How is one supposed to stock up on oil when oil has a shelf life?
https://mobiloil.com/en/faq/ask-our-...mobil-1-quarts

 

I add STP oil treatment to bump the zddp up on M1 15-50. Used the stp in three bikes now and still use it in my truck. Not sure how much it bumps it up but put 16,000 miles on this season all seams well on my 88ci with 95,000 miles on it. Top end & cam chest rebuilt last year.

 

You lost me at ZDDP....

 

Best if we walk away!

 

Let say your right, after all this came from a Mobil website correct?

This generates more questions than answers.

If there is a shelf life for synthetic Mobil 1 oil, then you would think it would be stated somewhere on the label or stamped on the bottle, correct? To have an expiration date, each quart of oil should have a manufacturing date stamped somewhere to correlate the expiration date correct?

I can’t find anything on the label supporting your statement, you would think that would be very important information.

I’m not doubting your statement, you’re just the messenger. I’m questing its validity. Did this person have a name or title to follow up on?

Appreciate it!
B Bop

 

I have used oil that was decades old . 10w shell from a station I worked at, was using all the old oil for free. Never a problem, best running car with well over 10,000 miles. I'm also using some off brand semi synthetic made in USA 5-20, $149 a quart it looked old as no energy conserving on it. Got 29 mpg going on trip doing 77mph in a 3800 best ever mpg in that car.

 

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WOW,well since i guess this is aimed @ me i gotta respond!/LOL!

1) You stated:

" Old school flat tappet cams that were standard from the first combustion engine until 1986 when roller cams came into play(automotive), did not have case harden lobes and the reduction of ZDDP throughout the years created havoc wiping out cam lobes.

Today, 99% of cams (automotive & motorcycles) are designed to use roller tappets no longer need high levels of ZDDP/ 1100 to 1300 ppm and is sufficient for water cooled engines.

Air cool motorcycle engines run much hotter even though they have roller tappets, should run oils with elevated levels of ZDDP/1400 to max 1800 ppm. "

* my response:Your above statements are pretty much on target which i am well aware of some of which i covered in earlier post i made in this thread .

But i saw no need to go that deep into it like you did bringing up when roller cams came into play etc when that wasnt the OP's subject and or what he was commenting on.

BTW,even though HD's have roller cam setups then can still benefit from a healthy zddp lvl esp when running aftermarket perf cams with higher spring rates that produce significantly more pressure @ the roller to can lobe interface.

2)Next you said:

" Now with that said, too much ZDDP will create negative corrosive properties, would not recommend adding ZDDP additive to oils that already have high levels of ZDDP (in this case more is not better)."

* My Response,i guess you didnt see & or read everything i posted in this thread because the comment you made about higher zddp causing issues i already covered in my earlier or mult posts i already made in this thread basically stating the same thing you did.

3) You stated:

" Now fast forward Harley is in bed with the EPA and in the not too distant future when all v-twin Harleys are water cooled. The levels of ZDDP will be dramatically reduced again as emissions tests will become a standard (unless Trump) overrides emission standard testing requirements."

* My response,just because hd may go all water cooled that doesnt mean they will mandate/force oil mfg's to reduce zddp lvls in all motorcycle specific oils to protect cat converters,time will tell on that one.

On water & or air cooled engines, ANY INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE CAN BENEFIT FROM A PROPER LVL ZDDP/ANTI WEAR AGENT LVL that was only reduced due to it causing cat's to prematurely foul/fail causing increased emissions issues.

4) You stated:

" although some engineers claim even distributions of ZDDP additive maybe suspended not uniform into oils when compared to processed blended manufactured oils. "

* My response,in prior posts i made in this thread i also covered/addressed the issue when adding zddp additives to oil containing lower zddp lvl with respect to it possibly causing issues with the ratio of detergent to zddp significantly reducing the zddp's effectiveness along with also possibly overdosing on zddp too that long term can lead to increased corrosion of internal engine components.

I try to keep an ongoing eye on the oil industry that i hope will give me a heads up on if & or when Gov mandates oil mfg's reduce zddp lvl's in v-twin motorcycle oil.

5) you rec:

" I use Mobil 1 V- Twin 20w 50 synthetic straight up, (no need for any additional ZDDP) "

* My Response,well m1 v-twin 20-50 syn oil was 1 of the oils i reff in my prior posts in this thread that BTW has approx 1700ppm zddp .

I also made reff to spectro bike oil that has approx 1500ppm zddp, spectro motorgaurd oil for ft cam apps in classic cars that has approx 1800ppm zddp along with amsoil mcv bike oil that has 1400ppm zddp & bradpenn that has approx 1500ppm zddp.

Also reminded people that these oils mfg's offer perf oils with & without higher zddp lvls & to be aware of that when running their perf oil in FT cam apps & or in for example an air cooled & or newer gen partially water/oil cooled lrg disp HD v-twin that can still benefit from a higher
zddp lvl.

Happy motoring.

Scott

 

yall are sick and weird.

 

The "shelf life" of oil is basically because about every 5 years a new API standard emerges and makes the oil "obsolete". If you have that 5 year old oil on the shelf, yes, it should be shaken before use because the additives WILL settle to some extent.

Also, While most know of ZDDP, there are other minerals in motor oils that replace ZDDP, such as Boron, etc. Where the cams go flat is more the way they are lubed. ZDDP provides a plating barrier between the parts, whereas newer oils do not provide that. If you took a flat tappet cammed engine, started it and continuously ran the engine until failure, the cam would show normal wear. Its the stopping, and oil dripping off the parts, that cause that dry startup issue that ZDDP took care of.

 

Oils need no additives.