Old ST Bottle, would you use it?

[FutureDoc]

So I was cleaning out the back of a closet when I found an old "clear" bottle of WM's Supertech Synthetic 5w30 (I am guessing it is at least 2005-ish era). (Isn't awesome when you find oil you did not know about?). Anyway, it is a clean bottle (WPP) but I noticed some wax "flakes" at the bottom that settled out. The oil was stored inside so it was odd to see but I was wondering if you would use it in a "beater" as I flip the fumoto valve under my Subaru and drain out a qt. every so often and replace it. Thoughts?

I also found a not quite so old (3 year-ish) of a bottle of castrol syntec that I though I lost. It was like christmas a month early. Maybe I should hide the bottles so my wife does not thing I am hording oil again...hummmm

 

[eljefino]

Throw the whole thing in.

 

[JHZR2]

The settling is disconcerting. If it was just old but kept inside and sealed, Id not worry too much about it...

But if it looks like there has been additive dropout/agglomeration, Id be wary of using it.

The clear bottles are neat, Id keep it as a shelf piece if there are too many solids on the bottom.

 

[gfh77665]

1) Shake it up.
2) Dump it in.
3) Don't give it another thought.

 

[Greggy_D]

Originally Posted By: gfh77665
1) Shake it up.
2) Dump it in.
3) Don't give it another thought.


This.

 

[fdcg27]

+2.
Oil from only eight years ago in climate controlled storage should be just fine.
I'd use it.

 

[stchman]

Believe it or not, oil does have a shelf life. The 2005 bottle I would not use, but the 3 year old bottle I would.

What application are you going to use the oil in?

Take a pic and post the ST bottle. One day it might be a collector's item.

 

[Zaedock]

Originally Posted By: stchman
Believe it or not, oil does have a shelf life. The 2005 bottle I would not use, but the 3 year old bottle I would.

What application are you going to use the oil in?

Take a pic and post the ST bottle. One day it might be a collector's item.


Meh - nothing wrong with '05 oil. I use '05/'06 oil from my stash ALL THE TIME.

My last UOA on old oil (mine is kept in the basement) was fine.

 

[fdcg27]

If you have any eight year old bottles of oil, I'm sure that most of those who have been here for a few years would be more than happy to take them off your hands for the cost of shipping.
Just as an aside, I had a great 7K UOA this past spring of PP 5w30, used as the winter fill, that I'd bought BOGO from AAP in 2006.
View it here:
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubb...rue#Post2984600
Oil may have a shelf life, but it's probably measured in decades, not years.

 

[Plumber]

I scored a case and half of Pennzoil w/Z-7 5w30 from 1995. Stored in a basement bottles look brand new.

Gonna use it for my older vehicles.

 

[901Memphis]

I see no problem using it in the Suburu

 

[Whimsey]

I used a stash of Schaeffer's SynBlend 5w30 that I purchased in 2004. I finished it up in 2012. I just shook the bottles before I used them. Looking in my valve cover through the oil fill it looks almost new after 18 years. When not using the Schaeffer's Blend it had various synthetics.

Whimsey

 

[FutureDoc]

Images

Front Label

The waxy flakes (sorry, the camera did not want to focus on wax in oil in plastic... I wonder why...)

 

[FutureDoc]

I kinda want to open up the Castrol Syntec and see if there is any material at the bottom of the bottle as a comparison. Other than maybe QS in a clear bottle for their marketing purposes, I wonder if this is why it is a lot less common as save for oil specific retailers, I bet the grocery-store oils stay on the self forever (I have never seen a sale there).

 

[Kuato]

Originally Posted By: gfh77665
1) Shake it up.
2) Dump it in.
3) Don't give it another thought.


Yup.

And mix it with the other old oil you came across.

In Blackstone's October letter they used some 30 year old oil...UOA was fine.

 

[901Memphis]

Shake it vigorously until your arm is tired and see if the suspended items do anything.

 

[FutureDoc]

Actually, that was after a bit of a shaking. Vigorous but arm-tiring. It did break up the wax a bit.

Maybe I should wait 17-22 yeahs and re-post with "would you use 20yo WM oil/"

I kinda feel bad using it... since it is a "historical item"... but then again, it is oil and I have a bad OCI habit. Having a clear "oil bottle" would be good as having cars with 3.7l and 4.8l of oil capacity always leaves me with a little oil left over which I keep consolidated in Mason jars... until it is full and then I use it. It is a buy a few quarts, get a "quart" free after 2 changes.

 

[901Memphis]

Lets get it straight, its old, not antique. Give it 30 years then it might be collectible.

 

[FutureDoc]

I warmed up the oil in the bottle (let the bottle sit in very hot water) and then gave it a good shake. Most of the material re-dissolved or broke down into small parts.