SOPUS adds Use By dates on cases

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Have you seen the latest addition to SOPUS' manufacturing lot printing on cases?? Noticed this on a case of PYB that bought over the T-Day weekend. Looks like SOPUS / Pennzoil could be addressing BITOG questions on oil shelf life:

 
I think "sell by Nov2017" would be more useful. That will force places like Kmart to move some of their product quicker. Saw an old VSP bottle while in Florida last month. The bottle had been sitting there so long, the label had become discoloured and it was an SM version.
 
It contradicts what their tech people told me by a year. A smart marketing move either way, people might be pitching rotten oil as a result and buying new oil upon expiration. It might get people to rethink their stash buying habits too.
 
I did a few OCIs on early 90s oil and it caused no harm. I wouldn't have a problem sitting on it for 5 or 6 years.

Problem is, I don't want to build a stash because I"m afraid of building up a stash of 5w-20 ... and buying a vehicle that needs 5w-30. Or something similar.
 
I have a nice stash of SM oil from Kmart. Some if the bottles are rather old, crusty and discolored but I still use them. Just used an old bottle of Valvoline in an 07 Camry 2.4L the other day. Bet she'll come back in 5,000 miles for another oil change and all will be well.

I thought a sealed oil container can go many many years on the shelf?
 
Its a worthless addition. Many products have "xxxx by dates" that are totally useless. Oil just joined them.
 
I have a terrible habit of opening one of the bunch and comparing the lubricity and smell. Does an "open" container pose a problem in a climate controlled environment?

Thanks
Sorry a little off topic.
 
Originally Posted By: Bamaro
Its a worthless addition. Many products have "xxxx by dates" that are totally useless. Oil just joined them.


Could be that they just don't trust the packaging to last very far beyond that. The oil should last forever....not so with the plastic bottle.
 
Originally Posted By: Artem
I thought a sealed oil container can go many many years on the shelf?

Blackstone has tested oils that were 20+ years old and although they do not work for modern cars, the additive packs tested out as they should have. I have no problem using 10 year old oil if it has been stored properly (i.e. not in a 120+F warehouse) and if the oil meets the requirements of the vehicle in question. As others have stated, it seems like a marketing ploy to me...
 
Since the Use By date is only on cases, in addition to marketing for the consumer it may also help rotate stock in warehouses, distribution centers and store stock rooms.
 
I have a few bottles of high-ZDDP SL oil from the mid 1990s that I "inherited" when my father-in-law passed.

And, I'm not afraid to use it (in my cars with slipper cam followers rather than modern roller rockers).

crazy.gif


The bottles seem to be holding up fine, but the labels on some are falling off.
 
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I've seen 5-7 year old on some of kmart's shelves.

all sucked in and discolored
 
Originally Posted By: ProfPS
Since the Use By date is only on cases, in addition to marketing for the consumer it may also help rotate stock in warehouses, distribution centers and store stock rooms.


Yeah, agree. Probably to ensure formulations are used up by a regular window of time and to discourage holding onto it as a asset of sorts. I doubt it's because they actually go bad.
 
I don't see a problem using old oil, as long as it is sealed and properly stored. I have 12 year old oil that is used in a 19 year old minivan. After all, the van was designed to use 19 year old oil.
I still have M1 10w-30 sl rated, average purchase price of $2.89 qt.

Wayne
 
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