Interesting discovery up in the woods

[Midden-marauder]

I haven't been around in a while, mostly been up in the woods watching spring unfold, some solid coin hunting down in the city with a few minor non-coin finds but nothing I care to report on.
This however was unexpected: we were hiking up in the lower slopes and we located a dumping ground randomly in a dry creek bed. Deeper investigation of the site revealed about a million rusty old cans both on the surface and below. I probed with my 13" flathead screwdriver feeling for glass and use of the detector showed that every single square inch of the area had metal in it, no place without a strong signal. Even my cellphone magnetometer was reacting to all the iron in the ground! If anything the detector helped to define the physical parameters of the dump. We had limited time as a storm was rolling in so we had minimal time to excavate, we will be back to the site soon, it looks promising. Trying to find a timeline for the location.
This old can is what I'm hoping to find info on, it's clearly older, online searches give only "vintage" as a description so I'm hoping one of you can help me tighten it down to at least a given decade. My suspicion is 1950s but not sure.

Do any of you have an idea what time frame this old Phillips 66 can is from? If you can help me out that'd be great!

 

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[Robot]

Hi Midden-marauder
Similar products are stated to be from the 1970's
If you still show the date code you can read it to show date.
This Can is Apr. 02 - 1972

How to read oil date codes

---

To see some examples of specific oil company date codes, skip to the bottom of this post. Some of the reasons to read oil date codes:

a) how old is that oil I found in the back of my garage? Mobil 1 web site states that engine oil has a shelf life of 5 years (in the FAQs section). No data on shelf life of Mobil 1 gear oil. The Valvoline phone help-line has stated to me that their oil has an ‘unlimited’ shelf life (I wonder?). The Castrol help-line stated that the shelf life of their product is 3 years.

b) how old is the oil on sale at my local parts store? Can I be certain that the person who puts it on the shelf is ‘turning’ the old oil to the front, so the newest oil is in the back? Or am I buying oil that has been on the shelf a couple of years?

Beginning sometime in late 2009, Pennzoil prints an easy-to-read date code on their engine oil, such as “28APR09”. Valvoline refused to tell me (via their phone help-line) how to read their date code, stating that Valvoline oil never goes bad (I am sure). The Mobil 1 help-line decoded their old dates (which begin with the letter X) for me, but the person to whom I spoke could not decode the current style of date code. Castrol was the only company that told me how to decode their date codes.

Therefore, I cannot guarantee that the date codes below are completely accurate. They are partly based on information I have received in talking with oil company help-lines, and partly based on information I have received in talking with representatives of other types of companies. If you cannot find a data code, look on the product label for a copyright date. You can be reasonably certain that the product is not newer than the copyright date on the label.

There are only a few ways of coding a date, so that it can be easily interpreted by the stocking personnel in a store. After all, it is in the best interest of companies to have old stock pulled, and not sold to a consumer who then gets sick from eating expired canned goods. The oil companies basically use the same styles of date codes, as are used for cereal, canned goods, etc. Here are some examples:

1. 09231 = the 231st day of 2009
2. 09K19 = 19 November 2009 (letter codes are often used on batteries)
3. 11E9 = 11 May 2009, note how similar this is to the previous style

The letter code is basically “A” = January, and “L” = December. Note that some manufacturers skip the letter “I”, so that “M” = December. I assume “I” is skipped since it looks like the number digit one.

By noting the above, and looking at different dates and codes on various products, you can probably learn to decode the date on most oil products. Below are my best guesses of date codes for various oil manufacturers.

You may have to look carefully to even find the date code on some products. The codes may be printed on the product label. But they may also be printed directly on the product container. Sometimes the code is printed in black, on a black product container (boy, is that difficult to read). Mobil 1 actually prints the codes, using laser dots instead of ink, cut into the product container.

I have included some products that would not be of interest to an Acura owner, to give a broader view of various date codes, to help you interpret date codes for oil products other than those listed below. I have given the entire numerical codes printed on the product, so that you can see where the date code is included within other codes (such as plant, product codes, etc.). Sorry, but I do not know how to interpret any code except for the date codes. The following date codes were taken directly from actual products that I have in my garage.

MOBIL 1 ENGINE OIL (note that 5810 is probably the product code):
10W-30 quart// X12D8 5501 (old style) = 12 April 2008
5W-30 quart// X13F9 5810 (old style) = 13 June 2009
5W-30 quart// 10110B25A 5810 (new style) = 25 February 2010
5W-30 (5-liters)// PA02F9 5810 T339 = 02 June 2009

MOBIL 1 GEAR OIL:
75W-90 quart// (on first line) OEV09K19A C (on next line) 01521 #6583 = 19 November 2009
75W-90 quart// (on first line) OEV21G9 B (on next line) 24659 #4508 = 21 July 2009

Note the similarities of the above two date codes. Note that the placement, and number of digits for the year, has been changed. The November date code style shown above, will allow for using the same style, to show dates beginning in 2010. I have not yet seen a date code for Mobil 1 gear oil in year 2010. Also, there is some indication that Mobil 1 does not use the letter date code “I”, so that “K” would actually be October instead of November. I do not have enough samples of product to make this determination.

PENNZOIL ENGINE OIL (OLD STYLE date codes):
5W-30 quart// LALPA461482/ 05198 11:32 = 19 May 2008 at 11:32 am
5W-30 (5-qt)// LALP465289/ 071108/ 09:11 = 11 July 2008 at 09:11 am
10W-30 quart// LALPA463639/ 06168 13:34 = 16 June 2008 at 1:34 pm

Note: in cleaning out my garage and basement, I found some Pennzoil that is probably 15 or more years old. The bottles have codes that I am unable to decipher. I vaguely remember the oil was for a car I sold 15 years ago, hence my guess as to the date. It was 10W-40 SF engine oil.

 

[Midden-marauder]

Hi Midden-marauder
Similar products are stated to be from the 1970's
If you still show the date code you can read it to show date.
This Can is Apr. 02 - 1972

How to read oil date codes

---

To see some examples of specific oil company date codes, skip to the bottom of this post. Some of the reasons to read oil date codes:

a) how old is that oil I found in the back of my garage? Mobil 1 web site states that engine oil has a shelf life of 5 years (in the FAQs section). No data on shelf life of Mobil 1 gear oil. The Valvoline phone help-line has stated to me that their oil has an ‘unlimited’ shelf life (I wonder?). The Castrol help-line stated that the shelf life of their product is 3 years.

b) how old is the oil on sale at my local parts store? Can I be certain that the person who puts it on the shelf is ‘turning’ the old oil to the front, so the newest oil is in the back? Or am I buying oil that has been on the shelf a couple of years?

Beginning sometime in late 2009, Pennzoil prints an easy-to-read date code on their engine oil, such as “28APR09”. Valvoline refused to tell me (via their phone help-line) how to read their date code, stating that Valvoline oil never goes bad (I am sure). The Mobil 1 help-line decoded their old dates (which begin with the letter X) for me, but the person to whom I spoke could not decode the current style of date code. Castrol was the only company that told me how to decode their date codes.

Therefore, I cannot guarantee that the date codes below are completely accurate. They are partly based on information I have received in talking with oil company help-lines, and partly based on information I have received in talking with representatives of other types of companies. If you cannot find a data code, look on the product label for a copyright date. You can be reasonably certain that the product is not newer than the copyright date on the label.

There are only a few ways of coding a date, so that it can be easily interpreted by the stocking personnel in a store. After all, it is in the best interest of companies to have old stock pulled, and not sold to a consumer who then gets sick from eating expired canned goods. The oil companies basically use the same styles of date codes, as are used for cereal, canned goods, etc. Here are some examples:

1. 09231 = the 231st day of 2009
2. 09K19 = 19 November 2009 (letter codes are often used on batteries)
3. 11E9 = 11 May 2009, note how similar this is to the previous style

The letter code is basically “A” = January, and “L” = December. Note that some manufacturers skip the letter “I”, so that “M” = December. I assume “I” is skipped since it looks like the number digit one.

By noting the above, and looking at different dates and codes on various products, you can probably learn to decode the date on most oil products. Below are my best guesses of date codes for various oil manufacturers.

You may have to look carefully to even find the date code on some products. The codes may be printed on the product label. But they may also be printed directly on the product container. Sometimes the code is printed in black, on a black product container (boy, is that difficult to read). Mobil 1 actually prints the codes, using laser dots instead of ink, cut into the product container.

I have included some products that would not be of interest to an Acura owner, to give a broader view of various date codes, to help you interpret date codes for oil products other than those listed below. I have given the entire numerical codes printed on the product, so that you can see where the date code is included within other codes (such as plant, product codes, etc.). Sorry, but I do not know how to interpret any code except for the date codes. The following date codes were taken directly from actual products that I have in my garage.

MOBIL 1 ENGINE OIL (note that 5810 is probably the product code):
10W-30 quart// X12D8 5501 (old style) = 12 April 2008
5W-30 quart// X13F9 5810 (old style) = 13 June 2009
5W-30 quart// 10110B25A 5810 (new style) = 25 February 2010
5W-30 (5-liters)// PA02F9 5810 T339 = 02 June 2009

MOBIL 1 GEAR OIL:
75W-90 quart// (on first line) OEV09K19A C (on next line) 01521 #6583 = 19 November 2009
75W-90 quart// (on first line) OEV21G9 B (on next line) 24659 #4508 = 21 July 2009

Note the similarities of the above two date codes. Note that the placement, and number of digits for the year, has been changed. The November date code style shown above, will allow for using the same style, to show dates beginning in 2010. I have not yet seen a date code for Mobil 1 gear oil in year 2010. Also, there is some indication that Mobil 1 does not use the letter date code “I”, so that “K” would actually be October instead of November. I do not have enough samples of product to make this determination.

PENNZOIL ENGINE OIL (OLD STYLE date codes):
5W-30 quart// LALPA461482/ 05198 11:32 = 19 May 2008 at 11:32 am
5W-30 (5-qt)// LALP465289/ 071108/ 09:11 = 11 July 2008 at 09:11 am
10W-30 quart// LALPA463639/ 06168 13:34 = 16 June 2008 at 1:34 pm

Note: in cleaning out my garage and basement, I found some Pennzoil that is probably 15 or more years old. The bottles have codes that I am unable to decipher. I vaguely remember the oil was for a car I sold 15 years ago, hence my guess as to the date. It was 10W-40 SF engine oil.

View attachment 2145566
View attachment 2145567

Yeah, that beat up one I turned over up there had no surviving bar code sadly, none that I saw at the time. I left the can there as it was pretty smooshed. I got this 1940s-1970/80s vibe from the place, that would be typical of such dump areas around here honestly. I was hoping someone could look at it and say: oh man I remember those! But perhaps not or not today. We'll go back up there with a sifter perhaps and see if any other clues can be gleaned from the iron paved ground there.

 

[Midden-marauder]

One reason I say 1950s is that the font on the can reading "trop-arctic" is consistent with that of a confirmed 1950s ad for it. it's a bit of a guessing game here but it can be fun

 

[Digger RJ]

I haven't been around in a while, mostly been up in the woods watching spring unfold, some solid coin hunting down in the city with a few minor non-coin finds but nothing I care to report on.
This however was unexpected: we were hiking up in the lower slopes and we located a dumping ground randomly in a dry creek bed. Deeper investigation of the site revealed about a million rusty old cans both on the surface and below. I probed with my 13" flathead screwdriver feeling for glass and use of the detector showed that every single square inch of the area had metal in it, no place without a strong signal. Even my cellphone magnetometer was reacting to all the iron in the ground! If anything the detector helped to define the physical parameters of the dump. We had limited time as a storm was rolling in so we had minimal time to excavate, we will be back to the site soon, it looks promising. Trying to find a timeline for the location.
This old can is what I'm hoping to find info on, it's clearly older, online searches give only "vintage" as a description so I'm hoping one of you can help me tighten it down to at least a given decade. My suspicion is 1950s but not sure.

Do any of you have an idea what time frame this old Phillips 66 can is from? If you can help me out that'd be great!

Nice!!! Congrats!!