Is orange engine oil a bad sign when looking at a car to buy?

4 Answers

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canuckmark | 3 years, 4 months ago

To me it sounds like the motor is NFG, the orange color could be due to the addition of tranny fluid into the oil this cleans the valve guides and plugs and tops of the valves, essentially removing carbon. Remove the oil cap or pcv valve hose and see if there is puffing, like air being pushed thru, if so sounds like valve guides and possible rings are shot. This doesn't sound like a good buy to me, this is just one mans opinion, and i'm not a mechanic.

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canamrotax | 3 years, 4 months ago

AVOID. Clear enough? GM used orange coolant, as did some others. Coolant in your oil is like blood in your cereal. Not something you ever want to see. Blown head gasket(s), cracked engine block, damaged heads, all of these add up to buying another engine, or at least dropping loads of cash in repairs. Plus you won't be driving it anytime soon. There are thousands of other used cars, you can find one that is not near death, I know you can!

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demanda | 3 years, 4 months ago

The orange color is probably caused by some kind of additive, like coolant (which is sometimes orange) or transmission fluid. Less likely since you said it hadn't been serviced in awhile, but it could also be caused by dye used by some mechanic shops to locate leaks.

However, the cloudiness you described, in addition with the weird color, could be indicative of something bigger like a blown head gasket. If you're seriously interested in this car, you should definitely take it to be checked out by an independent mechanic before buying.

source(s):
http://autorepair.about.com/library/faqs/bl263h.htm

http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.ef033e3

http://tinyurl.com/8lahyn

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usedcargenius | 3 years, 4 months ago

There are a few possible causes, but none of them are good. I would either avoid this vehicle completely or have a qualified mechanic give you a repair estimate and factor that (as well as the inconvenience and risk involved) into the price that you pay for the car.

In most cases, a car like this is only worth the trouble if you are seeking a project. After all, there are plenty of used cars available out there that aren't in need of major repair!

Good luck!

Jeff

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