Found some rare? oil today at Rite-Aid

[ThirdeYe]

It looked like a K-Mart in their car section. They had a ton of SL Pennzoil, a bunch of quarts of 10W40 and 20W50 SJ rated Pennzoil (pictures below), and also some Formula Shell High Mileage oil (which I've never seen before) I thought it was interesting that the older bottles of Pennzoil had a dark film inside of them (additive separation perhaps?):

 

[John_K]

Funny you posted this...I was in the Dayton area recently and stopped in at a Rite-Aid. Saw a Gumout bottle with "$5 Gas Card Rebate" on it. Seemed interesting. Rebate offer expiration date? September 30, 2002!

John

 

[SLM]

I never seen high miliage formula shell either, however it might be good stuff. I like the regular formula shell. At four dollars a quart no way they are selling any Pennzoil. Every time I drive by my local rite aid I'm amazed its in business.

 

[kkreit01]

Of the 2, I'd pick the Shell HM at $2.99. $4.19 is slightly high for Pennzoil Conventional It's always fun to check out oil prices at grocery, drug stores, and gas stations.

 

[simple_gifts]

I guess I'll start looking at the medicines more closely....

 

[Jim 5]

Could the dark film be oil absorption into the plastic?

 

[wavinwayne]

$4.19/qt. for obsolete API spec'd Pennzoil 10w40!? Ouch.

 

[ThirdeYe]

It was rated API SJ. I went back there today and it's still for sale! Get them while they're still there!

 

[Johnny]

It's the bottles, not the oil. Those old bottles were made at the old bottle mold/blowing plant in Shreveport. They changed the chemical make-up of he resins on the newer bottles. Can't believe that stuff is still around, especially at that price. If I were Shell, and I'm not, I would buy or replace that old stock just to get it off the shelf. To me that's a very bad image.

 

[addyguy]

Wayne....SJ is still a valid spec......old, but still 'current'.....but I agree, the price is outrageous! Even in Canada, that would be a very hight price for old oil!

 

[Lonnie]

It's common to find many products that are very oil, still on the shelf for sale. In Los Angles it's especially true in small stores owned by recent arrivals from other countries. Old stock disposed by larger chains ends up down the chain so to speak and for sale again. I saw Shell 'Fire & Ice' engine oil that had to be from the 60's on the shelf. It was in the old fashioned cans that you use a special funnel to pierce the can and then you pour it into your engine.

 

[SLM]

Odd that the bottles around it look fairly new. I'd be willing to bet that these got stashed away in the back somewhere by some employee to never again see the light of day until recently. Shows how good Rite Aid does inventory.

 

[ThirdeYe]

The bottles to the right of it (SAE30 and SAE40) were both rated SL, and the 10W30 next to it was rated SM.

 

[ethangsmith]

Local hardware store has Pennzoil "TURBO" oil that's SJ rated. The labels are faded so it's been around for a while. Says it's specailly formulated for turbo engines and has "PZL" and "Z-7" in it. This stuff any good? If it is, I'll go buy it.

 

[Johnny]

The PZL Turbo was a very good oil. It never was advertised as a blend, but it did have some synthetic in it. The discontinued it after Pennzoil came out with their Performax synthetic.

 

[Mike_dup1]

Category Status Service
For all automotive engines currently in use. Introduced in 2004, SM oils are designed to provide
improved oxidation resistance, improved deposit protection, better wear protection, and better
low-temperature performance over the life of the oil. Some SM oils may also meet the latest ILSAC
specification and/or qualify as Energy Conserving.
SM Current
SL Current For 2004 and older automotive engines.
SJ Current For 2001 and older automotive engines.
SH Obsolete For 1996 and older engines.
SG Obsolete For 1993 and older engines.
SF Obsolete For 1988 and older engines.
SE Obsolete CAUTION: Not suitable for use in gasoline-powered automotive engines built after 1979.
CAUTION: Not suitable for use in gasoline-powered automotive engines built after 1971.
Use in more modern engines may cause unsatisfactory performance or equipment harm. SD Obsolete
CAUTION: Not suitable for use in gasoline-powered automotive engines built after 1967.
Use in more modern engines may cause unsatisfactory performance or equipment harm. SC Obsolete
CAUTION: Not suitable for use in gasoline-powered automotive engines built after 1951.
Use in more modern engines may cause unsatisfactory performance or equipment harm. SB Obsolete
SA Obsolete CAUTION: Contains no additives. Not suitable for use in gasoline-powered automotive engines built
after 1930. Use in more modern engines may cause unsatisfactory performance or equipment harm.

 

[mrsilv04]

That dark stuff on the inside of the Pennzoil bottle?

That's the parrafin I tell you! The stuff is so bad, it's trying to sludge up the inside of the bottle. Look at it, you can see it through the bottle. The stuff can't wait to get out and ruin your engine!

Run! Fast! Don't look back!!!


(Sorry... I just HAD to do it...)