Oil color was a dark red color

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Here's the deal. The other day I did an oil/filter change on a 2001 Kia Sophia. The customer always went to a name brand tire service center to have it done. He came to me because of a oil leak, very small by the way.

Anyhow, I took off the oil filler cap and looked into the valve cover and noticed everything was a dark red color.

Not knowing what type oil was used in the car, we decided to change the oil and filter. After draining the oil out, you know your hands always get covered with oil, the oil on my hand had a dark red tint to it.

Has anybody ever run into this and know what type of oil would cause this. I'm dying to know.

I wouldn't think that the customer or service center would have used synthetic. But who knows...

Thanks for any input.
 
I work at a shop and I have notice that many of our customers coming in for an oil change, that their oil is coming out red!! Looks like blood
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I'm still wondering what this is all about.
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interesting.... about the tranny fluid comment, actually i've heard of some people adding a qt of tranny fluid to their oil right before an oil change because of its cleaning abilities, i wouldnt do it, but heard about it....
 
I thought refine oil is clear like water and they dye it so you don't get mixed up from tranny fluid(red) and motor oil(tan). Who would dye motor oil red...I don't think so.
 
Ya I've seen that to. I'm thinking it must be a certain old brand that does that. Hey atleast it wasn't black
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I'm not a chemical engineer, but I don't buy that. I'm thinking it's tranny fluid. Never seen RED motor oil, even the break-in stuff isn't red.
 
I had Pennzoil High Mileage 5w-30 come out of my son's 97 Altima looking red after a 6 month 3000 mile interval. Could it be that the oil hasn't been in service long enough to turn dark brown and just appears red or a lighter shade of brown.
 
Ive seen red tinted motor oil in factory engines years ago in the 80,s. Especially the targetmaster gm v-8's. I beleive it is some kind of uv tracer dye used for leak checking.
 
C'mon guys! It's obviously Redline
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Pretty standard in most Kia's
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and if ya don't use it
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.

But seriously I think they probably threw a quart of ATF in.
 
Its not transmission fluid or anything wrong with engine. I see reddish-brown drainage out of my '04 Camry 2.4 4cyl. More red than the drainage out of my other gas vehicles, and using the same oil.

My guess it is related to combustion conditions, most likely the fact the newer lighweight engines get off the cold start enrichment very fast. Less black soot to contaminate the oil allowing the red to show. BTW this isn't clear bright red like ATF, more of reddish-brown.
 
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