Robh727

As title says, just got my oil changed and it’s more of a clear color. Should I be concerned of the color of the oil?

Car at recently had head gasket repaired but has shown no signs of overheating again.

Thanks for for the help

Noah911

In general, I think it is worthwhile to be concerned about the color of the oil. A thing to do is pull the dipstick out to check the color and level. It is usually always at the same level for me, but the colors change from a clearer honey-brown color in the beginning, to a darker brown to even a black color over time... I use the color of oil to determine oil change intervals.

How clear is the oil color?

I wondered why you are concerned with the color of the new oil being a clear color.. Was it the correct fluid used in the recent oil change? I think it's probably some other reason that it's got you concerned? I know that there are engine oils out there with different colors that they start out with being when new. The engine oil I put in a Harley starts out being straight up blue when new!

Robh727

I am a little concerned about it as I had recently had my head gasket replaced. Was just curious if being a clear color could indicate a potential of coolant leaking in still.

Noah911

I think if there are no bad signs or symptoms, the best thing to do is to be continually looking for color change, or any other change.. observing its characteristics for foamy-ness or muddiness or thickening/thinning... Also, try and get as accurate of readings from the dipstick as possible for where the oil level stays (or doesn't..increases..). Compare those things daily, probably after every drive for a little while is what I would be doing. I would make sure to look in through the oil filler hole with a light, I would be doing that too...

Do you know how it looked? The oil.. when it was with a blown head gasket? I would make sure the oil does not start to look like that again, if it had changed then, and you know what it looked like?

dave1123

I'm using Shell Rotella T6 5w-40 synthetic diesel oil which is a rich honey-brown color, but on the dipstick it looks clear, unless you hold it sideways and let it run down on one side, then you can see color. I change it every 5K miles and it never gets dark. There is NO sludge in that motor.

downs

Color doesn't tell you a whole lot. I can test some jet black nasty looking oil and the analysis will come back as still being good and can be ran longer while a "clean looking" sample from another vehicle will show contaminates to the levels that it needs to be changed.

Noah911

I think you are generally right? The oil color may generally be an unreliable source of information? Especially without knowing the specifics on data. For instance, when the WJ was new to me, I switched it over from whatever to T-6 Shell. The new Shell oil got darker non-translucent quickly (maybe 2,000 + miles) for the next two or so oil changes. I was interested in that, and read some things about how the detergents and additives in certain oils are able to clean and suspend oil sludgery from within the engines, especially when first switching over to these ones with the better overall composition of oil, putting them into older engines.. The oil would be darkening every 2 or 3 thousand miles, and I would change it out at that point. For the first few oil changes...

Now, I try to change the oil at 5,000 + mile intervals every time. I've stuck with the Shell since a few years now, and the oil stays a translucent light honey color basically the whole time. Although, I really feel like I can see some changes going on.. Little by little.. The oil appears to become a little darker, and it becomes a little less translucent.. Of course, I probably examine the oil and my dipsticks more often than many other people will be doing too, and I might just be seeing things...

OIL CHARACTERISTICS WITH A BLOWN HEAD GASKET

The purpose of oil passages — which exist in equal proportion between the cooling system and cylinder head — is to allow for the transfer of oil from the cylinder into the train valve and back. When the head gasket blows, the engine consumes oil at excessive rates. Granted, cases of excess oil consumption can also be due to other causes, such as weakened piston rings. However, in a large number of vehicles, burning through oil much faster that an engine is supposed to within a given span of time is usually the result of a blown head gasket.

Common symptoms of excess oil consumption include the following:

• Excessive exhaust with a faint blue or whitish tint
• Diminished idling ability

When symptoms like these occur, a car should be inspected for problems with the head gasket.

Of all the symptoms that stem from a blown head gasket, few are as dangerous as the mixing of fluids that are not supposed to come into contact — namely coolant and oil. When the coolant seeps into the oil, the oil’s properties can become corrupted to the point where the engine is robbed of its lubrication. When you consider how oil is the lifeblood of an engine, the leaking and mixing of fluids caused by head gasket failure is basically a car’s equivalent of a lethal injection. In short, the consequences of corrupted engine oil are as follows:

• Loss of proper viscosity
• Diminished ability to lubricate the engine and all of its moving parts
• Erosion of key engine parts and bearings

If an inspection of the dipstick shows the oil to be bubbly, watery or chocolate milk-like in appearance, the engine is indeed showing symptoms of a blown head gasket

Robh727

After I had the head gasket repaired, the immediately had my oil changed. Car is running great, however the oil is a somewhat watery oil. It still feels “slippery” when I touch. My question is it common to have a clear motor oil? Not noticing any additional symptoms of the blown head gasket, just concerned there could be additional moisture and I don’t want to do further damage to the engine.

Noah911

Interpreting the oil to appear clear could likely be a normal finding. AMSoil and Shell T-6 motor oils normally appear very clear in color when reading them from the dipstick.

With the risks being high having concerns towards possible engine damage should there be reason...

For good measure, I might suggest draining that first change of oil out now, just in case.. Then, continue to monitor everything.

Robh727

How about a havoline high mileage? I just find it weird that it would be clear.

third coast

As others have said new oil will look mostly clear on the dipstick. Get enough antifreeze or water in oil and it will make the oil look cloudy, not clear. If you really want to be sure you are not getting coolant into the oil pull a sample and send for oil analysis. If there is antifreeze or water in the oil it will show up in the analysis. However be aware that some old oil always remains in the engine on an oil change so if you had antifreeze in the oil before and this is the first change after engine work some will remain. I would change the oil again to get most of any prior contaminates out, run it at least 1000 miles and pull a sample for analysis. For less than $30 you will have good scientific info to help determine what might be going on and not just be guessing. Data is good.

Noah911

Since you know the brand and type that was used - Havoline High Mileage engine oil - I know something that could be done to help verify that the oil looks okay.

Pull the Jeeps' in-question dipstick, and clean it well with soapy water. Rinse the cleaned dipstick with clean fresh water. Dry it with a towel. Use the cleaned-up dipstick to dunk it into a new fresh sample of Havoline High Mileage engine oil. Pull it and see how it looks? Compare appearances between this new sample, with how the dipstick looks when reading it from the oil that is currently inside of your engine.

(edited to add) - you could post pictures of the readings. Someone may notice if it looks unusual?

Robh727

Great thought. I’ll try that tonight and post results.

00t444e

Agreed, on diesel engines the oil will turn black almost immediately after an oil change.

dave1123

That's because diesel oils are designed to hold carbon from combustion in suspension and not let it settle out.