# Motor oil was tan color



## Banksy (Aug 31, 2005)

I changed the oil in my Arctic Cat (see sig) yesterday and the oil was a light tan color. The oil is a year old and has 50 or so miles on it. I don't use my atvs much, so I change the oil and filter once a year. 

I was thinking the coolant was getting in it, but the coolant level has never ever gone down. It's always been full since 2006 when I got it. 

I use Amsoil 0w-40 atv oil in both machines. 

I changed the oil in the Honda too and it still looked new after one year, but it's air cooled. 

Any ideas? I was thinking condesation from sitting in my basement which is really a gigantic crawl space. I could put my truck in there actually.


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## tuney443 (Jun 25, 2006)

Tan oil is always water in the oil.When you first pulled the plug,did water come out for a second or 2 or did it look slightly different?If you drained it immediately after a warmed up shutdown[like you're supposed to],the water then would have still been in suspension with the oil.Next time,if you did that,don't warm up the engine first and then pull the plug to see what you have as water,being heavier than oil will come out first.Sounds like condensation from where it's stored and lack of the engine getting hot from little use.


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## hghgrad (Nov 29, 2010)

Sound like normal Moisture from sitting. Cars do the same thing if there not driven to complete warm up.


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## IPLOWSNO (Oct 11, 2008)

its cheap change that oil especially in a honda


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## Banksy (Aug 31, 2005)

That makes sense. Thanks.


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## pooleo8 (Nov 8, 2009)

tan oil, 50 miles, a year old. I would say the oil is just still in "like new" condition. Any moisture would give a milkey color and film, not tan. Pics?!


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## tuney443 (Jun 25, 2006)

pooleo8;1428332 said:


> tan oil, 50 miles, a year old. I would say the oil is just still in "like new" condition. Any moisture would give a milkey color and film, not tan. Pics?!


Tan oil is milky oil=water in oil.


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## JLsDmax (Dec 23, 2008)

x3 on oil in water. If coolant, you would smell it.


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