Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums General Petroliana Discussion questions about oil can ages...

I didn't say "dating an oil can" so there shouldn't be any confusion about my social life this time =)

Anyway...I'm trying to learn more ways to determine the age of various oil cans.

First, what year did zip codes come into use? I know it was sometime in the 1960's but don't know exactly what year.

What year did UPC codes come into use? I know this may not be a very reliable way to determine the age of a can since some companies may have begun using them earlier then others.

And finally, concerning Valvoline items, when did the company move from Freedom, PA to Ashland, KY?

Thanks.

This i a reply i "stole" from a former post on this forum, so thanks to who ever posted :-)

"In July 1926 the Society Of Automotive Engineers (S.A.E.) crankcase oil viscosity numbers were adopted. (ie. SAE 30)
By late 1933 Winter oils were classified in accordance to their viscosities @ winter temperatures, these are marked without the SAE but with a 'W' . (ei. 20-W ) Multi -Grades were available by 1957 ( ei . SAE 10 W 30)

The second system of motor oil classifications was established for the petroleum industry by The American Petroleum Institute (API ).This system classifies oil by types according to the design and operating conditions of the engines in which the oil is to be used.The first types were REGULAR,PREMIUM and HEAVY DUTY.In 1952 API replaced these types with:

ML - light duty

MM - medium duty

MS - severe duty

DG - severe (diesel)

DS - extremely severe (diesel)

DM - severe(diesel) was added by 1957 ( DG now becomes NOT severe)

Some oils are designed for both gasoline and diesel service and may be identified "FOR SERVICE MS - DG (1958)

Sohio_native,Can lover.Zip codes were first used in 1963.Bar codes first used in 1973,Ten years apart easy to remember that way.
How ever some companies put bar codes on cases not on cans to start,so there is some room for when different co. started.Hope this helps sum.
Personally I like BIG CANS.Rex

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Also some eastern oil companies canned oil as early as 1928-9, some companies on the left side didn't start till 1930-1. with the solder seam. although I have some cans that came from the late 50ties with solder seams . I'll go out and look.
OK, I'm back, Thats whats great about this hobby, everytime you think you have the answer , POW, some one throws the monkey in the wrench, I checked two quart cans and guess what, they both had the old solder seam and they both had the zip code numbers, and they were both from the late 50ties early 60ties, on my website the can was Excelzall from Escalon , Ca, the other was to the left a engine flush, its just like Fred Stoke , everytime he thinks hes got all the cans of a certain type . another one pops up and do you know what that guy has to do to put that can in a alphabetical order, he might have to move 4.000 cans , ha ha ha . its nuts. but were all haven fun.

[This message has been edited by Dwaine Buck (edited 09-18-2003).]

Thanks for the info guys. Just trying to get a rough idea of how to narrow the dates of some cans. I know there are no hard and fast rules. I'm collecting for fun anyway so I'm not terribly concerned if a can is from 1965 instead of 1959.

Anybody have an answer to the Valvoline question?