Shelf Life Of Petroleum Products

[55 Fargo]

I have some #30 oil, #90 gear lube 2 cycle oil and anti-freeze.

I want to use this stuff to add to the nostaligic sense of old car ownership.

What do yall think, it still looks and smells good........

[Plymouthy Adams]

, it still looks and smells good........

I have heard this someplace before

...sealed oil container should have no way to draw contaminants..the sealed anti-freeze should not have contaminant either or have evaporated they active ingredient..BUT if you have any reservations, they make excellent static displays in the trunk at any local show or cruise

[Don Coatney]

Best to give the taste test. Looks and smell dont count.

[55 Fargo]

Best to give the taste test. Looks and smell dont count.

Should I do a search, to find out how, or do you have any photobucket pics demonstrating this technique....

[busycoupe]

I have often wondered about this. Petroleum is already hundreds of millions of years old, what would another 40 or 50 years in a sealed container matter? I suppose they may have some kind of additive that could break down over time, same with the anti-freeze. I don't know .. any chemists on the forum? Another thing to consider is that modern oils and antifreeze have superior formulations to the old stuff. You may be better off using modern fluids even if the old stuff is still good.

Dave

[captden29]

rock, i agree that these are better for display. however, they could always be used in an emergency if you carry them. oil never goes bad and even if the antifreeze lost some of it's properties it can always be used in the rad as water.old outboard oil was usually very similar to 30W motor oil and in fact i used 30W in my old evinrude from the sixties. the bottom of these cans can rust out from the inside as well as the out side, so better to have them in a tub if you carry them in the car. i do like the old cans , especially the oddball brands. the guy on american pickers TV show always looks for these and some have a little value to collectors. capt den