Pennzoil Ultra Platinum, okay to use 5 year old jugs?

[j_mac]

I have a few separate and completely distinct problems with Pennzoil Ultra Platinum 5W-30. Help! First... Several weeks ago I tried using the search with terms like PUP, Pennzoil Ultra Platinum, Ultra, PUP oil, etc. and literally couldn't get any hits about Pennzoil Ultra Platinum motor oil at all. All the results came back nonsense. And just tonight I tried again and got nonsense. Second... And here's the KILLER! I ordered two 5 qt. jugs of Pennzoil Ultra Platinum 5W-30 from a VERY popular online source. I bought it for the new car that is 2 months old and was ready for it's first oil change. I got the car up on ramps in the alley and drained the factory fill (@6000mi.) Threw the old oil in my recycling unit along with the filter... pulled out the new PUP oil and when I opened the cap I didn't hear or feel the safety ring snapping loose. Took a close look and there was a single split in the ring that let the cap come off with the lid! So I grabbed the second jug I ordered and took that cap off. Same thing. A split ring and it came off with the cap! It seems someone may have cut the ring to remove the good oil and replace it with some dollar general SA oil so they could have the PUP oil ...OR SOMETHING! Third... Not taking any chances with my new car with 6000mi... I had no choice but to use FIVE YEAR OLD Pennzoil Ultra Platinum 5W-30 I stockpiled when it first came out and never used (it was during the $20 rebate deal.) The question here is, do you think its OK to use this 5 year old oil in my new car? Its already in there and has been for a few days. The cap on the 5 qt. jug I used was opened 5 years ago to get the code under the cap for the rebate and then the cap was carefully put back on and the jug placed on a shelf in my garage. Its a large concrete block garage that's sealed up pretty good and doesn't see wild temperature variations, but has seen inside temps around freezing and over 100F in summer. The oil looked good when I poured it. As a side note, the old PUP oil that is still left in the jug has an exotic smell to it. Kind of a sweet smell, a plastic smell, a fresh oil smell, a swimming pool smell, and some unidentified outer space smell... all in one! Really, its a curious, almost intoxicating smell. But it is fleeting. You can barely smell it right at first and then after 2 or 3 whiffs you can't smell it any more. This oil has a nice golden amber color. The two new PUP jugs from the famous online supplier, The "Big A," it smells like a flashback to some cheap 1980's SF motor oil from the local store. You know, like the old "motor oil" scratch and sniff stickers. The oil is also darker than the oil I put in the motor too. The two new jugs are yellow, and the old one (the one that went in my engine) is a dark grey color. All three are labeled "Pennzoil Ultra Platinum 5W-30." Is there a difference in the old, original PUP in the grey jug and the new ones in the yellow jugs or could something more nefarious going on? I can't find any info in the search about PUP oil! ANY input about Pennzoil Ultra Platinum 5W-30 would be much appreciated!

 

[Char Baby]

Your first question of using 5 year old oil in a new car. Obviously your new car calls for 5W30 and Yes you can use the OLD PUP 5W30 and sleep well. Your second question I can not answer. IDK if anyone can.

 

[demarpaint]

The 5 y/o oil is fine, however it may or may not meet the specs for your car, that you'd have to check with your owner's manual. Between the gray jugs and the newer yellow jugs the formula has gone through some changes. I don't know what the oil smelled like from one jug to the next so I can't comment about that. It could very well indicate the change in formulation.

 

[Mr Nice]

Yes.

 

[bullwinkle]

The gray bottle is the alleged PAO containing Ultra, but it sounds like you got snookered if the rings are broken, there's no way of knowing what's in there. It was darker that the newer "Pure Plus" GTL Ultra in the yellow jugs, though.

 

[incognito_2u]

You should be fine with the 5 year old oil, but what's more concerning to me is the fact that you received Oil that you ordered that apparently was opened before you received it...….

 

[JoelB]

Is the older oil you put in SN rated?

 

[PimTac]

You've been had.

 

[Rmay635703]

Hmm, buy up oil jugs from the recycling facility Refill sounds like a good gig

 

[69GTX]

The older grey jug of PUP with seal intact should be fine. Nothing wrong with full oil container sitting for 5 yrs. It will serve you well on this OCI. I don't think those jugs are vacuum sealed or anything so what's the difference if you broke the seal, then resealed it, and stored it a fairly stable temperature environment? There are plenty of cases of 5-15 yr old USED oil sitting in the crankcases of old cars that are used very little. That's a far harsher environment than sitting in a clean jug without any combustion by-products, water or fuel. No idea on what happened with those 2 newer jugs with broken seals. If you haven't had those long I'd file a complaint with the seller, Ebay, Amazon, credit card and/or Paypal etc. where every you got them from. Should be able to get a refund if you kept everything and took photos.

 

[VickK]

Originally Posted by j_mac

I have a few separate and completely distinct problems with Pennzoil Ultra Platinum 5W-30. Help! First... Several weeks ago I tried using the search with terms like PUP, Pennzoil Ultra Platinum, Ultra, PUP oil, etc. and literally couldn't get any hits about Pennzoil Ultra Platinum motor oil at all. All the results came back nonsense. And just tonight I tried again and got nonsense. Second... And here's the KILLER! I ordered two 5 qt. jugs of Pennzoil Ultra Platinum 5W-30 from a VERY popular online source. I bought it for the new car that is 2 months old and was ready for it's first oil change. I got the car up on ramps in the alley and drained the factory fill (@6000mi.) Threw the old oil in my recycling unit along with the filter... pulled out the new PUP oil and when I opened the cap I didn't hear or feel the safety ring snapping loose. Took a close look and there was a single split in the ring that let the cap come off with the lid! So I grabbed the second jug I ordered and took that cap off. Same thing. A split ring and it came off with the cap! It seems someone may have cut the ring to remove the good oil and replace it with some dollar general SA oil so they could have the PUP oil ...OR SOMETHING! Third... Not taking any chances with my new car with 6000mi... I had no choice but to use FIVE YEAR OLD Pennzoil Ultra Platinum 5W-30 I stockpiled when it first came out and never used (it was during the $20 rebate deal.) The question here is, do you think its OK to use this 5 year old oil in my new car? Its already in there and has been for a few days. The cap on the 5 qt. jug I used was opened 5 years ago to get the code under the cap for the rebate and then the cap was carefully put back on and the jug placed on a shelf in my garage. Its a large concrete block garage that's sealed up pretty good and doesn't see wild temperature variations, but has seen inside temps around freezing and over 100F in summer. The oil looked good when I poured it. As a side note, the old PUP oil that is still left in the jug has an exotic smell to it. Kind of a sweet smell, a plastic smell, a fresh oil smell, a swimming pool smell, and some unidentified outer space smell... all in one! Really, its a curious, almost intoxicating smell. But it is fleeting. You can barely smell it right at first and then after 2 or 3 whiffs you can't smell it any more. This oil has a nice golden amber color. The two new PUP jugs from the famous online supplier, The "Big A," it smells like a flashback to some cheap 1980's SF motor oil from the local store. You know, like the old "motor oil" scratch and sniff stickers. The oil is also darker than the oil I put in the motor too. The two new jugs are yellow, and the old one (the one that went in my engine) is a dark grey color. All three are labeled "Pennzoil Ultra Platinum 5W-30." Is there a difference in the old, original PUP in the grey jug and the new ones in the yellow jugs or could something more nefarious going on? I can't find any info in the search about PUP oil! ANY input about Pennzoil Ultra Platinum 5W-30 would be much appreciated!

Sounds like you and the oil jug should get a room. Just messing with you Bro. I always thought-new shower curtain.

 

[Oily_Thing]

Great. Now you got my anxiety levels near explosion. I just bought two 5-gallon jugs of 5w20 PUP this week from the A. Cant wait to get home and check those [censored] rings on the caps.

 

[PimTac]

Personally, after hearing all these stories of unsealed jugs I would rather buy my oil from a real store where I can inspect the jug for any shenanigans before paying for it. Even faking the cap seals can be done with a soldering iron. Valvoline excels here with their newer design. The caps are large and clear. The seals can be easily checked both on the cap and the foil pull seal on the mouth.

 

[DGXR]

If it meets the specs for your car, shake the [censored] out of the jug and pour it in. You say the jugs were resealed and your garage does not see radical temperature swings all the time. Shouldn't be a problem. Also, most oil producers say either 1) their oils are good indefinitely in a sealed container, or 2) they are good for up to 5 years. Either way you are OK.