cold weather harmful to unopened oil?

[bruce381]

"Would it be a good idea to at least shake the bottles prior to using?"

Depends on how paranoid you are.

you can think its good to get all the goodies out that where put onto the bottle OR maybe the bottle filling line filled some wierd oil like
2 stroke oil and the line was not cleaned or flushed very good and the stuff in the bottle is not compatible and should stay in the bottom of the bottle. HMMM??

sorry to bring that up.


bruce

 

[bruce381]

seriously I'd do whatever you like the amount of anything good or bad is not worth a second thought.
bruce

 

[Ray H]

What!? - once in the sump, motor oil can suddenly withstand any low temperature extreme? If this were a problem, Canadians would be changing their engine oil daily during the winter months.

(BITOG - Bring In The Obsessive Guys.)

 

[TallPaul]

But Ray, once in the sump and the oil is thrown out in 3 to 6 months (1 year tops). But on the shelf, it may sit 5 years. Still we are obsessive.

Once I got so obsessive as to crush the bottle on a half used quart so that there was minimal air in the bottle to affect the oil.

 

[doitmyself]

AE Haas:

quote:

---

This is why I always say to change oil at least once a year and late every spring with fresh oil.

---

Sorry to stear this thread sideways, but I have often questioned the rationale of people who change their mower/tractor oils in the fall, let them sit five months in a cold garage, then run them the whole next season on this oil.

Did I mis-understand something above that said it's o.k. to store oil sub-freezing in the engine for several/many months?

 

[TallPaul]

Thanks Bruce381. A lot of useful info.

So 5 years looks like a pretty good number. And if we store it in our wine cellars it may last considerably longer. But we should go off the production date, not when we bought it, especially with clearance oil.

 

[RichR]

Who's gonna be the first building a temperature controled/humidor type oil shrine?

 

[joee12]

FWIW, Most boaters that I know change the gear lube in the lower unit BEFORE temps drop to freezing. If there is any substantial amount of water in the lower unit, it could expand when frozen, and crack the lower unit. I have never had an oil related failure from the gear lube sitting in the lower unit for the three months that the boat sits on the trailer. -Joe

 

[Ray H]

Interesting point. Now I wonder whether engines with cast aluminum sump pans might also benefit in subfreezing temperatures for the same reason.

 

[BigAl]

quote:

---

Sorry to stear this thread sideways, but I have often questioned the rationale of people who change their mower/tractor oils in the fall, let them sit five months in a cold garage, then run them the whole next season on this oil.

Did I mis-understand something above that said it's o.k. to store oil sub-freezing in the engine for several/many months?

---

I want fresh clean oil protecting my engines in storage. My air cooled power equipment runs hot and long enough to burn off any condensation the first time I run it. Anything that might have settled out of the oil is still in the crankcase and will get mixed back in.

quote:

---

Who's gonna be the first building a temperature controled/humidor type oil shrine?

---

I already have one. It's called a basement.

quote:

---

Most boaters that I know change the gear lube in the lower unit BEFORE temps drop to freezing. If there is any substantial amount of water in the lower unit, it could expand when frozen, and crack the lower unit. I have never had an oil related failure from the gear lube sitting in the lower unit for the three months that the boat sits on the trailer

---

I had water freeze in a lower unit once. It didn't crack, but a bearing got pushed out of place by the ice. I cured that problem by selling the motorboat and getting a canoe. No lube problems ever again.

 

[GoldenRod]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Dark Jedi:
If you're worried, go buy some baby bottle warmers. Then stick your oil in that to keep it snug as a bug in a rug.

---

 

[Triple_Se7en]

Just keep your oil stash under the bed like most of us BITOGERs.

..... and if you are tiring of your wife or girlfriend, the best way to get them to move out is to let them know that all of your centerfire & muzzleloader powders are now kept under that same bed....

 

[OriginHacker21]

Or next to your bed on your lamp stand

 

[fdunford]

Good old search. This thread answered 1/2 my question, but what about oil stored in a garage?

I suspect it reaches 100 degrees on a hot summer August day.