Disadvantage/Damage to using an SJ oil in newer car?

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My neighbor has a garage full of older oil rated SJ. He asked me if it was safe for his near new 2003 car. I said that info was above my pay grade and I would check with the experts. I do not believe SJ oils are approved for warranty on 2002 and beyond? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance

[ October 04, 2003, 12:06 PM: Message edited by: tenderloin ]
 
SL rated oil should be used in new cars, trucks, vans and SUVs. Heck, you can get some SL rated oil for about $1.00 a quart-why use old oil. And we are apparently going to see SM rated oil soon. The older SJ rated oil could be used in lawn mowers, old cars, etc.
 
I agree. Right now, by only scanning through the Sunday paper, you can go out and buy a name brand (Havoline, Shell, Chevron, etc.) SL rated oil for about 69 cents after rebate, equaling about $3.50 for an oil change (plus filter), about what you'd pay for lunch at Burger King. So by definition, why even risk the chance of worrying if his older oil is deficient?

SH oil is meant for engine model years 1996 and older. SJ oil was introduced in 1996 and is designed for engines of model years 1997 (and older) through 2001. SL oil was introduced in July 2001 and was called for in engines beginning in model year 2002.

There's no need for your neighbor to feel obligated to use his oil in his car -- it's a commodity with value like anything else. I'd suggest selling it through your local freebie classified rag for 50 cents/qt or other appropriate price. Or find a swap meet seller who'll sell it for your neighbor, splitting the proceeds 50/50.
 
Wow, is there really enough of a difference between SJ and SL to care? I thought it was just a specification with a few silly guidelines like slightly less zinc allowed, etc.
 
if I had a newer car 2002 or later, I would use SL rated oils only. if the SJ bottles are unopen, how long has he had them in storage? I read that 4 years unopened bottles max for shelf life. if he has a pre-2000 car and had the oil less than 4 years, I would have no problems using the SJ oil bottles.
 
IMHO It's perfectly safe to use the SJ oil. Maybe just don't leave it in quite as long as normal.

If your really paranoid about using it at all, you certainly could use it as an engine flush just to get some use out of it. Get a cheap filter, change the oil using the SJ oil, drive about a hundred miles then do another oil change using a good filter and SL oil.
 
quote:

Originally posted by tenderloin:
My neighbor has a garage full of older oil rated SJ. He asked me if it was safe for his near new 2003 car. I said that info was above my pay grade and I would check with the experts. I do not believe SJ oils are approved for warranty on 2002 and beyond? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance

Maybe just mix a little of the old stuff in and use it for top-offs until it is consumed. Or give it to a friend (you?) or relative who has an older car. I would not send it to a land fill.
 
I doubt that it would harm the mechanicals in your engine. (May even be better- depends on oil brand, etc)

I doubt that it would harm you catalytic converter unless the car burns lots of oil or the oil is real crappy with a high NOACK %. I think the P poisoning of cats is way overblown.

The warranty issue could get interesting - WHAT does the owner's manual say??? The car company would have a difficult time saying "engine was ruined by SJ oil", but the wrangling would be legal....so....

What kind of oil? How much is a "garage full"? Seems REALLY stupid to dump perfectly good oil, but it's ultimately up to you. Maybe there are some poor folks that would really love free oil for their 10yr+ car (Hey that's me
rolleyes.gif
!) - seriously.
 
quote:

Originally posted by BadBatsuMaru:
Wow, is there really enough of a difference between SJ and SL to care? I thought it was just a specification with a few silly guidelines like slightly less zinc allowed, etc.

I agree with you, BBM. EVERY material safety data sheet from ANY motor oil purveyer I've accessed on line also says that their finished product is stable when stored unopened, INDEFINATELY, at ambient temperature. (Not "4 years".) (It's OIL, already several million years old, not fresh meat, for cryin' out loud.) I've also read that the vaunted "SL"'s main "change" over "SJ" was a reduction in phosperous (in the form of less ZDDP EP additive). Ironically, Hyundai still lists "SG"(!) as acceptable in their engines, and over the 7,500 mile "normal service" intervals in their owner's manuals - and this from the company that provides a 10 yr./100,000 mile factory powertrain warranty in the U.S.! I'm not saying Hyundai engines are better than (or even as good as) other manufacturers' - just pointing out that even with an ancient "SG" rated oil, Hyundai put itself on the hook for the first ten years or one hundred thousand miles.
 
I found this topic intruiging, so I did a quick look-see on the Web:

From Kendall's website:
"API SL oils will be the equipment manufacturers recommended crankcase lubrication beginning with the 2002 model year engines. Oils meeting API SL have improved performance over API SJ oils in the areas of volatility, high temperature deposit control and oxidation stability. As part of controlling oil consumption and the effect on the emission control systems, car manufacturers have tightened the limits on allowable volatile material on motor oils. Also to help extend the life of emission control system catalysts, the allowable phosphorous limit in API SL oils has been lowered."

In a Chevron document from 2000, commenting on the upcoming SL standard:
"...This standard will require a significant reduction in volatility and improvement in fuel economy, as well as require fuel economy retention and an improvement in high-temperature
deposit-forming propensity. Though not explicitly part of the new requirements, these changes may
also provide some modest additional margin of safety when left in the crankcase for the full recommended oil change interval, particularly for those who, against good practice, tend not to check their oil level between changes."

These don't directly answer our question (Safe to use SJ in a 2003 car?), but to me it's simple math:

SL oil, 10 qts/yr @ 70 cents/qt after rebate = only $7, the price of a movie ticket, to get some peace-of-mind. Why give it a second thought?
 
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