Have you ever drained a new quart, gallon or 5-gal. bucket of engine oil and noticed a layer of “something” at the bottom? What is that stuff, and does it indicate a problem?
According to lubrication experts, some of the additives in modern lubricants might settle to the bottom of a container during long periods of storage.
“Ideally, there are enough dispersants in the oil to keep the various additives in suspension,” says Tim Pittenger, sales representative for Schaeffer Oil. “Cheaper oils might not have as good of an additive package, and you might see more instances where things settle out.”
“Additive packages” are the various detergents, antioxidants and anti-wear additives lubricant formulators add to their base oil to improve its performance. Any additives that have settled to the bottom of a container are “surplus.”
“The essential ratio of additives is still suspended in the rest of the oil,” Pittenger says. “It won’t hurt to shake up the container before you pour it, but it’s not necessary.”
