Old oil...but how old?

[saaboc]

More curious oil finds...completely unrelated to my "oil from the roadside" experience.

I am the new owner (but perhaps not the last) of several quarts of oil given to me by an old gent moving to Florida. Some of it's open, some sealed...& some are in a cans! What I want to know is how to determine the approximate age by the API service rating. Most of the cans either pre-date API ratings, or are too rusty to read...any way to make a rough guess?

It's all 10w/40;

- Castrol (in not really old looking bottles), "exceeds API service SF, SG/CC.
- Quaker State & Mobil (old round bottles w/no "API circle"), "API service SF".
- The cans are a mix of "frozen juice" style treated cardboard w/metal ends & a few that are 100% metal. I was able to wipe enough rust off the top of a "juice can" of Castrol to make out that it does have the "API circle", with API Service S? - SE. I assume the "?" is a C or D, but can't tell. All the 100% metal cans are mostly unreadable other than "QS 10w/40".

Of course, I want to use this stuff. Yes, really...what else would I do with it? I don't want to ruin my Swede turbo, but maybe in the mini van? How about just a quart of the old oil w/3.5qts of new oil? How bad could it be? I have way too much HD 30w & left over bulk 15w/40 for the mower & generator, so it's got to be the car/van. Is the old 10w/40 still 10w/40, or has it thickened? I've got a bunch of other (newer) un-utilized single quarts from various sources...any reason not to make my own 7.5w/33 blend? What happens if I add some MMO...hmmmm

Oh, I've also got a couple of 6pks of 2cycle oil in rusty 8oz cans...

 

[Barkleymut]

i am the cheapest guy in the world....throw that junk out...or keep it for nostalgia

 

[jimbrewer]

Not so fast. Some people actually collect that stuff. check on the 'net first.

 

[gregk24]

Keep it or sell it, but dont use it.

 

[y_p_w]

Can you still find an oil spout? I haven't seen one in years. I suppose you could simply use a can piercer and a funnel.

Some of that stuff would have been great for my dearly departed Acura Integra GS-R with a 5-sp manual transmission. They actually spec'ed 10W-30 or 10W-40 motor for use as a transmission oil. Even when I got it the owner's manual specified API SF or SG motor oil, even though SH was the latest category and all I could find at the time. They only went away from motor oil once the API started specifying less ZDDP antiwear additive. It wasn't great for catalytic converters, but in a sealed environment like a transmission it was fine.

 

[saaboc]

Ahhh, I forgot about the zinc...but it's probably thick on the bottom. I too have standard transaxles that call for 10w/30 - 10w/40...great idea! I'll start shaking the cans...

 

[GreeCguy]

Originally Posted By: jimbrewer
Not so fast. Some people actually collect that stuff. check on the 'net first.


Last time I was at the local "Goodyear" shop in these parts, they had a can of "Valvoline" sitting behind the counter in a little display. I commented that my Dad used that same oil "back in the day" as the can looked to be from the 70's. The fellow told me he picked that up at a local flea market and paid 14 bucks for it.

If the cans you have are in decent shape, they'd be worth something to someone, especially if they still have the oil in them.

 

[saaboc]

I never take the ez route first. A simple Google search for "API SF"; "obsolete - for 1988 & older engines".

My neighbor's daughter has been complaining about the cost of a tune up for her Porsche Boxster...undoubtedly, it needs an oil change too. Perhaps a good opportunity to see what happens with old oil in a new car?

Links to old API service info:

http://www.pqiamerica.com/Labels.htm

http://www.pqiamerica.com/apiserviceclass.htm

 

[KB2008X]

Originally Posted By: saaboc
I never take the ez route first. A simple Google search for "API SF"; "obsolete - for 1988 & older engines".

My neighbor's daughter has been complaining about the cost of a tune up for her Porsche Boxster...undoubtedly, it needs an oil change too. Perhaps a good opportunity to see what happens with old oil in a new car?

Links to old API service info:

http://www.pqiamerica.com/Labels.htm

http://www.pqiamerica.com/apiserviceclass.htm



Yes, absolutely, go for it. If anything goes wrong, not that it would, but if it did you can blame her. Them dadgum kids, she was probably letting her boyfriend drag race it.