How long can motor oil be stored?

[4WD]

Here is some science on the matter.

Been changing oil since I was a teenager at an Exxon station - and have never seen what’s in that picture …
But, being a good soldier - I look both ways and …

 

[4WD]

I went a bit crazy with M1 AP and VME - but think it gave me a spotless motor at 100k … and my last jug of VME is in the Jeep right now … I now have some SP to use up - but not the huge stash I had when those special lubes went yellow tag …

 

[k1xv]

Found this in my deceased great Grandfather's garage

 

[BHopkins]

Here is some science on the matter.

Why do you want to cloud up everyone's opinions based upon science?

In my career, I was fortunate enough to work for a company that was heavily deep-rooted in what was originally called TPS, or Toyota Production System. Over the years, significant advancements were made by my employer, on TPS, and it is now called APS, or Autoliv Production System. People from other companies pay very good money to be trained in APS.

One of the important principles of APS is what is called the Seven Deadly Wastes. Anyone trained in Lean Manufacturing is probably familiar with these. Among these, the most deadly waste of all is inventory, or sometimes defined more specifically as excess inventory. But inventory is generally considered more accurate, as an organization may try to justify their inventory as not being excess, and fail to take measures to reduce inventory, at every opportunity possible.

Inventory is such a terrible waste for many reasons, including tying up capital, the risk of obsolecence, the risk of loss from damage, material can have a definite shelf life, etc.

I mention this, because I think of it every time we here on BITOG talk about our huge inventories of motor oil that we justify, because we got a smoking deal on it. But then we have discussions like this, on how long it is good for. Or someone asks if any one else has a problem with leaking motor oil jugs. Or someone asks if anyone is interested in all their old oil of a particular viscosity, because they sold the car that they bought it for.

Something worth pondering next time someone here shares a great Amazon or Walmart deal on M1 0W-40 Euro, and I'm thinking about picking up three cases, even though I already have three on the shelf.

 

[Speedbird001]

Obviously, shake before use and more favorable storage conditions would be preferable. But, my $0.02:

- 50 years easy for the vast majority of your average users in the average vehicles

- Eventually plastics and such will probably leach into the oil, but given the intended use; negative impact would be immeasurable

- Maybe some additives break-down, but most users would never know (Ok, maybe if you put 15 year old MOBLE-1 in your new fancy 2040 BMW whatever and do a 15,000 mile OCI you might have a problem, but what are those chances?

- Biggest risk I recon is specifications will change down the road to who knows what and how it will react

 

[Sberry]

I was going to touch on inventory. This is generalization and obviously up to the vendor a.nd may change now with SOOO many weights but most oil is backwards compatible and bulk users get different pricing so saving a few cents on older type oils may cost more than putting current oil in everything.
Local Ford dealer did this, not sure now with 0 weights but at one time we're ahead of the curve with semi synthetic 5/30 and that's what they all got rolling thru the change bay so your 10 yr old car got better oil than when it was made.