Old Oil...Really Old Oil

[irv]

Originally Posted By: HammerDown
Originally Posted By: Red91
Sounds great

Saw the same looking can of Penn Jersey sell for $125.00



It's amazing what kind of money some old things can bring. Being a collector myself, namely older baseball cards (Vintage, 52 Topps, etc) be careful as there are a lot of fakes and forgeries out there.
https://www.ebay.com/b/Other-Gas-Oil-Advertising/40/bn_16564677

 

[Red91]

I'm digging those Esso bottles. I've always just used the API spec to gauge age. If we're talking SG it's probably around 1992 or thereabouts. I'm not shy towards using old spec oil in applications old enough for it. I ran SJ Kendall GT-1 30wt for about 3,500 miles in the Roadmaster in my signature.

 

[HammerDown]

Any feedback on the code on the bottom of the yellow Pennzoil bottle?
It's HD SAE 30wt with Z-7?
API sj, sh, sg

 

[Red91]

API SJ is going to put it somewhere between 1996ish and 1999.

 

[HammerDown]

Originally Posted By: Red91
API SJ is going to put it somewhere between 1996ish and 1999.

Thanks, I thought that was a birth date for the Oil.
I did refill my Lawn Mower with it last Spring...hope I didn't do any harm.

 

[Red91]

Lol, no you're fine. That Esso 10W-40 would make great lawn mower oil as well, if you have no cars to use it in.

 

[HammerDown]

Originally Posted By: Red91
Lol, no you're fine. That Esso 10W-40 would make great lawn mower oil as well, if you have no cars to use it in.

Thanks for the feedback.
I have an 81 Corvette (flat tappet Cam) I've always used the old original green Kendal GT 20/50, Brad Penn 20/50 or now Valvoline 20/50 VR1 Racing (for the ZDDP levels)
I wouldn't use the Esso 10/40 in my Vette...but my 30+ year old SpeedAir Compressor does call for a "quality detergent 10/40"
I'll use the old 30w Pennzoil in the Lawn Mower.
Oil has always been in a temp controlled basement...never freezing weather or sunlight.
Hey, you pay the shipping and I'll send you one of the Esso Oils.

 

[Red91]

That is tempting, but I think I'm past my vintage oil phase. I still have some old spec Castrol and Delvac 30wt to use up. I'm also selling off my vintage cans too. It sounds like you have everything figured out as to where it all goes. Did you go with VR-1 for availability? I sold Penngrade 1 for a very short time. They are a difficult company to deal with. I have nothing against their oil though. Moving forward if a customer requests a high zinc/phosphorus oil, I can attain Kendall Competition 20W-50 very easily.

 

[HammerDown]

Originally Posted By: Red91
That is tempting, but I think I'm past my vintage oil phase. I still have some old spec Castrol and Delvac 30wt to use up. I'm also selling off my vintage cans too. It sounds like you have everything figured out as to where it all goes. Did you go with VR-1 for availability? I sold Penngrade 1 for a very short time. They are a difficult company to deal with. I have nothing against their oil though. Moving forward if a customer requests a high zinc/phosphorus oil, I can attain Kendall Competition 20W-50 very easily.

At the one leftover not so local true 'Speed Shop' I believe Brad Penn (green) is still available $$$. It was sad to see the good old (green Kendall) go to the Gold-oil Titanium labeling. Way back when this happened the rep swore to me it's still just as good but I lost that warm fuzzy feeling my once trusted Green Kendall GT1 gave me. Soooooo, all of a sudden Autozone started carrying the Valvoline VR1 Racing and the ZDDP levels were ok for the older Flat Tappet Cam Engines. And it was not too costly and easy to get. I also had to switch from green Kendall to Valvoline VR1 on my Harley. Now Valvoline VR1 is getting more difficult to find and when AutoZone gets it it's $$$. Not too much on the local shelves for the older Flat Tappet Engines I would trust. The needed ZDDP levels are just too low...and I don't want to deal with full Synthetics like Mobil, Redline, Lucas, Royal Purple or the other Elite designer Oils. I just need a good 20/50 for my older Vette, a good 50w for my Older Harley and the Lawnmower and Snowblower can run on my fathers mid 90's 30w Pennzoil! lol

 

[Red91]

Check out your local AutoZone this December. Last year they put VR-1 on sale for two bucks a quart as part of their year end clearance. I bought all the 20W-50 they had and sold it to a friend with several old hot rods. You might score yourself some dirt cheap VR-1. If by chance they don't do that this year, see if you can source some Kendall Competition. The 20W-50 still has 1200 zinc/1090 phosphorus. Be prepared to pay around $4.50/qt.

 

[Scdevon]

Send that old Esso 10w40 to me.

That oil is Brand New to my air cooled VW. I'd run it in the summer NO PROBLEM after a few good shakes of the bottle.
I've always ran multi-weight detergent oil in the VW as long as you start off with a clean engine to begin with. It likes 5W30 in the winter (Rockies)
and xxW40 in the summer.

 

[HammerDown]

Originally Posted By: Red91
Check out your local AutoZone this December. Last year they put VR-1 on sale for two bucks a quart as part of their year end clearance. I bought all the 20W-50 they had and sold it to a friend with several old hot rods. You might score yourself some dirt cheap VR-1. If by chance they don't do that this year, see if you can source some Kendall Competition. The 20W-50 still has 1200 zinc/1090 phosphorus. Be prepared to pay around $4.50/qt.

Oh several years ago when they had to make room for the more 'purchased/popular' Oil (in the regular Oil rows) I did score about 4-5 cases 12-count Valvoline VR1 Racing 20/50 for $2 a Qt.
Now, my Auto Zone only carries a few qts (maybe 12) of the VR1-Racing and it's over with the hi-dollar V-Twin Motorcycle oil. And now a case is considered 6 Qts...what's up with that? LOL

 

[Red91]

Lots of companies do that now. Almost all synthetic or high mileage oils come as six packs. Phillips offers all their oil in cases of 12, whether it's conventional, semi synthetic or synthetic. I don't think Valvoline and Castrol use 12 qts to a case any more, for any of their oil.

I like 12 quart cases myself.