as Ive bought a 2000 E320 for scooting around, I thought it would be good to do some maintenance on it.

a discount code popped up for Advance auto that made a 50 dollar deal into a 30 dollar deal and I got myself 12 spark plugs and a fleece type oil filter.

replaced the oil with the 5W40 rotella I had and a new fleece filter - I had to armwrestle the filter stalk off the engine as THE HULK had tightened it before - I dont believe the HULK had much IQ because the old filter was not installed properly on the stalk - it left about half of the inner screen exposed.

Fresh oil really smoothed out the engine (it does have a weird starting noise - like a new toyota/lexus V6 has, sounds like its dry at startup) - I have heard E350s do that too.

changed the transmission electrics pilot bushing with new MOPAR boxed part, cheap as chips - old one with red rings was leaking fluid into harness.

btw anyone planning to replace that - I recommend to do it on a stone cold engine, find your inner chi and use green transmission assembly goo - It literally plops into place with it.

after all this - and 300 miles of driving I opened up the exp cap for coolant, cap is clean - but I see about 1/8 inch of oil floating on it. Its brown and I cannot identify what it is, the ATF is brown too (leaves a brown stain on paper towels rather than red) and so was the old engine oil.

The car does not overheat, runs strong as an ox, transmission shifts crisp, no abnormal engine sound other than the startup sound. There was no water emulsion in the transmission fluid that drained when I changed the connector bushing. The fluid level is correct (checked with DIY tool), engine does not blow smoke, no emulsion in crankcase/vents/breather etc, no oil leaks and no consumption.

Anyone want to guide me on how to diff between motor oil and ATF if both are same color.

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2012 BMW X5 (Beef + Granite suspension model)

1995 E300D - The original humming machine (consumed by Flood 2017)
2000 E320 - The evolution (consumed by flood 2017)