Shelf life of oil
 

Anyone know what the shelf life of oil is?

Base Oils, Process Oils 3 years.

Hydraulic Oils, Compressor Oils, General Purpose Lubricating Oils 2 years

Industrial Engine Oils and Transmission Oils 3 years.

Automotive Gear Oils 2 years

HD oils, after 1+ year, shake well to remix the additives.

the above is the company guarantee limits. but unopened containers of oil should last a very long time, and be fine with remix..

before I operated my garage for 30 years, I had a string of Gulf, Texaco, and Exxon (Humble Esso) stations during the '60's, and that was their liability.

Thanks Billy. I had a half quart of oil left over after my last change, and was wondering if I could use it at my next oil change 6 months to a year later. Thanks for the info.

i was always told synthetic oils llaster longer after opening that dino oils. anyone know anything to the contrary?

synthetic oils left open, contaminate quicker, because of the air particles that infiltrate them (california smog)..... so, just leave a cap on them.

ps: I dont know that for a fact, just read it somewhere.. who knows

go to bobistheoilguy website and read his stuff. it will answer most of yur questions, and a few questions you didn't know you had. i don't think he would ever say a three year shelf life, especially for dino oil, even if unopened.

hey Billy - did you keep some of the old oil cans, gas pumps and signs from your 60's service stations?

Thinking of the old packaging. Dad had his stash of car supplies including some cans of Mobil oil. I want to say 40 weight or some such. This was the type of can you needed one of those oil can piercing spouts. Since it didn't go with any of the current cars, I pitched them into the recycle bin for hazardous waste. Some years later when I saw what collectors paid for vintage stuff like this I was :egads:

I seem to remember reading on the Bob is the oil guy site that big temp swings like season changes in your garage can be hard on stored oil as well, even within the shelf life.

if your oil can't take the temperature extremes in your garage, how would it ever survive the temperature extremes in your engine?

most oil does have a shelf life...it would make sense that, while it lasts longer outside of your engine than in it, it can be affected by temperature and heat while in storage.

hmm this spawns a question. i have a car which i drive maybe 10 times a year for a total about 500 miles. should i still change the oil due to age alone? i run mobil 1 syn on her, and she sits in an enclosed garage space.

once a year is probably a good idea, especially if it's carbed.

Found what I had remembered from bitog regarding the earlier garage temp statement:

"The reality is that motor oils do not need to be changed because they thin with use. It is the eventual thickening that limits the time you may keep oil in your engine. The limit is both time itself (with no motor use) and/or mileage use. The storage of motor oil in your garage, particularly mineral based oils, slowly ages the oil limiting its use later. Do not store huge volumes of oil in your garage that is exposed to extremes of temperature."

Reference: http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/motor-oil-102/

time is the enemy because as soon as the oil container is opened, oxygen starts eating away at the oil. if you have a half can left after filling, use that to replace any oil lost through normal operation. don't let it sit for months and months.