How old is too old for stored oil??

[HammerDown]

Blackstone has published a few old shelf UOAs and a recent podcast episode showcased another. Good enough for you? Google it.

Is there a link for that you could post?

 

[Hootbro]

Is there a link for that you could post?

https://www.blackstone-labs.com/wp-...as-Diesel-2012-04-01-The-eBay-Oils-Part-1.pdf

https://www.blackstone-labs.com/wp-...as-Diesel-2012-06-01-The-eBay-Oils-Part-2.pdf

https://www.blackstone-labs.com/wp-...as-Diesel-2012-10-01-The-eBay-Oils-Part-3.pdf

 

[rondhol]

I ran PYB with Z-7 technology in my 97’ Bonneville without an issue for like 3 years. It was in cardboard cans.

It won't be catastrophic like putting vegetable oil. It just has significant more wear. 1000 miles, like 10k miles.

 

[53' Stude]

Anyhow, I even ran some old clear bottle WS horsepower and 4x4 lately in the friends Jeep Cherokee. Gonna dump last of the clear bottle QS in lady’s Chrysler Sebring she just acquired.

 

[4WD]

Just poured my last jug of Valvoline Modern Engine in my Jeep.
Had a sweet smell that might help explain the high initial price ~
This ends all the M1 AP, RGT, and VME that was $2/3 quart …

 

[rondhol]

what flavor was that? vanilla, banana, or strawberry from the ester oil?
Usually PAO oil needs ester to dissolve the additives.

 

[NormanBuntz]

I still have three jugs of Rotella Gas Truck from the Autozone clearance in 2019. The oil cost 50 cents a quart after MIR. I'm not the least bit concerned about using them over the next 1-2 years.

 

[Rand]

I dont like to use oils over 10 years old. 5 and stored in my basement.. no problem.

Depends on if its in a 16hp ONAN 6:1 compression engine or a jeep 2.0T as well.

 

[Sweetride]

Is graphite good for engine

I don't know about the engine, but my '77 Honda Accord 5-speed specified engine oil for the transmission and Arco Graphite made the shifts buttery smooth. Sometime in the 60's I added a 4oz. bottle of a graphite additive to a warmed up 327 small block while it was idling. In 10-15 minutes the idle speed came up 300 rpm! Don't remember where I got the stuff and could not find it again. Then life got really busy and I forgot about it.......

 

[goblin]

This:

Is this:

So I'm due for an oil change and I need to find the time to drive to Milford, CT (25 miles drive) to pick up my Motul from FCP Euro. But my oil is at the minimum. Message on i-drive (2010 BMW 535xi): Oil level at minimum, add one liter of oil. I have the oil level as my main screen, monitoring it all the time, as - well, we are getting to know each other. It's going to be three years soon since I got it, but have only really driven it for the last year or so.

So, this is one of them bummers. I have to add oil, I do have plenty of it, but I'm about to do an oil change in the following week or two. Do I take the risk to drive there (it will be at least another 50+ miles as I need to go to work in the opposite direction first), do I get to my local Walmart for my top-off special Euro M1 ? But ain't it a bummer to put a good quart of fresh into something that will be flushed in 2-300 miles ?

Memories, memories to the rescue
I just remembered (well, never forgot, just was hesitant) that I have a nice vintage of 2015 Amsoil. A good vintage. Sat in a dark, cool place, in its dark shipping box. Waiting to get into a car that I since returned, then into another one that I since feed on VRP.
I name Thee, top-off special.

Btw, while pouring it it was almost transparent. Looks darker in the bottle. Shook well and long before pouring. No residue that I could see. Smells fine. I mean - it smells like not much. In it goes.

This is where it went (pic is from before I poured it in). For 217000 miles, the last 7000 - mine, the last 50-ish thousand before - driven by a nice muggle, but still a muggle, situation unknown before that - I'd say, it is what it is. I'm sure there's better, and there's worse:

I dub Thee, Sir Top-Off !!!
Five more waiting.

 

[Aston4]

This:

View attachment 276199

Is this:

View attachment 276200


So I'm due for an oil change and I need to find the time to drive to Milford, CT (25 miles drive) to pick up my Motul from FCP Euro. But my oil is at the minimum. Message on i-drive (2010 BMW 535xi): Oil level at minimum, add one liter of oil. I have the oil level as my main screen, monitoring it all the time, as - well, we are getting to know each other. It's going to be three years soon since I got it, but have only really driven it for the last year or so.

So, this is one of them bummers. I have to add oil, I do have plenty of it, but I'm about to do an oil change in the following week or two. Do I take the risk to drive there (it will be at least another 50+ miles as I need to go to work in the opposite direction first), do I get to my local Walmart for my top-off special Euro M1 ? But ain't it a bummer to put a good quart of fresh into something that will be flushed in 2-300 miles ?

Memories, memories to the rescue
I just remembered (well, never forgot, just was hesitant) that I have a nice vintage of 2015 Amsoil. A good vintage. Sat in a dark, cool place, in its dark shipping box. Waiting to get into a car that I since returned, then into another one that I since feed on VRP.
I name thee, top-off special.

Btw, while pouring it it was almost transparent. Looks darker in the bottle. Shook well and long before pouring. No residue that I could see. In it goes.

This is where it went (pic is from before I poured it in). For 217000 miles, the last 7000 - mine, the last 50-ish thousand before - driven by a nice muggle, but still a muggle, situation unknown before that - I'd say, it is what it is. I'm sure there's better, and there's worse:

View attachment 276203


View attachment 276204

I dub Thee, Sir Top-Off !!!
Five more waiting.

25 miles lol? Dump some vegetable (soy) oil in. Do you really think ANY engine will care, let alone the BMW? Fuel dilution is certainly worse for an engine than a few cups of Wallgreens motor oil

 

[goblin]

Free at home beats cheap at Walmart
Plus - we agree that I had to put SOMETHING in the engine, right. Not drive it like that because I'm going to change the oil soon anyway.

Btw, nothing wrong with the M1 Euro I topped off with the last time. I'm happy it's available.
As I said - we're getting to know each other, so my first full oil change was 5500 miles ago. Had to add 1qt at around 3800, then the other one today.

 

[HeritageHighRoof]

I ran across a 15+ year old bottle of motorcraft 15W-40 on the clearance rack of auto parts store today.

 

[Carlostrece]

This is from my notes I made in the past from research I did in the past. I don't recall the source of the info. Possibly it was Lakespeed Junior?

Motor Oil Storage Life

Conventional
Unopened 5 years
Opened 2.5 years

Blend
Unopened 6.5 years
Opened 3.25 years

Synthetic
Unopened 8 years
Opened 4 years

Synthetic Extended Performance
Unopened 8 years
Opened 5 years

Personally, I've been using a blend and limit of 3 years after opening. It's been working fine for me.

 

[wlk]

I have a lot of older oils that Im just now getting around to using, most are SM but some are SL. They are stored in a insulated & sometimes heated garage so never freezing, I shake them every year or so. Just curious how old is considered too old to use, would be for a mid 2000s toyota or older 1970's GM V8 engines.

I can list all the different brands & weights but most are full synthetic like Mobil1 SL, or valvoline SM, also have a few jugs of the old rotellaT SL & Delo 400 SM conventional diesel oils. Some are at or close to 20 years old others are 10-15. Are these still safe to use?

I'd run it without hesitation. Ran mid 90s Pennzoil oil in my old c1500 350 a few years ago that was on a shelf in my moms garage. Shook it up, poured clear/amber in color and ran fine in it.