Why did my new BMW oil turn red ????

[pjw73nh]

Just did an oil change. I used 3.75 qts of BMW 20-50 oil. and BMW filter. After I did the oil change I went for about a 10 mile ride.

 

When I got back I started my TBS proc. I used two 24" box fans for cooling in my already cool garage. In doing this proc, I had some difficulty so it took longer than expected. Most of the time the RID was at 5 bars. It went to 7 for a couple of minutes, then I got frustrated and shut the bike off so the fans could cool it down. it cooled down to 3 bars, I finished the proc after it got to 5 bars and was done. I checked the oil and found it to be red in the sight glass. See pix here.

 

Red Oil Pix

 

What turned my oil red? I know when I put it in it was normal oil color. I watched it carefully as I poured it in.

 

Thoughts? Suggestions?

 

Thanks,

 

Paul.../NH

[Tony_K]

Red is always the fastest color?

[mbelectric]

Prob the discolored sight glass you have, and the light you are using.

 

Caramel should be the color of the oil.

 

If in doubt, drain the oil into a clean container and look at it. If ok (prob is) dump it back in the crankcase and go ride.

 

MB>

 

I can't stay outta these oil threads, somebody help me. Maybe mod's could block them from my access...

[Deadboy]

Looks fine to me, really just a light brown.

[rad]

It looka way to full. Keep it no higher than than the dot or it just tends to eat the oil quicker.

[tomk99r11]

Looks fine to me. Nothing to worry about, go ride.

[pjw73nh]

Ok folks. I'm goin' ridin'. It'll be brown or black before I know it...

 

Thanks for the replies.

 

Paul../NH

[CoarsegoldKid]

Take it to your dealer and ask the service manager.

 

[Danny caddyshack Noonan]

Wondering the same thing myself.

Mispackaged ATF? Was it getting inordinately hot during TBS?

[4wheeldog]

It looka way to full. Keep it no higher than than the dot or it just tends to eat the oil quicker.

 

This may vary from bike to bike, but mine does not use oil as long as it is not above the top of the red ring.

That is where I put it when I fill it, and it stays above the center of the glass until the next drain and fill.

The only exception is if I do a lot of short rides/cold starts. I think oil consumption on these bikes is more related to the number of starts than miles per quart.

[David13]

ATF?

I didn't want to say it. But my thought was, oops, you put in atf by mistake.

Were the plastic jars sealed?

Mislabeling can happen.

Probably doesn't matter. ATF and oil are the same thing, aren't they?

dc

[RTCHIEF]

Still have the oil containers from the oil change? I'd look inside them. How cold was the oil when you put it in the engine? Did it flow like 20-50 would at that temperature?

[flat_twin]

I don't think the oil pics look as red as fresh ATF. You'd have to notice bright red fluid as you poured it in the engine, wouldn't you? I also doubt you'd find ATF for sale at a BMW motorcycle dealership. Some motor oil turns dark pretty quickly. Running the engine temperature up to 7 bars while setting the TBs may have been enough to change the color. I don't use BMW brand oil so I can't say if that particular oil reacts that way. Change it again if you're in doubt.

 

 

 

 

Hey

One thousand posts!! Do I get an award or something? Maybe a gag would be more appropriate?

[David13]

I don't know. I just know I have never seen red engine oil, nor seen nor heard of engine oil turning red.

dc

[r77toy]

If you want to drain some to check it, have a helper hold a ShopVac over the oil fill while you pull the drain plug, should be able to drain a few drops. Also helps if motor is cold.

[upflying]

Just along shot but the OP said he used BMW oil. Since BMW dealers tells us that our bikes will self-destruct if we use anything but their $15/qt oil, perhaps BMW adds a dye to their product as proof that their branded oil was used?

 

[Danny caddyshack Noonan]

Or fork oil. Just did forks on my KLR and it hit me when I was done, "that's red too".

[David13]

Fork oil? Could be. It shouldn't say 10w 40, but it is important to check and double check. More than once I have grabbed oil off the shelf and got a different one, that was shelved in the wrong place.

dc

[hotdog7]

Mine looked like that also when I bought the bike but it was over filled so I let some out and then it looked normal in the catch pan and on my hand but in the glass it looked just like yours

[pjw73nh]

Here's the update. I double checked the empty bottles and I can see from the residual oil in the bottles that it is in fact normal BMW oil. It has the same color as any other oil, Amber/urine color. As to whether it is the 20-50 that label says, I have no way of knowing. But I do know that it wasn't red.

 

Now that I have about 100 miles on the oil, it is darkening and looking quite like normal used motor oil. Tomorrow when the shop opens, I'll give them a call and ask them what they think.

 

I realize that oil discussions start more flames than probably any other here in the forum. It is not my intention to extol the virtues of any one oil over another. Just an explanation of why *I* chose the BMW oil.

 

I decided to use BMW oil "mostly" because that's what they recommend. Do they have my best interest at heart? I don't know. They SHOULD want to keep me happy as a BMW motorcycle owner, but I also hear the argument that they are in business to generate revenue. Be it by motorcycle, parts or service sales or oil sales.

 

Several years ago I read this piece:

 

Oil Report

 

This is why *I* chose BMW oil. I am a data person. It appears that this was a test that was done with concrete data (and questions) in mind. Not opinion. In *MY* mind (which is really what matters here) I felt the BMW oils were best in anti wear for their bikes.

 

The report is 11 years old. Has oil manufacture changed in that time (probably). I looked for another more recent (objective)report but didn't find one. I guess for now this is what I'll go with.

 

FYI, my BMW 20-50 oil was $4.50 qt. Regular 20-50 is about $4.00 at a chain, and synthetic at a chain is around $7. I don't mind paying a bit more.

 

Thanks for all the replies and suggestions. I really appreciate it.

 

Paul.../NH

[FLrider]

 

FYI, my BMW 20-50 oil was $4.50 qt. Regular 20-50 is about $4.00 at a chain, and synthetic at a chain is around $7. I don't mind paying a bit more.

 

Thanks for all the replies and suggestions. I really appreciate it.

 

Paul.../NH

 

I'm with you. I just don't understand why guys will spend 20k on a bike and fret over spending $6 for a quart of oil that the manufacturer recommends. Maybe the manufacturer IS scamming me but for the difference in prices, I'll spend my time worrying about something more significant....

[Selden]

I just don't understand why guys will spend 20k on a bike and fret over spending $6 for a quart of oil that the manufacturer recommends. Maybe the manufacturer IS scamming me but for the difference in prices, I'll spend my time worrying about something more significant....

In my case (and many others'), it's a significantly longer distance to the nearest BMW dealer than it is to the nearest auto parts dealer or Walmart.

 

Following is from a 2009 response from Mobil re their 15W-50 synthetic:

 

The important element here is the phosphorus since it is the active antiwear additive. That's why we show phosphorus as well as zinc. The zinc content is in the range of 0.12 - 0.13 weight percent (1200 - 1300 ppm).