Engine oil again!

[Ruairidh Dunford]

Your clarity is welcome and appreciated Colin, thank you.

[Peter Naulls]

Yes indeed, thank you Colin. Your answer has given me the confidence to use the oil which would otherwise have gone to waste.

Furthermore I now also have an understanding of the benefits of synthetic oil which had previously passed me by.

[David.H]

I have a couple of 5 litre Castol full synthetic unopened containers left over from an intercontinental rally back in 2003.The have been stored at the back of the garage ever since. Without digging them out to check I can't remember the viscocity etc ( 5/40 I think)
Are they still useable?.......
D

[Bob Culver]

I have used conventional oils over 20 years old in older cars. I always figured that it been in the ground for umpteen million years. With anti oxidant additives should not oxidise closed. But all the modern additives a bit of a concern. I have noticed some modrn oils do carry a use by date. It would be hard to find an authoratative view. Anyone in the industry is unlikley to encourae use of old oil. A stock Seven engine is a very undemanding application, except maybe for cold short run condensation., for which any modern oil vastlly superior to API SB originally.
If it was some concoction specifically for racing it may not have much to counter low temp corrosion. Av Seven on 5W would be lively at low and moderate temps.

[Hedd_Jones]

for those of you who have been using the straight oils because of no detergent, i thought it may be worth noting that 'Carlube' now sell a 20/50 with No detergent. A 20/50 has to be better than a straight oil.

https://www.carlube.co.uk/product/20w-50...grade-oil/

I'm a low detergent man, but struggled to find anything locally to top up over the weekend so picked some of this up and used it.

Wilkos and Halfords both drew a blank, which is my normal supply.

I've now found a source of Morris Golden Film low detergent 20/50 within spitting distance of work, so shall be using that from now on.