"Shelf Life" of Engine Oils

[RWEST]

At a cycle forum I frequent, where the "oil" topic is as hot as anywhere else, there was an interesting discussion about how long engine oil will remain effective when stored in original (unopened) containers. One of the guys claimed he'd seen something saying the additive packages in modern oils will start to separate from the base stock after about 3 years. I can't remember if that related to dino based or synthetic, or both. What do you think?

I have a pile of Rotella "T" synthetic that I scarfed up just about 3 years ago when I first started reading about how great it was here. I use it in all my diesel equipment, and certainly don't want to take any chances.

 

[Sully2]

Tell him *RASPBERRY!!* too...lol

What usually happens "to oil" is the API specs get changed. Lets say your present stock of Rotella is ??..7 years old...and it was rated..AT THAT TIME..as "CE" rated ( for sake of discussion now). Then you keep it another 2, 3, 4 years and buy a new diesel ( whatever??) and it says to use an oil rated at "CH-4"..!!! Useing the old stock is a "no-no"!!

 

[Doc_Bob]

At a cycle forum I frequent, where the "oil" topic is as hot as anywhere else, there was an interesting discussion about how long engine oil will remain effective when stored in original (unopened) containers.

Feel free to send all your oil to my house in their original unopened containers.
Bob

 

[RWEST]

Feel free to send all your oil to my house in their original unopened containers.
Bob

 

[AlanB]

In the FWIW department, the Department of Defense rates most oils at a 3 year shelf life prior to Recert through lab testing.

 

[Dusty]

If you keep it in the original unopened container long enough, then it becomes a collector item, and will have more value as a collectible, than as oil. I have a glass jar of oil that was made during the second world war. Since I don't have a car that is that old, I have no intentions of using it. If you do the oil changes on a regular schedule, you will not have to worry about any negative consequences of using the oil that is on the shelf.
When the government says not to use something that is beyond a date, I often think about a tool that I have that was a government issue. It is marked, not to be used after December 1941. I would tell you that I have used it many times before, but I don't want any government men snooping around here trying to pin some federal felony violation on me. Dusty

 

[DieselPower]

Most major refiners set shelf life at 3 to 5 years. This has been beat to death on other forums before. Mobil 1 synthetic is even listed on Mobil's site as having a shelf life of 5 years. Personally I will not keep oil for any longer than 5 years. After 5 years it get's dumped in the waste oil burner tank.

 

[dknarnd]

I use the old oil in my squirt oil cans for lubing old farm machinery and other rusty things.

 

[Sully2]

I use the old oil in my squirt oil cans for lubing old farm machinery and other rusty things.

I take the old stuff ( unused of course) and soak my sharpened chain saw chains it it so they cant get rusty on me..and as you stated..even a qt of motor oil goes a long way with an oil can!!

 

[deere755]

A few years back my Dad and I were cleaning out a building that belonged to my Grandfather. We ran across a case of pennz oil 10w30 which was what I was using in my pickup and at that time I was doing my own oil changes. We knew the oil had been there several years but I thought it's never been open so it will be ok. I put it in my pickup and the first thing I noticed was I had some lifter noise that I didn't have before. A few miles into the oil change my change oil light came on in my Chey silverado so I bought new oil and changed it. The lifters were quiet again and the oil light stayed out. I use it in a aquirt can to oil bolts or whatever but I don't use old oil in my engines since then.