shelf life

[djg]

Does oil have a limited shelf life? Is there a date code and/or expiration date on engine lubricating oil?

 

[TractorLegend]

If you keep it around too long it may turn back into a dinosaur.

 

[djg]

But seriously, I just liquidated 2 pallets of sealed qt bottles of engine oil and a sealed drum. It was about 2 years old. I traded it for a golf cart, nobody wanted to buy it at any price. Would you use this oil?

 

[TractorLegend]

no reason not to---I thought you were talking some Texaco oil in the round cans from the '50's

 

[deere755]

I bought some oil at a sale and put it in my pickup. After 500 miles the lifters started hammering really bad so I took it to the dealer and said they thought maybe it was old oil. So I changed it and it ran fine. I believe oil does have a shelf life. The oil was Penzoil 10w30 like I always use.

 

[RalphVa]

Oil in a sealed container that doesn't let in light nor air should last almost indefinitely. Once you've opened a container, the oil in it can start oxidizing (slowly), not so if it's synthetic though. It'll probably last indefinitely even in an opened container.

Ralph

 

[gsxr1100]

old topic...see below

been here before