old case of Pennzoil - is it usable?

[bdleonard]

You've got roughly 20 year old oil there. SH was top dog from 93-96 according to: http://www.pqiamerica.com/devilsindisguise.htm

I'd have no problem using it in yard equipment and the like, or as top up oil if you any consumption. I probably wouldn't put it in my 2013 sedan, but if I really wanted to use it there I'd probably blend in one quart per oil change until it was gone. It should be fine.

 

[user52165]

Originally Posted By: SilverSnake
Originally Posted By: philipp10
Just because the mfg put a 5 year shelf life on it doesn't mean squat. They must have felt they had to put some date but I can assure you, they did'nt run any type of test to prove it. Even so, I would probably use it in a older car or lawn tractor than one of my newer cars. Bet anything though that it is fine.


Doesn't mean "squat" to you but means something to me. I am not one of those individuals that thinks everything a manufacturer says or does is a conspiracy to screw the customers. Where is your evidence that the manufacturers did no tests on old oil before establishing a shelf life? What qualifications do you have that would have me lean toward accepting your "assurances."


What qualifications do you have that it is not OK?

 

[crazyoildude]

if its from the late 70s early 80s i may not use it those were the days that got pennzoil the bad name of pennzsludge and yes it was real i was just a kid but was always in my families engine shop and always remembered the rebuilders would know if pennzoil was used...
Today i use pennzoil and it is great but the old stories back then seemed to be true.

 

[Chris142]

Originally Posted By: sjh888
Originally Posted By: Chris142
Its from the late 70's early 80's


Wow - curious how you came up with that? I wasn't thinking that old, but my memory is not what it was.
I remember using Pennzoil with z7 in my 3 wheeler in the early 80's. My dad had cases of it.

 

[kozanoglu]

I would use it too but on the back of the bottle Pennzoil suggests using the newest Pennzoil.

 

[Lubener]

SH oil is way more than 10 years old.

 

[Eddie]

As stated before. Be sure and shake the oil as the additives may have settled out. Ed

 

[demarpaint]

I have a couple qts. of Mobil 1 10W30 SE oil. I shake it and use it in my lawn mower. No problems to report.

 

[SilverSnake]

Originally Posted By: user52165
Originally Posted By: SilverSnake
Originally Posted By: philipp10
Just because the mfg put a 5 year shelf life on it doesn't mean squat. They must have felt they had to put some date but I can assure you, they did'nt run any type of test to prove it. Even so, I would probably use it in a older car or lawn tractor than one of my newer cars. Bet anything though that it is fine.


Doesn't mean "squat" to you but means something to me. I am not one of those individuals that thinks everything a manufacturer says or does is a conspiracy to screw the customers. Where is your evidence that the manufacturers did no tests on old oil before establishing a shelf life? What qualifications do you have that would have me lean toward accepting your "assurances."


What qualifications do you have that it is not OK?


I have no qualifications. Re-read my post. I stated that "I am not one of those individuals that thinks everything a manufacturer says or does is a conspiracy to screw the customers." If the manufacturer tells me that an unopened oil container has a 5 year shelf life, then I believe it.

So, instead of listening to people like you, I will go with the advice provided by the petroleum engineers who developed the product. Here is one example.

I sent Exxon Mobil an e-mail in December 2014 and asked the following question: “I know you state that the recommended shelf life of motor oil all types is 5 years. What specifically happens to the oil that makes it unwise to use after the 5 year period?”
I got the following answer:
“Dave: The oil tends to break down after the 5 year interval along with the additives and viscosity and would not protect your engine like the oil within the 5 years.”

How about your qualifications user52165???

 

[CarbonSteel]

Originally Posted By: SilverSnake
I sent Exxon Mobil an e-mail in December 2014 and asked the following question: “I know you state that the recommended shelf life of motor oil all types is 5 years. What specifically happens to the oil that makes it unwise to use after the 5 year period?”

I got the following answer: “Dave: The oil tends to break down after the 5 year interval along with the additives and viscosity and would not protect your engine like the oil within the 5 years.”

The only thing that throws a slightly different light on that statement is there has been oil tested which was 30+ years old that shows the additive packs and viscosity still within expected ranges. Does it mean anything?

But I suspect it is not as absolute as the oil companies would leave you to believe and those types of statements are usually liability driven (whether or not there is something to be concerned about is a different matter).

 

[BillJ99]

I wouldn't hesitate using 6 year old oil even if they say to use it within 5 years, but this is a lot older than that. Does shaking it really mix the add pack sufficiently, I don't know? What was the shelf life of oil back then? Was the add pack as stable as it is today?

To me, all this doesn't matter. The real important point to me is: the manufacturer of the vehicle states a certain spec for the oil, and this oil doesn't meet that spec. Maybe doing one oil change wouldn't cause any damage, but how many oil changes will you do with your case of oil?

 

[CourierDriver]

I would get new modern up to date oil, the best major brands of your choice,imho. Oil is cheap and 2 quarts is about the same as a lousy hamburger meal deal at Macky D's.

 

[Dallas69]

Think about how long that oil was in the ground
10 years on a shelf is nothing
The additives dont go away
Ideally it is best to use in a car from this era but it is ok to use

 

[Nickdfresh]

It was blended sometime between 1993-1996: http://www.pqiamerica.com/apiserviceclass.htm

Another poster here put Quaker State that was well over 20 years old in his wife's car, then did a UOA that turned out pretty decent - as much as a $20 UOA can tell...

 

[Nickdfresh]

Originally Posted By: Eddie
As stated before. Be sure and shake the oil as the additives may have settled out. Ed


A guy at Blackstone disproved this with VOA's on multiple bottles and cans of oil that were decades old. Most of the additive was still in suspension, depending on the "S(X)" generation. That being said, I still shake.

The oil is probably fine to use in older yard equipment, but you might be able to sell it on Ebay as vintage motor oil to collectors or just keep storing it. People do pay money for that stuff now. I worked at an oil change place through much of the 90's and regret not keeping some of the old bottles and cans of unopened, unused motor and transmission oils people left for us to dispose of responsibly, they'd look nice on a shelf now...

 

[SilverSnake]

Originally Posted By: CourierDriver
I would get new modern up to date oil, the best major brands of your choice,imho. Oil is cheap and 2 quarts is about the same as a lousy hamburger meal deal at Macky D's.


Amen brother. People will go out and throw away money on Lattes and big dinner's and expensive drinks but will try to save a couple of bucks by putting [censored] oil in the expensive machinery that gets them where they need to go. Makes no sense to me at all.

 

[Whimsey]

OPE engines are not that picky as far as oil. It's more important to maintain an adequate oil level. If your mower suggests 50 or 100 hour oil change intervals just cut it in half while using this oil.

Whimsey

 

[Red91]

I'll use it. The 5 year sell by date is just that, a sell by date. Oil companies and retailers alike want to move product, and a 5 year selling range means the outlets dealing the oils will have to clearance these oils at some point before the five years is up. This puts an end to stores still trying to sell SH rated Pennzoil for 5 bucks a quart. I'd gladly find a use for it, probably in an automotive engine or OPE, as long as it could be procured for dirt cheap or free.

 

[chainblu]

Originally Posted By: Whimsey
OPE engines are not that picky as far as oil. It's more important to maintain an adequate oil level. If your mower suggests 50 or 100 hour oil change intervals just cut it in half while using this oil.

Whimsey


+1
Every spring, the ND-30 flies off the shelf at my local WM. This oil has no additives and every spring the same people are back for another grass season with no apparent damage to the mower.

My point is that surely even a 10+ year old bottle of 10w40 has enough 'juice' to lubricate a lawn mower.

 

[ThirdeYe]

Originally Posted By: Red91
I'll use it. The 5 year sell by date is just that, a sell by date. Oil companies and retailers alike want to move product, and a 5 year selling range means the outlets dealing the oils will have to clearance these oils at some point before the five years is up. This puts an end to stores still trying to sell SH rated Pennzoil for 5 bucks a quart. I'd gladly find a use for it, probably in an automotive engine or OPE, as long as it could be procured for dirt cheap or free.


Or does it? I just bought a quart of Pennzoil 10w-40 SJ rated oil from Kmart last fall to put on my shelf.