Oil & Fuel Oil question Please

[Hunter29]

I have been told oil can go bad just sitting on a shelf, it this true ? Not so much the oil but the ad pack.. I found some CJ-4 oil but don't know how old it is or if its good to use.. any advice?

Also can CJ-4 oil be used in a gas engine? Like an old golf cart?

thanks guys.

 

[wagne223]

I don't think it "goes bad". I think what happens is it starts to settle out like paint.
If you were to use it without mixing it back up you could not get some of the important stuff.

 

[Dave M7040]

CJ-4 oils may be much higher detergent level than you have been using and I would not use it for fear of breaking loose a clump of crud and blocking an oil pickup.

I have seen someone do this on an old Pontiac mid size from the 1970's. It was a high mileage, poorly maintained car but running well. My friend thought it would benefit from a heavy detergent treatment. By the time he had the engine running again, it was so noisy and near death he junked it. We took off a valve cover and the amount of sludge there was stunning. We imagined some of the sludge blocking oil flow to hydraulic lifters and the suction screen on the main oil pump.

Dave M7040

 

[Texasmark]

I have been told oil can go bad just sitting on a shelf, it this true ? Not so much the oil but the ad pack.. I found some CJ-4 oil but don't know how old it is or if its good to use.. any advice?

Also can CJ-4 oil be used in a gas engine? Like an old golf cart?

thanks guys.

Most compression rated engine oils have a star burst with their C ratings and at the end of the list you will usually find a spark rating also SN for example. If you are worried shake it up before you install it. The engine will stir it up for you anyway. If you are worried about crud coming loose, good. Watch your dipstick for premature blackening of the oil and if it starts getting dirty, change it. Your engine will love you. I have been cleaning out my 1963 Ford 2000D, about 3800 original hours, no wrenches on the engine proper. Been using "snake oils" for a couple of years now and have just about got it to quit smoking all together.