Ever seen oil do this?

[74kay5]

Just drained the oil after a long overdue oil change and noticed the oil turned a coffe color. Mobil 1 sythetic in there for a year in the project K5. I drive it a few times a month if lucky. What could cause it to turn that color???

 

[Jason4x4]

red X

could be condensation, especially if you don't drive much and make short trips

 

[Can Can]

Maybe a bad head gasket????

 

[74kay5]

wouldn't the water seperate though?

 

[Jason4x4]

how many miles on the motor?

 

[Can Can]

Not necessarily. It also depends on how much water got mixed in with your oil.

 

[74kay5]

It's a 6.0L vortec swap motor. Said to have 50K on it when parted out. Was a theft recovery.

 

[lectric80]

That looks like a water/oil mix. Don't like telling people that, but I have seen it way too many times to tell you anything different.

 

[74kay5]

That looks like a water/oil mix. Don't like telling people that, but I have seen it way too many times to tell you anything different.

Coolant or Water?

The new Gen III motors take a red coolant and that's what I've been running. No knocking, steaming, smoking or lack of power with the motor so I don't think it's the head gaskets.

 

[jonathon]

My k5's oil looked like that the first time I changed the oil.. after that it's been fine. I kinda think the p/o hardly drove it and never changed the oil.

 

[bp71k5]

It DOES look like some kind of moisture got in there. Maybe keep an eye (and ear) on it and change the oil again to see if you can tell how it's getting in.

 

[rcamacho]

Looks contaminated to me as well. I'd send some in for an analysis - no speculation as a result.

 

[onetonbb74]

my oil in my 454 looked like that after a year of sitting in the backyard with a tarp over the motor, never even started the motor on the oil that was in there and it looked just like that, heck, i was going to run it thinking the oil was still new until I drained it to transport the motor and realized the color is the moisture that contaminated the oil.

 

[Hogback Fabrication]

Change the oil and watch what's on the dipstick, you'll probably be fine.