Shelf life of oil

[summit1]

Two questions:
1) How long will oil hold up in it's container on a shelf? I was going through father in law's backyard shop and found 3 cases of Rotella 15-40(in 5 quart jugs). This oil is old, he passed away about 5 or 6 years ago and the oil has just been sitting on a shelf. All of the oil jugs still have the foil seals on them, so they haven't been open to air. Are they still good?

2) I have been running M1 10-30 syn in my '00 silverado z71 (5.3l) since 10k miles. Now has 130k. Can I switch to the Rotella 15-40?

 

[pbm]

I believe that I've read that oil additives such as VI improvers start to deteriorate with time. Changes in temperature can hasten this deterioration (storing oil in an unheated shed for years). I believe that if temperature is fairly consistant the oil would be OK to use. I have used 10 year old oil with no adverse effects. I would like to hear Molakule or Chemists take on this since they are far more knowledgeable on this subject.

 

[summit1]

The oil was in an unheated barn, about 15 miles outside of Houston, TX. Temps range from 30*+or- a couple of days in the winter to 90-100*+or- in the summer.

 

[TallPaul]

Call Shell and ask their tech folks if it's sill good given the storage conditions.

Or use it in an oil burning beater.

ALso search this site, there were threads on this topic, not sure which forum.

 

[haley10]

Is it rated CH-4? If so, then no problem at all.

I would sell or trade it to someone with a diesel application. I'd run it, but not in the Siverado. I'd stay with the M1 like your doing on that. I wouldn't recommend brand new Rotella T for that engine.

 

[Alfonzy]

I would not have a problem using the oil IF THE JUG HAS THE FOIL SEAL UNBROKEN IN ANYWAY UNDER THE CAP...Rotela 15w-40 is ONE STOUT OIL! There is a post on this site were a guy started up a 70's v8 diesel that had a crankcase full of Rotela 15w-40 after the car was sitting for 5-6 years! If I remember correctly he had a OA test and the oil checked out good?

If you need assurance...you can call Shell to double check...There going to say that the new SL API oils are superior to the old SG's or SJ's
and steer you toward buying new stock. Buy the way, those are more like 4 quart jugs, not 5.

[ January 24, 2005, 02:02 PM: Message edited by: Alfonzy ]

 

[pitzel]

Oil doesn't go bad merely from sitting. At my former employer I had factory fills of oil in machines for over 40 years, the UOA's kept coming back just fine.

As stated earlier, 15W40 may not be exactly the most appropriate viscosity for that engine. I would only advise summer use.

 

[ekpolk]

quote:

---

Originally posted by pitzel:
Oil doesn't go bad merely from sitting. At my former employer I had factory fills of oil in machines for over 40 years, the UOA's kept coming back just fine.
{snip}

---

Amazing. What sort of "machines" are you referring to?

 

[summit1]

Thanks for all of the replies! Keep em coming if you've got one.

I am going to stay with the M1 in the z71. Would the Rotella be okay in the wife's 2001 dodge ram? It's got the 318 v-8 in it.

 

[Gene K]

You can approximate the age by looking for the certification on the oil.

As long as the oil is still in unbroken containers it should be good almost indefinately.

Just to be on the safe side I would use a 10 year limit.

I would shake the oil very thoroughly.

It should work fine in the Mopar 5.2L Magnum.

BTW those should be 1 gallon containers.

Gene

 

[cit1991]

Foil or not, the polyethylene jug is very permeable to oxygen. The foil seal is for leaks, not as an O2 barrier.

Still, the oil is likely fine. Like computers, it's more likely to get out of date before it degrades.

 

[sxg6]

i asked castrol this awhile back and i think they told me 3-5 years

 

[pitzel]

quote:

---

Originally posted by ekpolk:

quote:

---

Originally posted by pitzel:
Oil doesn't go bad merely from sitting. At my former employer I had factory fills of oil in machines for over 40 years, the UOA's kept coming back just fine.
{snip}

---

Amazing. What sort of "machines" are you referring to?

---

Electrical transformers with on-load tap changers.

 

[AEHaas]

Gelation occurs and is both temperature and time dependent. I would throw the oil out.

aehaas

 

[summit1]

Read the label and here is what it says:
HDMO w/XLA Extended Life Addatives

Exceeds API CG-4, CF-4, CF-2
Mack EO-L, Cat 1-k, 1-N
API SH & SJ

Are these the most recent ratings? If not, what are the most recent API ratings for gasoline engines?

 

[blupupher]

quote:

---

Originally posted by summit1:
Read the label and here is what it says:
HDMO w/XLA Extended Life Addatives

Exceeds API CG-4, CF-4, CF-2
Mack EO-L, Cat 1-k, 1-N
API SH & SJ

Are these the most recent ratings? If not, what are the most recent API ratings for gasoline engines?

---

The most recent for API is SL/SM, but that just came out, before that, SJ/SL. SH/SJ is the one before that.
For the others, I don't know.

 

[BeltwayBandit]

SH is for 1996 and older cars
SJ is for 1998 and older cars

So oil is probably a 1998-1999 vintage.

Cheers.