Old synthetic oil

[tolsen 630]

I’ve been tidying up a wee bit and found in my shed six litres of synthetic oil from 1984. At that time synthetic oil was rather expensive and I only used this oil for winter. Drained it early May and replaced with standard mineral oil. I wonder if this old oil now is still safe to use. 

From memory this oil only saw limited service perhaps less than 1500 km in the OM314 engine of my MB 508D camper van from late October to early May. The Smart is now due an oil change and I wonder if I can use this old oil. Look forward to your opinions and advice folks. 

[Willys 747]

Hmmm...????

 

Oil the engine's life's blood.......oil is cheap compared to the damages bad oil could do...no..?

I'd be using it on your chain saw or lathe or drill press, personally not in my engine.....but that's just me...lol

 

[tolsen 630]

This oil cost me an arm and a leg nearly 40 years ago so I wish to make good use of it. Just concluded it is semi synthetic by reading the faded print on its plastic container. 

Think it will find good use in my 1963 lawn mower. Bought today 4 litres of MB 229.51 spec 5w40 oil for only £10.  Low SAPS grade. That is what I use in my 2 stroke outboards instead of the costly special dyed 2 stroke oils. Should be fine for the wee Smart. 

[1983JZR3W 32]

I am kinda OCD about oil.  I buy 4 quarts of Mobile 1 0W40 for each oil change.  There is always a small amount left in one bottle, but I don't use it for the next oil change.  I always start with 4 new quarts and a new Mobile 1 M 108 filter.  I may be crazy, but for me, I just feel like I am treating my car right.

[1983JZR3W 32]

I do not drive my car a lot, 5081 miles in just over 10 years.  I still change it once a year.  This May when it was due, I realized I had only driven 91 miles in the last year due to some illness I have been having.

[Willys 747]

10 minutes ago, 1983JZR3W said:

I do not drive my car a lot, 5081 miles in just over 10 years.  I still change it once a year.  This May when it was due, I realized I had only driven 91 miles in the last year due to some illness I have been having.

Christ I drive that much in a couple of months...lol.     I too use a new jug every change but save the extra and make up enough to use one day as a whole change.  I learned the hard way after breaking my back and couldn't bend over to change my oil, that it is an essential component not just some greasey mess that you kept filling up after it gets old and burnt up....I destroyed a good head in my Mazda 323 .......sometime i learn things the hard way and aren't shy saying so...lol.  I'm also too tight or cheap to pay someone to change my oil....something I still can't get past paying someone to turn a simple drain plug and a filter......augh!

[LooseLugNuts 557]

id buy new oil and save the old stuff for the wifes car

 

..or a customer

[LooseLugNuts 557]

5 hours ago, tolsen said:

Think it will find good use in my 1963 lawn mower

 

lawnmower should use non-detergent straight 30

 

 

[Chopper 264]

Provided it's the correct grade and has been stored in a sealed container I'd use it.

Edited August 22, 2019 by Chopper

[MikeT 744]

I think he said it had been used briefly in another engine.....

[tolsen 630]

Just now, MikeT said:

I think he said it had been used briefly in another engine.....

Yes, I used this oil in my first camper van for only a few winter months in 1984, 35 years ago.

[Willys 747]

It'll make great fire starter...lol.

Mixed with some varsol and maybe a pinch of gasoline....great...!

 

[Chopper 264]

36 minutes ago, tolsen said:

Yes, I used this oil in my first camper van for only a few winter months in 1984, 35 years ago.

In which case I'd not be so worried about the oil itself, but the nature of any contaminants and the like, so no.

[tolsen 630]

I have tonnes of good used engine oil which I normally use as fuel.  I clean the oil in my diy centrifuge then mix maximum 50 50 with diesel. That is perhaps the best way to get my money back of this at the time rather expensive engine oil. 

[Leadwing 565]

46 minutes ago, JamesTheBest said:

Lawn mowers generally require a higher-priced oil.

 

I have a pre-1956 Kohler single stage snow blower and the only oil used in that since new is a 20 weight standard motor oil.  Sixty four plus years later and it still runs like new.

 

[Willys 747]

2 hours ago, JamesTheBest said:

Lawn mowers generally require a higher-priced oil. I usually use Amsoil Synthetic Oil. It is one of the best oil for lawn mower according to experts. Never had any issues with this oil.  

This is what I used entirely in my motorcycle and it worked flawlessly....perfect!

Lawn mowers or should I say small engines should imho get better oil after their break-in period simply because they don't make them like they used to.....too much pot metals and no actual bearings......long gone are the days of actual bearings over machine mated surfaces using a film of oil to lube it ....so I use good oil in my small newer engines....oil is far cheaper than mechanical bits...lol  The older well made engines of yesteryear can handle old style oils.......the old oils used to need heating up before they would flow well, now if you tip a can over it'll empty like it was full of water.....lol

But, hey....to each their own...it's like talking politics when you start talking which oil is best  I have found.

 

[Getfuzzy 19]

Thats why I buy electric mowers, plus my yard is really small, but the electric motors they're using now  are dropping in quality like the small gas engines. I'm burning out lawnmowers every 3 or 4 years and it takes me only 30/40 minutes to do both front and backyards. I think Briggs and Stratton are in bankruptcy now.

[Willys 747]

For a lawn your size I would be buying a small gas mower with a china clone engine for very little and having at it....I'm not a fan of electric items yet for anything but toys.  Bash me all you wish but you can't beat simply adding gas and watching it drink it up. Until they develop the lifespan of the batteries cheaply I will never buy a tool to do large jobs such as lawn equipment etc. You yourself are seeing that even the motors are being compromised now by cutting costs, so  what happens when they do the same to the powerplant end of it..?   I now use battery impact, drills, saws sanders etc etc but also have bought one of the best manufacturers I can afford  and they do not get used constantly for long periods of time. I have electric or air powered tools for those jobs. 
Getting back to your issues, I'd even buy a good used gas model as small as I could find if your lawn is so small.  Just my opinion....

 

[LooseLugNuts 557]

james the best 

 

best spammer maybe 

[Willys 747]

1 hour ago, LooseLugNuts said:

james the best 

 

best spammer maybe 

lol...I wasn't clicking on that link..lol      Damn...lol