Can I use old (new) motor oil?

I have three old 15 gallon barrels and a square 60 gallon tank of motor oil in my oil shed. It ranges from 20W to 40W, I believe most of it was purchsed in the 40's and 50's. Can it be used or has it settled out or gone bad? I realize that it is already a million years old, but has it lost any qualities or anything from the refining process?

 

Use it on your tools and other rust prevention purposes. Oil breaks down over time.

 

Remember the old saying " change your oil every 3 month or 3,000 miles"
I wouldn't trust it after its broken down to lubricate a running engine.

 

Go to NAPA and buy a oil sample kit and send it to the lab with a note.

 

put it in smaller containers and give it to the neighbour who is allways on the ponce

 

In a cold climate,...use it to fire the shop heater.

4TTRUK

 

Ha Ha! Yeah!

This oil is as old as my grandfather.... can you see if it's still good?

 

I believe most specifications on motor oil state that the shelf life is 4 to 5 years,,

I can attest to using oil that was at least 9 years old and never thought anything about it,,must have been OK because I've already change the oil a couple of times since then. HRP

 

Sell it for a premium in the classifieds. Right next the the "period correct compressed air"! Just kidding, I think I'd recycle it.

 

Yes. What HRP said.

You now have gelled dinosaur ass in a bottle.

 

It'll make great chain saw bar oil though

 

Traditional Oil ?

 

Don't cook with it there is nothing worse than fries made with rancid oil.

 

Now this just gave me an idea............

Sell it to McDonald's!

 

Go buy an acre of land east of town, dig a hole, bury that old oil and then tell your friends you've discovered oil on that new property...word will get around fast and you'll have people knocking on your door wanting to buy that acre of land for triple or quadruple, or more what you paid for it...

R-

 

You have an oil shed? Is that something people in MN generally have?

 

Roger,,that's the best answer yet! HRP

 

Actually an interesting question. Oil back in the 40s & 50s didn't have the huge % of volume of additives that modern oil has, so maybe not much to "break down". Having said that...fresh made 40s/50s spec oil probably isn't all that good compared to SL oil anyway.

 

Yes i do have an oil shed, one of 7 old buildings on my place. Most of them, forget that, all of them still have items from the 20's til now.

 

Or he ends up with an EPA Superfund site

 

Sounds like a great place for a garage sale!

 

I'd go with sending a sample to a lab, if ya' really want to use it, otherwise I would heat the house with it!

 

On my Micky D's fries????... I don't think so!....

 

If the barrels have the brand on it someone will buy it from you people collect everything.

 

Had to look that one up. Will remember in future.

 

A local blacksmith might be interested, at the right price (basically FREE).

 

That old oil is likely low detergent or no detergent. Sell it for $1 a gallon to someone nearby with an Army surplus multifuel vehicle.

 

my thougts exactly. old oil is traditional oil.

 

Well from what I understand it a car does have to use only stuff from the era to be period correct.

 

What you have is 105 gallons of dust suppressor.