motor oil
Seasoned Member
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 278
Likes: 0
From: Oregon
Year: 1990
Model: Cherokee
Engine: Inline Six
In the past my oil has gone from honey yellow to black. If its brown it could be going bad, or possibly got to hot at one point and burnt. I know that's the case for transmission oil being brown. Just my $0.02
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 578
Likes: 4
From: Ocean, New Jersey
Year: 2000
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
CF Veteran
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 7,554
Likes: 17
From: Monett, MO.
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
Change the oil and use a good quality oil with a good filter like a NAPA Gold run it for a week and if it looks that way again change it again. Castrol oil is a good quality oil to use but avoid Pennzoil like the plague and Fram filters cheap crap. I have been cutting oil filters apart for the last 25 years and once you start doing that you will see what I'm talking about very little filtering ability at all compared to better filters.
Another advantage to cutting open your filters is that you can spot any undue ware in engine and what the material it is. I changed oil/filter every race weekend for many years Mobil I and NASCAR Racing filters (2) 9 qts. of oil cheap insurance for anyone.
Once you get it clean change the oil/filter every 1500 mi for a couple of times just to be sure.
Another advantage to cutting open your filters is that you can spot any undue ware in engine and what the material it is. I changed oil/filter every race weekend for many years Mobil I and NASCAR Racing filters (2) 9 qts. of oil cheap insurance for anyone.
Once you get it clean change the oil/filter every 1500 mi for a couple of times just to be sure.
CF Veteran
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 1,150
Likes: 1
From: Nashville, TN
Year: 1997, 1993
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L
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Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 918
Likes: 6
From: Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Year: 1995
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0L HO
Clean oil should be amber like honey. Slightly dirty oil will be darker like maple syrup. Very dirty oil will be almost black like molasses (it should not be as thick as molasses though).
"Chocolate milkshake oil" is usually a sign of coolant in the oil.
"Chocolate milkshake oil" is usually a sign of coolant in the oil.
CF Veteran
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 7,554
Likes: 17
From: Monett, MO.
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee
Engine: 4.0
You tell that to anyone running race motors even cheap ones like mine but still in the $45-60,000 range and the filters. How many race engine builders shops with dynos have you worked with an engine on the dyno tuning and for how long have you spent around a racing engine builders?
How many HP can be gained by using different oils?? Lets talk about a few of those things then we will see where the "Hogwash" is coming from. I guess you could say I'm in the "21st" Century my present engine is 381 ci. Dart Block/Heads/Fuel Injected with 100 pph injectors with twin turbo, air to water intercoolers. At 21 # of boost it makes 1480 HP. It is setup for NOS (Big Shot 500 hp) but I have never sprayed it. To be truthful the NOS was put on there for the show factor and mounted in the rear under the spare tire cover in the wagon along with the battery, Fuel Cell.
What are you basing your opinion ON???
I ended up using an oil that cost me a few HP on the dyno for more engine protection still Mobile 1 but had to change from 5w30 to 15w50





