# Oil Color???



## fblack1 (Sep 21, 2010)

I know this has been asked many times in this forum. I'm selling my '01 Jetta and I've got what appears to be a burgundy color. The oil is synthetic and had it changed about 4000k's ago. Is this normal?

Thanks in advance.

PS If anyone is in the Edmonton area and is interested...here's the ad.

http://edmonton.kijiji.ca/c-cars-ve...Wolfsburg-1-8L-Turbo-Sedan-W0QQAdIdZ239941678


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## BsickPassat (May 10, 2010)

oil color has nothing to do with oil condition.


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## saaber2 (Jul 15, 2008)

Outside of items such as a) mistake of putting in tranny fluid, or b) red oil when new (there are some out there) the two ways I have seen red in relation to motor oil are varnish and sludge. 

Red varnish can be seen sometimes in higher mileage engines. I've been told that it is often due to partially reacted fuel that gets past the rings and forms cross linkages with the oil. It's highly polar and attracted to metal, especially hot metal. That stuff can be very hard to remove so I would guess it is not varnish you are seeing but who knows?

The other way is in sludge. I had a volvo turbo that had red deposits on the dipstick and the oil was visibly burgundy like you described. I cleaned it up via auto-rx and after that the oil was normal amber color. I should have taken a picture of the old oil filter. Lots of red goo and fine particles sort of the color of rust. I don't know what that car had seen previously to when I bought it but I assume it was conventional. 

Changing oil brand might do it or you could clean it up via using a polar ester-based oil, a strong detergent oil, or a slow cleaner such as auto-rx. Please don't use any chemical 10 minute flushes as the sludge may possibly plug oil passages and then you are really in trouble. Feel free to ignore. 2 cents...


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## fblack1 (Sep 21, 2010)

*Thanks!*

All advice is worth considering so thanks for taking the time. Now all I need is a buyer for my baby. If you all know anyone in Edmonton, Alberta who wants a great car...




saaber2 said:


> Outside of items such as a) mistake of putting in tranny fluid, or b) red oil when new (there are some out there) the two ways I have seen red in relation to motor oil are varnish and sludge.
> 
> Red varnish can be seen sometimes in higher mileage engines. I've been told that it is often due to partially reacted fuel that gets past the rings and forms cross linkages with the oil. It's highly polar and attracted to metal, especially hot metal. That stuff can be very hard to remove so I would guess it is not varnish you are seeing but who knows?
> 
> ...


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