Valvoline MaxLife. After 500 miles, it is yellow.

[mrsilv04]

Vehicle - 2000 Pontiac Grand Am - 2.4 liter L4, 79,000 miles.
Oil - Valvoline Max Life 5w-30
Filter - AC Delco PF46

I changed the oil in the above vehicle 500 miles ago, after buying it last week.

I checked the oil last night (I'm monitoring it closely to determine if it is using oil), and noticed that the oil is really yellow. It is not milky or cloudy, but it is the color of a bottle of Pennzoil.

Is that typical for MaxLife? I've just never really seen an oil turn a yellow color in the crankcase, but have never really used any of the high mileage oils.

 

[Gary Allan]

It's all the vitamins and minerals. MaxLife is like Centrum for engines.

All joking aside ..bright yellow would be a new color for me.

 

[chevrofreak]

Have a digital camera? This I'd like to see.

 

[Johnny]

I don't have an answer for you on this one, but I can guarantee you that Valvoline would not have anything to do with the color of Pennzoil yellow.

 

[WishIhadatruck]

Is the bottom of the filler cap clean? I've never even seen Pennzoil turn that yellow, pretty strange. Are you sure it wasn't in some funny light? Maybe it caught the glow of a beautiful sunset or sunrise?

I assume it wasn't yellow when you checked it right after the oil change?

 

[strombony]

I know EXACTLY what he is talking about.. I have Maxlife in my engine right now and within the first 1000K, I notice that the oil is very bright with a yellow hugh to it. Not milky, not cloudy, but very bright in color. When you pour it in, it goes in clear in color, but then turns this florescent/yellowish color..

 

[mrsilv04]

It was pretty much clear when I put it in, because I was having a hard time seeing on the dipstick.

To clarify:
It isn't Pennzoil, it is Valvoline MaxLife. It has turned yellow, like the color of a Pennzoil *container*.

 

[mrsilv04]

Originally Posted By: strombony
I know EXACTLY what he is talking about.. I have Maxlife in my engine right now and within the first 1000K, I notice that the oil is very bright with a yellow hugh to it. Not milky, not cloudy, but very bright in color. When you pour it in, it goes in clear in color, but then turns this florescent/yellowish color..


Good. Thank G0d I'm not the only one.

Anyone know why this happens?

 

[IntegraVT]

The Camry got Maxlife back in August. I'd say it's color is about that of extra virgin olive oil right now; mostly yellow with a slight hint of green.

Nothing to worry about as long as you don't try to put it on a salad.

 

[rg200amp]

Perhaps its the extra detergents in the maxlife lightly cleaning away some varnish????

I am just shooting a idea.

 

[mrsilv04]

The paper towel that I used to check the oil was laying in the back of my truck.

Unfortunately, my digital camera is screwing up the yellow color. It is a brighter yellow, more like the color of a yellow highlighter marker.

 

[addyguy]

There was a post on here, from a while ago, about someone noticing the exact same thing happening to a fill of Conventional Valvoline dino. Weird.

 

[strombony]

Mine looks the same as mrsilf04 describes. Perhaps its the addpack Valvoline uses...???? I'm really suprised that others don't notice this

 

[Johnny]

I've never seen that before, but then again, I've never used Valvoline.

 

[Steve S]

Looks like oil.If milky there is a problem.

 

[coffee]

Could it be coolant in the oil?

 

[strombony]

Well, My coolant level has NEVER dropped since Ive owned the vehicle.

 

[Max_Wander]

what's in MaxLife that's not in other oils?

 

[coffee]

That is good news then as I hear that can be a bad thing. Well, it may just be a reaction with the old deposits and oil and will probably go away with next OCI.

 

[mrsilv04]

I see no coolant loss.

Plus, there is no indication that there is any contamination of the oil. Outside of the obvious yellow tint, the oil was clear on the dipstick, and there was nothing of concern on the underside of the oil filler cap.