Engine Oil Colour

[soundlovers]

I have a question, has anyone encountered this before?

TU5JP (NFU) engine, I change the oil regularly every 10,000 km including the filter. I use Total Quartz 9000 5W-40.

It has happened to me several times that the drained oil is not the classic black, but has a distinct reddish-brown to reddish colour (see photo). When I drained the oil and a little of it got on my hand, it almost looked like I had blood on my hands.

I wondered if someone before me had used some kind of oil additive (some are red) and since a small amount of old oil always remains in the sump, it could also colour the new one. But I'm not sure.

What surprised me the most - after the change, I poured new oil, started the engine only for a moment to check the level and after this short run, the new oil on the dipstick was clearly reddish.

On other cars I've serviced, new oil usually stays light amber for a long time after starting, so I'm surprised.

Has anyone else experienced this with a TU5JP/NFU engine? Is this colour normal, or could it indicate an additive, oil reaction, or other problem?

Thanks for all the experiences.

[mickthemaverick]

You certainly have some sort of contamination there. It could be as you suggest the result of an additive, it could also be an unwanted mixing of coolant and oil if you have an oil cooler for example which has a leak. Another red fluid around is power steering fluid but I can't really see how that might mix. I would suggest you try a full engine flush with proprietary flushing oil on your next oilchange and see if that clears it up.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/267691580171

[soundlovers]

Thanks for your opinion.

I think I can rule out coolant contamination – the coolant level doesn't drop, there is no milky emulsion in the oil, and there are no other typical signs of coolant mixing with the oil. Power steering fluid also seems very unlikely, as there is practically no way for it to enter the engine's lubrication system.

I've been using the same oil in this engine for several years, and this happens after every oil change. What's interesting is that I have another KFX engine running on LPG with exactly the same oil, and it has never shown this behavior.

That's why I contacted TotalEnergies technical support directly. They also acknowledge that nitration or a reaction of the oil additives during LPG operation could be a possible explanation.

[Rp0thejester]

Firstly it's spelt, colour,(sorted!), bliming American predictive texts. The only other fluid that's red is gearbox oil which I doubt. It may well be too much additive in the fuel which, if the O rings are worn, could penetrate the oil.

[PaulC5]

A search suggests turning red is common if engines run on propane (lpg) but you have not said it runs on anything other than petrol so not that. When you change the oil do you drain it or suck it out ? Sucking out may leave more of the old oil behind. You could send a sample off to a lab to be analysed.

[Stickyfinger]

A search suggests turning red is common if engines run on propane (lpg)

Well, you learn new every day.

[myglaren]

Sure they didn't mean red diesel?

[shtu]

It's a puzzle with no obvious answer.

If it's a concern, I'd be tempted to buy a LARGE container of cheap diesel-spec 5/40, change the oil several times in quick succession, then return to the correct spec to finish. You never get all the old oil out of an engine, regardless of how you drain it, so changing it a few times would be a way to dilute whatever it is.

Something like this - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/377253193219, real cheap stuff for the flush. (suppose you could add an engine flush as the very first step before changing it)

If you're handy with the spanners, take the sump off and clean it and the pickup out, help remove some more.

Flipside is if someone has filled it with snake oil for a reason, you're getting rid of it.

[Steve Walsh]

Without wasting money on oil changes and flushing I would have it analysed and find out from the experts as to what is in your oil.
https://www.oilsampling.co.uk/store/Eng ... p170994399

[soundlovers]

I want to remove the oil pan, but I'm worried about the screws holding the exhaust and catalytic converter, it's a 2006 Berlingo, so I don't break the screws on the exhaust flange, otherwise I probably won't be able to get the oil pan out..? Does anyone have a trick for the oil pan - it will be well glued to the engine block.... thank you very much

[Mihael_M]

It's very strange that the oil gets dirty so quickly with that red liquid. I would still pour WYNNS Commercial Vehicle Oil System Flush into that oil before replacing it. You buy 1 liter, but 0.5 liters is enough for 4 liters. First, you have to remove 0.5 liters from the engine. According to the instructions, it is enough to run the engine for 15 minutes to melt the deposits. It seems to me that you must remove the oil sump-pan and wash it. The sieve-filter on the oil pump must also be cleaned. Removing the oil sump-pan is not complicated.The glue doesn't hold that strongly.I repeat, this is all very strange, but we don't know what was poured.You didn't say what engine it was.

[PaulC5]

According to the first post it has 'TU5JP (NFU) engine' which is a 1.6 petrol. Often on the oil dipstick min to max levels are 1 to 1.5 litres so if 0.5 litres of flushing agent is put in chances are the level does not need to be dropped first.