How long can motor oil be stored?
- Thread starter danjak26
- Start date
Patman
Staff member
A lot of the manufacturers will say about five years but a little bit longer isn’t that bad. I’m currently running oil in my Corvette that was producing back in 2018.
So much for finding a dusty pallet of German Castrol that was never sold back in the early 2000s. Haha.
Yeah that might be pushing it slightly lol.
Everybody says 5 years now. Shell use to say 10 years.
That being said, last year, ran a couple of OCI's on my then owned 2022 Gladiator 3.6L Pentastar with some API SL Castrol Syntec that put it at least 20 years old since that spec retired. Oil analysis showed no issue with the 5K mile I ran it.
If somebody was to give me some 10 year old oil and I had a non DI engine to run it, I would and not blink twice about it.
That being said, last year, ran a couple of OCI's on my then owned 2022 Gladiator 3.6L Pentastar with some API SL Castrol Syntec that put it at least 20 years old since that spec retired. Oil analysis showed no issue with the 5K mile I ran it.
If somebody was to give me some 10 year old oil and I had a non DI engine to run it, I would and not blink twice about it.
As long as the container doesn’t leak….a long time. I maintain 1996-2023 cars 10/5/0-20/30 and lots of my oil is 10-15 yrs old. The DI cars get the newest oil.
It was in the ground for a million or so years...
I just make sure I shake the containers (quarts, 5 quart jugs, or 6 quart boxes) a couple of times a day for 3 or 4 days prior to use in case anything has settled out. So far no solids have been left behind in the container or noticed when it's being poured into the engine oil fill hole.
Hermann
Site Donor 2023
In my antique oil stash there is 6 Qts of SN/SM Valvoline Maxlife Full Syn that is about 17-20 years old. Been lubing my turntable platter bearing with it. Although I have Super Lube.
I used that stuff that had spent 1 to 15 years sitting on my shelf. Nothing failed but obviously that's not a very good indicator. Some of the "test subjects" are still running well though.
I think my inventory ran out about 2016.
It's highly variable because temperature, light, and humidity* vary by location and time of year. This is why companies come up with a blanket "5 yrs" or something similar. Just buy what you need when you need it.
*Yes, water vapor migrates through the plastic bottles albeit slowly.
My question is - why would anyone want to store oil for longer than 3-5 years worth of use anyway? One can get oil on a good sale at least once a year.
My little stash of oil is normally a few 5L and/or 5qt jugs worth of 1-2 years of oil changes for the cars owned by me and family that I service since I try to buy oil while it's on sale and when manufacturer has MIR going. Most of the oil is xW-30 MB 229.52 and a couple jugs of 0W-20 VW 508 while neither me no family own German cars. My friends bring their own oil to service their BMW, Porsche, Volvo, Toyota etc.
My little stash of oil is normally a few 5L and/or 5qt jugs worth of 1-2 years of oil changes for the cars owned by me and family that I service since I try to buy oil while it's on sale and when manufacturer has MIR going. Most of the oil is xW-30 MB 229.52 and a couple jugs of 0W-20 VW 508 while neither me no family own German cars. My friends bring their own oil to service their BMW, Porsche, Volvo, Toyota etc.
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Just got my six bottles of Amsoil 5w30 full synthetic that I bought for my previous Santa Fe back in 2015. Were in a storage that was dry, dark and mostly average temp - not freezing, not sun exposed. Had completely forgotten I had them. Would love to know whether they are good enough to use now. These:
Also had a Wix cartridge filter, which I recently found, then lost again. It's somewhere in the house. I lost it because I took it off to store it to not lose it
2015 Vintage Wix. Is it any good ?
Until I use it
Why not ask Amsoil guys? Open one bottle and see what oil is like?Just got my six bottles of Amsoil 5w30 full synthetic that I bought for my previous Santa Fe back in 2015. Were in a storage that was dry, dark and mostly average temp - not freezing, not sun exposed. Had completely forgotten I had them. Would love to know whether they are good enough to use now. These:
View attachment 272560
Also had a Wix cartridge filter, which I recently found, then lost again. It's somewhere in the house. I lost it because I took it off to store it to not lose it
2015 Vintage Wix. Is it any good ?
Just got my six bottles of Amsoil 5w30 full synthetic that I bought for my previous Santa Fe back in 2015. Were in a storage that was dry, dark and mostly average temp - not freezing, not sun exposed. Had completely forgotten I had them. Would love to know whether they are good enough to use now. These:
View attachment 272560
Also had a Wix cartridge filter, which I recently found, then lost again. It's somewhere in the house. I lost it because I took it off to store it to not lose it
2015 Vintage Wix. Is it any good ?
Are you just loooking for another answer?
I don't personally care about oil price but castrol edge ep 0w20 just increased in price. One could argue saving money if buying a massive bulk sale or buying figuring i flation will increase. I kept buying edge ep with mb 229.71 when Walmart had stock and now have 80 qts to use in my K20.