what is the purple oil in my BSA RGS

[peteR]

Folks,
i've come across some oil I have never seen before.  I have a recently bought A10 Rocket Gold Star and am changing the oil.  I have drained the tank, but have found that the existing oil is a very bright blue/purple, quite sticky oil. I haven't come across this before.  Does anyone have any ideas what this oil might be and what precautions I might need to take before refilling?
Thanks PeteR

[Rex]

It means somebody's used that dangerous purple inferior engine oil to save a few bob and left your engine liable to a very expensive failure. To help you out I'll take it off your hands for a hundred quid and rebuild it  using proper 20W/50 oil. Deal?

[mini-me]

Make sure some posy $%^ has not used  castor oil instead of mineral before you top up with mineral.

auto censor strikes, that should of course read twot with an a.

[peteR]

Make sure some posy $%^ has not used  castor oil instead of mineral before you top up with mineral.

I certainly don't believe it to be castor oil.  There has been not even a hint of the distinctive smell I would have expected.

[mini-me]

In that case just fill with the desired lubricant of choice

[I've heard that what passes for R these days does not have the nostalgic perfume of yore, true or not I don't know]

[L.A.B.]

the existing oil is a very bright blue/purple, quite sticky oil. I haven't come across this before.  Does anyone have any ideas what this oil might be

http://www.royalpurpleconsumer.com/

[peteR]

Thanks L.A.B.  From this  it looks like it is (as suspected by other) that it is simply a synthetic lubricant.  So this being the case, I should be OK to drain, filter clean and fill with some proper mineral oil?

P

[L.A.B.]

So this being the case, I should be OK to drain, filter clean and fill with some proper mineral oil?

I expect so although a modern synthetic is probably the better choice.   

[peteR]

Now, I didn't expect you to say that!

[iansoady]

When I drained the gearbox oil from my Guzzi V50 I was shocked to find it a violent pink colour. Apparently it was some very expensive shock-proof stuff which I'd never heard of before.

Refilled with ordinary gear oil and it seems fine to me.

[R]

Designer clothes, designer handbags, designer oils.
Good excuse to bump the prices up... ?

That said, they do seem to have better additive packages.
And the oil may be a squidgy bit better too (?)

[peteR]

The plot thickens...

I have looked again at the oil that I drained from the tank.  Whilst it appeared purple when it drained, now it has settled, I can see that the oil is a relatively normal colour, but there is a heavy purple sludge that has settled underneath the oil.  Furthermore, sticking my finger inside the filler cap, and feeling the inner wall of the tank, there is a heavy, very sticky purple residue all over the inside walls of the tank.
I am even more confused than before....

Any ideas?

PeteR

[chaterlea25]

Hi Peter,
It look like someone has added one of the "snake oil" additives to the oil (STP Lucas and so on)
I would wash out the oil tank and change the oil a few times repeating the wash out
Is the engine running the original timing side bush or needle roller conversion?
Those additive will destroy needle roller bearings in short order 
I would also remove the timing cover and check for play on the crank bush (if it is on a bush)
Wash out the goo from in there too
That crap is added to the oil by unscrupulous sellers to hide engine knock's 

John

[murdo]

I agree to wash it out thoroughly and go with the oil recomended for your bike.