dfndr
Well-known member
I found a case of motoroil in the back of my shed. I guess it is 8 to 10 years old. Any reason not to use it?
Old Oil?
- Thread starter dfndr
- Start date
Junkman
Well-known member
Don't use it on any modern engines, but it should be OK for any engine that was manufactured prior to the time that the oil was manufactured. Some people claim that the oil goes bad in the container, however, I have never subscribed to that theory.
tfi racing
Well-known member
I agree with JM.I wouldn't use it in a new car or expensive race engine,but it should be good for an older vehicle.How bad could it get,it is squished dinosaurs and leaves out of the ground after all,not milk!
Gary S
Well-known member
That old oil is the premium stuff. It has the zinc necessary to lubricate the lifters on older flat tappet cams made up until recently. Lots of people who own old muscle cars would pay extra for oil of that quality today.
catbert
Member
Check out the API code rating on the top of the can or on the bottle label. Check that rating against the requirement for any car you are thinking of using it in. The required rating will be in the owner's manual, or you can usually find it on-line.
JCQuick
Well-known member
He's right it is a problem thanks to the EPA
RetroJim55
Well-known member
I would only use it in older motors . You can always sell it at a swap meet . guys like the older oil because of the zinc in it for the flat tap engines !
z28toz06
Well-known member
Calbert, is that your Ron fellows Corvette?
Motor oil Has a shelf life doesn't it? I thought it would break down after a certain length of time.
Cummins_Powered
Well-known member
65+ million years in the ground....10 years on a shelf....I think its still good.
bgott
Well-known member
I'd sell it. It might not have the additives that some people think it would have. Back in the mid to late '70's Ford Pintos and some GM cars had problems with the cams going flat. Ford blamed the problem on the lack of anti-wear additives in the oil. Of course, Ford always blames their problems on everybody other than themselves so maybe it really was just junk cams, but I wouldn't take the chance.
MXtras
Well-known member
Are you guys serious? Oil made in 1999 is completely inferior to oil made in 2009?
Tarheelgarage
Well-known member
I had a 307 from around 1982 that had cam lob wear.
mikeyr
Well-known member
YES we are VERY serious...
if you have a 2009 motor than 2009 motor oil is superior, if the newest thing in your garage is 1967 then that 1999 oil is liquid gold.
Try googling all the stuff they have taken out of the new oils that is harmful to the older motors. Its serious and its true, the older motors that have flat tappets (all 4 motors in my garage) wont last with the new oils without me putting ZDDP additives. They took it out of modern oils because the new motors don't need it but the old motors absolutely need it.
jhchoppers
Well-known member
Ouch... Some bikes are High Tech
Most of what I've read recommends SG oil for bikes because it has higher levels of ZDDP than the newest SM rated oils. Modern motorcycle engines make more power per unit of displacement than any street drivable car I know of.
You can purchase zinc additives or use diesel formulations. Old oil is old oil. 10 bottles of oil will not make a bit of difference over the life of any motor. I would use it up in my lawnmower. Synthetic for the cars.
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e-tek
Well-known member
I use "new" oil in all my older cars - no worries - ever. The only time you REALLY need a Zinc additive is during break-in for a NEW flat tappet cam. Although they say a little Zinc (more is NOT btter) can help avoid metal to metal wear in extreme rpm conditions, when I (or most machine shops) rebuilt an "old" engine with it's ORIGINAL cam - any oil is OK. After break-in of your flat-tappet cam you can go back to "new" oil, old oil, whatever. I don't know of any "muscle car" guys that would pay you more for the "old oil". I wouldn't.
As far as "new oil for new cars" - they removed the Zinc just to save the Catalytic Converters. Has little to do with the engines as roller rockers decrease metal to metal wear so much they are fine without the Zinc.
As far as using up a gallon in your lawn mower - that'd last 10 years in my mower!
As far as "new oil for new cars" - they removed the Zinc just to save the Catalytic Converters. Has little to do with the engines as roller rockers decrease metal to metal wear so much they are fine without the Zinc.
As far as using up a gallon in your lawn mower - that'd last 10 years in my mower!
nate379
Banned
Yeah it's the reason I run 15w40 oil in all my stuff. The 2 diesel trucks, my Jeep, my car, tractor, pressure washer, etc. Lots of zinc in diesel oil. Plus it's $8 a gal for Rotella.
brent_malibu
Active member
Unless your running very high lift and high spring pressures then you need the ZDDP everytime you change the oil other wise goodbye cam lobes.
bgott
Well-known member
That might not be true any longer. They screwed with the formulation of the diesel rated oils so that the additives wouldn't screw up the diesel particulate filters that were required from 2007.5 up. I don't know what they have in 'em anymore, maybe a little time at bobistheoilguy.com is in order.
e-tek
Well-known member
Are you sure that is what you meant to say? It doesn't even make sense...High spring pressures would be HARDER on your cam lobes, so that is where I "might" consider a ZDDP additive. Not the opposite.
brent_malibu
Active member
Are you sure that is what you meant to say? It doesn't even make sense...High spring pressures would be HARDER on your cam lobes, so that is where I "might" consider a ZDDP additive. Not the opposite.
Not sure how to put it so you understand it...
You said
"I use "new" oil in all my older cars - no worries - ever. The only time you REALLY need a Zinc additive is during break-in for a NEW flat tappet cam"
I'm saying you DO need the Zinc Additive for higher spring pressures all the time not just for break-in.
Wow not sure how you got that backwords
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timgr
Well-known member
Not sure how to put it so you understand it...
You said
"I use "new" oil in all my older cars - no worries - ever. The only time you REALLY need a Zinc additive is during break-in for a NEW flat tappet cam"
I'm saying you DO need the Zinc Additive for higher spring pressures all the time not just for break-in.
Wow not sure how you got that backwords
No, e-tek is right. To someone who understands the topic, it's obvious what you meant BUT the way you worded your reply originally is backwards.
Might have been the misuse of the possessive pronoun your instead of the contraction, of you are (you're). It confused me, too.
krooser
Well-known member
Better check you're label... the new diesel formulations have all reduced levels of zinc for the 2007 and later diesels with DPF filters....
catbert
Member
Why yes it is.
e-tek
Well-known member
Not sure how to put it so you understand it...
You said
"I use "new" oil in all my older cars - no worries - ever. The only time you REALLY need a Zinc additive is during break-in for a NEW flat tappet cam"
I'm saying you DO need the Zinc Additive for higher spring pressures all the time not just for break-in.
Wow not sure how you got that backwords
I got it backwards 'cause you said it backwards....but as backwards as I am most of the time, I should have got it straight! Get it? Me neither.
