"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.

 

[Dusty]

I was under the impression that the "change oil" light was based on miles driven, not engine oil quality. How does the engine know what the quality of the oil is? As for lifter noise, I can understand that if the oil that you used was not proper for that engine. There might be some degradation of the oil quality from sitting in the can for 5 years, but I doubt that most engines would notice, unless the oil specification on the can was incorrect for the engine requirements. Some engines today require a zero W 40 weight oil, and if you put the wrong weight oil in, they will let you know by the strange sounds that they will produce when starting cold. Other than that, I don't know how your engine could tell it was old oil.
Dusty

 

[patrick_g]

Dusty, Your econobox's oil indicator might be based on time but in REAL CARS there are sensors that note the change of the oil over time and have a threshold that when passed gives the message. I'm not sure what technology they use, conductivity, opacity, or forward scattering of light or what but there are cars with oil condition sensors.

I have an optical sensor for my tractor. I pull the stick and put a drop between thumb and forefinger and eyeball it.

Pat

 

[hsdfcu]

I was under the impression that the "change oil" light was based on miles driven, not engine oil quality. How does the engine know what the quality of the oil is? As for lifter noise, I can understand that if the oil that you used was not proper for that engine. There might be some degradation of the oil quality from sitting in the can for 5 years, but I doubt that most engines would notice, unless the oil specification on the can was incorrect for the engine requirements. Some engines today require a zero W 40 weight oil, and if you put the wrong weight oil in, they will let you know by the strange sounds that they will produce when starting cold. Other than that, I don't know how your engine could tell it was old oil.
Dusty

It depenes on the car. Honda goes based on miles only. The GM is a lot smarter then that. way more. It goes by many things, miles is one, starts is another etc etc. Also uses basic algorithm to compute data. The GM is a pretty complex system.

 

[Dave01]

This is one of those subjects where it doesn't seem worth worrying about. I have some oil left over from season to season but never more than a year unless its a type I stopped using.

I buy a bit more than I need, or maybe enough for several changes, no more. Storing a bunch of oil to save 50 cents a quart doesn't make sense to me.

 

[Dusty]

I started to research how the oil change indicators work on the newer cars, but stopped when I came to a sight that was a BMW dealers. I marveled at how complex the BMW oil change system worked. I still can't get over the cost of changing oil in a newer BMW ....... $300 +!!! I guess that my older car has benefits I hadn't thought about.

 

[Doc_Bob]

We ran across a case of pennz oil 10w30 which was what I

How old? And maybe along with age it was not the right API?
Bob

 

[deere755]

I would say the oil was a least 3 years old. As for the change oil light in my Chevy Silverado the computer determines somehow how much the oil has broken down based on driving conditons. I have noticed if I am pulling a big load alot or using it in real dusty conditions it may not go 3000 miles before it comes on. For instance when we used it to pull anhydrous wagons down old dirt roads and out in the field it may come on at 2200 miles. If I am using it in normal conditions it may go 3000 miles and never come on. I change it at 3000 miles or when the light comes on, which ever comes first.

 

[Kaliburz]

Interesting.....

I buy my oil in 30 gallon drums. At it takes us at least 4 years to finish one off- maybe even 5. I have not noticed any difference in sound, performance between the first quart to the last out of a drum.

edit-
Somewhere, I have an old "can" of Penzoil...yes, you need that weird looking can puncher/spout thing to use it.....

 

[DieselPower]

Somewhere, I have an old "can" of Penzoil...yes, you need that weird looking can puncher/spout thing to use it.....

Don't get rid of it and don't punch a hole in it, it's worth something and getting more valuable all the time. Even the metal 3in1 oil cans made out of metal and Zippo & Ronsonol lighter fluid cans made out of metal are worth something now day's. They became instant collectibles when they started making the new containers out of plastic. My brother has that old oil can disease. Has two garage walls full of them. His most valuable 1 quart oil can is worth over a grand.

 

[dmccarty]

I know where there is a rusted out Esso oil can. I'll sell it to him for $789.89. I have not idea how long its been out in the woods. But i'm guessing since the place was last logged 70ish years ago? The can looks like its 2 quarts.

Later,
Dan