I Think I'm Losing My Mind (Again)

[sl1driver]

I could have sworn I remember seeing a thread from someone not too awfully long ago (seems like it was within the last couple months) basically asking if modern motor oil will hold up well to being stored in an unfinished garage, where it gets pretty hot in the summer and pretty cold in winter, or if he should store the oil inside his house (in the basement I believe). However I can't find it now. Does anyone remember this thread? Or if not, can you guys tell me how oil will fare in 80-90 degree heat? I should have read the thread when I saw it but other things were on my mind at the time.

I just moved into a new house and I am currently keeping my (small by BITOG standards) oil stash in my unfinished garage. I'm planning on finishing the garage with good insulation next year but I need to know if the oil will hold up under the heat of the rest of the summer, and then the cold of the winter, although I'm not as worried about winter temps, mainly heat. I'm hoping I can keep it in the garage since it's a lot more convenient to keep all my auto related supplies in the garage rather than having to trek to the basement for it.

 

[HTSS_TR]

That is not heat, oil doesn't degrade until 2809-300 degree. My oil stash is in the garage for several years and the heat in my garage can be as high as 80-90 degree too.

I don't have air conditioning so that temperature inside my house can be as high as 80-85 degree or higher, so storing oil in the house is the same as in garage for me.

 

[95busa]

Yes

 

[AEHaas]

The higher temperatures in your garage should not effect the oil. But lower temperatures result in oil thickening by gelation and wax formation. It is a function of time and temperature. It is more pronounced at temperatures below zero F. Several winters will have more of an effect than just a single cold year.

This very reason is why I have always recommended oil be changed in the spring where overall vehicle mileage is not the issue. Storing a bunch of oil bottles over many cold winters is also a no-no for me.

Normally "hot" garages have no ill effects on motor oil to my knowledge.

aehaas

 

[KrisZ]

The only thing I would concern myself is the bottles. They may not take too well to heat and cold and may start to leak. The oil will be fine. Think about it logically, how could oil not be ok even in 100f weather, but be perfectly fine in an engine?

 

[RF Overlord]

Not to contradict the esteemed Dr. Haas, but have to agree with KrisZ. Oil in the car in Canadian winters has to stand up to repeated extreme cold/hot cycling. Why would the oil in sealed bottles degrade?

I just used a jug of M1 5W-30 that was left over from when I quit using M1 back in 2005. Didn't appear to be any sediment in the bottom, and it's been in the car for a few months and over 1000 miles and nothing unusual has happened (yet). Gonna keep it there until May '14 (one year) then switch to NextGen.

 

[fdcg27]

I've kept oil in my detached garage for years.
I posted this UOA in April of a 7K winter run of PP 5W-30 that dated from the BOGO days at AAP and had been sitting in our detached garage for six years before use:

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubb...rue#Post2984600

My point is that years of storage in the garage didn't seem to hurt the oil a bit.

 

[sl1driver]

Thanks for the replies gentlemen. It sounds like keeping the oil in my garage until I get it finished next year should not present any problems. Good to know.

 

[Clevy]

I've seen the brown layer on the bottom of some Amsoil bottles I had for years which I assume is additive fall out. I shook the bottle for about 10 seconds and it got the stuff all mixed in again.
I'm sure as soon as the oil heats up and is re-mixed everything is fine.
I've had quarts sit in my moms shed for years that were exposed to multiple -40c winters and when I used them they didn't look any different than the new quarts I had poured,and they were opened.
So unless we are talking decades I can't see too much of a problem with them being unheated. Shake well before use and call er done.
Conventionals with more wax may be more susceptible to gelation as the good Dr.has touched on however I don't think its as much of a potential issue with synthetics,even the fake ones.