Storing synthetic oil

[paulri]

First of all, I’d like to thank this forum and the knowledgeable members for helping give me quite a lot of information that will help me use synthetic oil to prolong the life of the engines in my vehicles. This morning I had Mobil1 put in my Civic; I’ll wait a couple more thousand miles on my Sienna and then use synthetic in that, as well (just did an oil change in that). This was the first major change in my oil routine since 2005, when I bought the Sienna.

(1) How long can I store leftover oil in its original jug? To save some cash, I bought the M1 in a 5 quart jug, and my Civic only used 4 quarts. I can use this oil the next time I get this car changed—will it last 6-9 months?

(2) What temperature range can synthetic motor oil, with all its additives, be preserved at? I looked up the Mobiloil site but didn’t see anything. My garage can get pretty hot.

 

[aquariuscsm]

Imo I'd say indefinitely.

 

[RF Overlord]

Last year I used the last of my M1 stash in my daily driver...the bottle was dated 2005. No issues at all.

 

[Chris Meutsch]

Your garage doesn't get as hot as an engine.
Keep the lid screwed on tight and it will be fine. I've purchased oil that was more than a year old off the shelf and ran it 10k.

 

[pbm]

I just ran and did a UOA on oil that sat for 20 years in my basement and it was fine.

I once read that approx. 68*F is the ideal temp. to store motor oil (syn. or dino).

 

[Danh]

6 - 9 months shouldn't be a problem at all. But, fwiw, oil makers say shelf life for unopened motor oil is 4-5 years when stored under proper conditions. "Proper" conditions aren't really defined but I'd guess it meant no temperature extremes. Based on this, I store new oil jugs in the basement, not the garage.

Of course, many here will say these guidelines are nonsense. But they seem pretty easy to follow to me.

 

[paulri]

OK then I can keep it in the garage.

Sounds like a plan.

 

[Kawiguy454]

The base oil spent 100 million years in a hole in the ground. I think a few years in a garage are a fraction of an eye blink.

 

[HangFire]

Originally Posted By: Kawiguy454
The base oil spent 100 million years in a hole in the ground. I think a few years in a garage are a fraction of an eye blink.


I think it's the additives that are more in question, but oil volatility and oxidation are hardly problems underground.

 

[Brons2]

You can send your synthetic oil to me and I will store it in my Sump.

Great offer, eh?

 

[ARB1977]

I generally keep oil for no longer than six months. Gear oil and ATF on the other hand. I've got some that's at least 5 years old.

 

[paulri]

Originally Posted By: HangFire
Originally Posted By: Kawiguy454
The base oil spent 100 million years in a hole in the ground. I think a few years in a garage are a fraction of an eye blink.


I think it's the additives that are more in question, but oil volatility and oxidation are hardly problems underground.


Hangfire, what you said might be true, but his line is still a pretty good one....

 

[Merkava_4]

Shake it up once in awhile so that the additives don't fall out of suspension and stick to the bottom of the bottle.

 

[aquariuscsm]

Originally Posted By: Merkava_4
Shake it up once in awhile so that the additives don't fall out of suspension and stick to the bottom of the bottle.


That always reminds me of when you make a glass of chocolate milk,and if you put the glass down for awhile and come back,some of the powder mix settles on the bottom and you have to re-stir it

 

[Bluestream]

Originally Posted By: paulri
Originally Posted By: HangFire
Originally Posted By: Kawiguy454
The base oil spent 100 million years in a hole in the ground. I think a few years in a garage are a fraction of an eye blink.


I think it's the additives that are more in question, but oil volatility and oxidation are hardly problems underground.


Hangfire, what you said might be true, but his line is still a pretty good one....


His line may be a good one, but comparing crude oil to refined oil stored in plastic bottles has no relevance.

 

[ShotGun429]

We have hundreds of Cases Of Mobil 1 syn at the shop here dating back to 1988-89 time period. and yes some (a few) of the plastic bottles have started to leak, but the Oil inside will last forever, I have to laugh at the people who say otherwise. We use it with no problems in our new cars with no issues,and dont expect any... Now the old metal Pennszoil cans with Z-7 from the 70's we stockpiled,(SE) I tend to avoid in our newer Fleet here.

 

[BTW]

For a long time I hope, I still have 4 1/2 jugs pf PPU on the shelf, those should last me a few years with 7,500 OCI's...

 

[KitaCam]

....and I've got 7 jugs, 6 for OCs, 1 for topping up over the next 3 years.

 

[camrydriver111]

I've stored an unfinished jug of oil in my garage for 1 year. Capped tightly of course.

When I was doing my next OCI I bought the exact same oil at the store to supplement my leftover oil.

When I was pouring them inside my engine the oil stored in my garage was thicker than the new oil I purchased at the store.

What do you think happened to my oil?

 

[Wildcard]

i do the same thing, my car uses 4.5 quarts so i just save the extra half wuart and use it for make up oil until my next change. Oil doesnt go bad in months, it takes years. Unless its peanut oil in peanut butter that hasnt been refigerated after you opened it, THAT will go bad.