RatDog

I can’t imagine anyone here using this oil in any of their cars, but just in case:

https://topclassactions.com/lawsuit-...l-is-obsolete/

Steve

mike coletta

There are a lot of penny pinching cheapskates in this hobby. They'll never admit it, but I wouldn't be surprised. Now, where did I put that Harbor Freight box wrench, so I can change my Walmart battery??

jim lockwood

Just speculating here.... since the oil isn't suitable for engines manufactured after 1988, I wonder if that is because the DG oil has high ZDDP levels which can damage catalytic converters. IOW, would this oil actually be good for our older engines with sliding surfaces?

RatDog

One of the DG oils they mention isn’t suitable for engines made after 1930. It must be REALLY awful stuff.

Steve

jim lockwood

That was the straight 50W stuff. The DG 50W may be a non-detergent oil.

Back in the '60s, racers I knew built their engines with loose bearing clearances and used 50W to ensure good lubrication.

Factoid

I’m going to speculate that it is more the lack of additives (detergents, etc.) than more.

Avispa

Class action attorneys....give the rest of us a bad rap. That said, the DG oil isn't "awful" necessarily because it's made inferior to what it should be, but because it's made to outdated API standards. DG isn't the only discounter selling API grade SA oil these days. Check out some of the stuff for sale under house brands in grocery stores, etc. Deceptive? I guess a jury is going to decide that, but everything you need to know is on the label, and it's just unsuitable for most engine uses.

https://www.api.org/products-and-ser...s#tab-gasoline

The 1988 and earlier standard is API grade SF. Some of the DG oils are made to API grade, which basically has no detergent or other additives. Yes, it's awful for use in a car engine, but because it's made that way not because it's made awfully. Many C1 and C2 owners could use something as outdated as API SD oil as you can see at the link. API grade SM and SN oils are the ones with low ZDDP and have the starbust logo on the can/bottle.

corvetteed

Thanks for posting. While I haven't purchased any of the Dollar General oil, I'm always on the lookout for a bargain, and might have, if given the chance. However, I've never been in a Dollar General, so, maybe the chances are slim. Anyway, thanks for posting, as its always a good idea to know what is going on.

Railroadman

Well then, it should be fine for our C-1's and C-2's!

(You guys go ahead and try it, and let me know how it works! )

Frankie the Fink

If you go into a Dollar General to buy cheap motor oil for your $50,000+ car then you deserve what you get...

In such cases lawyers' jobs are to make you think anything you do, no matter how stupid, is someone else's fault....

John BX NY

Well said. I'm not sure I'd put anything from Dollar General anywhere near my car. Back in the day my 72 Chevelle had self changing oil- it both leaked and burned it- so I bought cheapo oil.
I would use it for my lawnmower though..

pop23235

Lawn mowers and compressors need non detergent oil as well as engines without filtration systems.

tuxnharley

Meh - much ado about nothing. One just has to use any product for its intended application. Nothing wrong with this oil for limited uses, nor with Harbor freight tools or Walmart batteries.

Railroadman

I can see excessive wear and tear by using that oil. But if they followed normal maintenance and changed it at normal intervals, I'd be curious just what caused it to seize up. I've seen motors that would keep running forever lubricated by little more than elephant snot.

mike coletta

As always, opinions vary.

MikeM

Seems to me that if a customer doesn't have enough sense to interpret an API label code, he should take his car to a garage and get his oil changed, don't you think? That API code is on the oil for a good reason.

You could turn this thing around and allege that the API starburst oil that is sitting on the same shelf as other API rated oil could cause severe engine damage to older engines couldn't you?

Last I checked, WalMart had non detergent oil in their automotive department as well.

Looks to me like just lawyers trying to extort money out of business men. This is a bunch of phony baloney.

GTOguy

My last two Walmart batteries (group 24's in my GTO's) lasted 17 years and 15 years respectively. They cost 29.95 each. Best car batteries I've ever owned, bar none. And the cheapest by far. They're $120 now.....

Powershift

And some even warmed their 50 wt oil before adding it to the engine before the race to reduce the initial viscosity. Running cold 50 wt at 7000 RPM can be bad.

Larry

Powershift

A few of us back in the early 1960's even used non-detergent oil on purpose. If you had no money and bought a (very) high-mileage cheap used car to drive around, you typically used a ND oil to keep from dislodging and dissolving all the built up gunk in the engine. I told the story here many years ago, about adding a can of Casite Tune-UP to my friends old car to help "make it run better." After a lot of smoke cleared, the engine died never to live again. Friend's parents never like me after this.

Larry

MikeM

Same experience here with WalMart batteries. But they got too expensive for me so I switched to Rural King batteries made by Exide. $45.95-$49.95. One year free replacement, five year pro rated. Best deal going for me.

Most of my hand tools are 50-70 years old. The rest are relatively new HF stuff. Thee roll around, double deck boxes full. The money I saved on tools helps me pay for $2000 paint jobs.

Guess that makes me a cheapskate?