Mike in Louisiana
501 Club
Do we have a chemical engineer on the forum? I haVE a question about oil that was in a fire but the plastic bottle never melted.
chemical engineer
- Thread starter Mike in Louisiana
- Start date
I'm not a chemical engineer, but I'll wing it with a couple observations. I believe oil bottles are made of HDPE (#2 recycle symbol). If not, ignore all my comments.
I assume the basic question is whether the oil inside the bottle is still OK. I see 2 reasons it might not be:
1) The oil got so hot that the oil or additives themselves broke down.
2) The plastic bottle got hot enough to release some chemical that contaminated the oil.
HDPE is a thermoplastic material. In other words, it can be heated to a temperature that allows it to be shaped or molded without breaking down. This happens somewhere around 250F.
I would say the answer to concern 1 is that if the bottle shows no sign of melting, the oil didn't get any hotter than it would be inside a normally running engine. No harm. On concern 2, the plastic melts at a lower temperature than it breaks down. Therefore the bottle wasn't hot enough to contaminate the oil. No harn there either.
Depending on how the bottle was labeled, you may no longer be able to identify the oil, making use difficult.
If the bottle isn't identified as HDPE, all this is meaningless. If it is some other material, the characteristics of that material may confirm the came conclusions.
I assume the basic question is whether the oil inside the bottle is still OK. I see 2 reasons it might not be:
1) The oil got so hot that the oil or additives themselves broke down.
2) The plastic bottle got hot enough to release some chemical that contaminated the oil.
HDPE is a thermoplastic material. In other words, it can be heated to a temperature that allows it to be shaped or molded without breaking down. This happens somewhere around 250F.
I would say the answer to concern 1 is that if the bottle shows no sign of melting, the oil didn't get any hotter than it would be inside a normally running engine. No harm. On concern 2, the plastic melts at a lower temperature than it breaks down. Therefore the bottle wasn't hot enough to contaminate the oil. No harn there either.
Depending on how the bottle was labeled, you may no longer be able to identify the oil, making use difficult.
If the bottle isn't identified as HDPE, all this is meaningless. If it is some other material, the characteristics of that material may confirm the came conclusions.
John *.?-!.* cub owner
501 Club
i don't have the faintest idea as tot he chemical breakdown, etc, but my question is, was it cheap enough and can you get enough to make the risk worth it?
Mike in Louisiana
501 Club
This is three 5 qt continers of Motorcraft 5 W 20 for my truck. I forgot what i paid John but 15 -18 dollars.
I would use it in the cub but i think its to thin. When serve pro came out thew said it would be no good. I am thinking the temp from the fire reached about 150 - 170 deg, this is just a guess. None of the plastic on the truck melted and the paint is ok. I will go look at the container right now.
I would use it in the cub but i think its to thin. When serve pro came out thew said it would be no good. I am thinking the temp from the fire reached about 150 - 170 deg, this is just a guess. None of the plastic on the truck melted and the paint is ok. I will go look at the container right now.
Virginia Mike
501 Club
On construction equipment, oil temperature runs around 250 degrees.
When I worked at Cat, we tested components in 10W oil @125 degrees to duplicate the viscosity of 30W oil @250 degrees.
Testing at full temperature would have made adjustments impossible.
When I worked at Cat, we tested components in 10W oil @125 degrees to duplicate the viscosity of 30W oil @250 degrees.
Testing at full temperature would have made adjustments impossible.
Mike in Louisiana
501 Club
OK the containers are HDPE.
I think i am just going to claim the oil on contents that are destroyed.
I have received a check for 7,400 dollaras for damage to building. and the bill to detail the smoke damage on the truck was about 2500. They pulled all the seats and carpet sent to stanley steamer, they replaced the headliner,sun visors while they fixed the damage to the roof that happened last year that i never got around to fixing (tree limb fell on it)
I think i am just going to claim the oil on contents that are destroyed.
I have received a check for 7,400 dollaras for damage to building. and the bill to detail the smoke damage on the truck was about 2500. They pulled all the seats and carpet sent to stanley steamer, they replaced the headliner,sun visors while they fixed the damage to the roof that happened last year that i never got around to fixing (tree limb fell on it)
Mike in Louisiana
501 Club
OK the containers are HDPE.
I think i am just going to claim the oil on contents that are destroyed.
I have received a check for 7,400 dollaras for damage to building. and the bill to detail the smoke damage on the truck was about 2500. They pulled all the seats and carpet sent to stanley steamer, they replaced the headliner,sun visors while they fixed the damage to the roof that happened last year that i never got around to fixing (tree limb fell on it)
I think i am just going to claim the oil on contents that are destroyed.
I have received a check for 7,400 dollaras for damage to building. and the bill to detail the smoke damage on the truck was about 2500. They pulled all the seats and carpet sent to stanley steamer, they replaced the headliner,sun visors while they fixed the damage to the roof that happened last year that i never got around to fixing (tree limb fell on it)