out the drain plug!
I am wondering if anyone can suggest what might be the cause? Or if it is just this round of oil looking weird?
--
1993 240 Classic; 1992 240; 1997 850 GLT
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I have had peanut butter colored oil and the problem was a blown or leaking headgasket. Red, I don't know.
dick
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Why not send a sample for analysis? It's only about $20. It would be worth it for the peace of mind.
Rust - no
Transmission fluid - possible if the rad coolers have crapped out
If it is tranny fluid it won't hurt short term but it needs to be fixed.
Is your oil level increasing? That ould indicate fluid from an outside source...
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