How long to store oil

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Jan 17, 2014
Messages
9
Location
Pennsylvania, USA
Thanks for all the opinions and comments on a previous thread about whether to stay or go with Mobil 1. I have decided to move away and I have decided to go to PU 5W40 Euro(a Porsche A40 oil).

The deal that I am looking at is a 24qt box for $191. My question is how long I can store oil(in a temperature controlled environment) seeing as I am planning a 5K mile OCI which will equate to 5-6 months. I don't want to run the risk of the oil degrading(this was mentioned in the Motor Oil University series on the front page of the site by AE Haas)

Any commentary is again appreciated.
 
Oil has no shelf life. I don't know why Haas makes that claim, but you can email almost any oil manufacturer's tech support group and they'll say that there is no expiration date.

There are countless folks on here with jugs of oil from 5+ years ago that use it without a single problem. Heck, I wouldn't hesitate to use 10 year old oil as long as the bottle was sealed.
 
Originally Posted By: dparm
Oil has no shelf life. I don't know why Haas makes that claim, but you can email almost any oil manufacturer's tech support group and they'll say that there is no expiration date.

There are countless folks on here with jugs of oil from 5+ years ago that use it without a single problem. Heck, I wouldn't hesitate to use 10 year old oil as long as the bottle was sealed.


Pennzoil said 5 years when I emailed them...max.
 
Originally Posted By: gregk24
Originally Posted By: dparm
Oil has no shelf life. I don't know why Haas makes that claim, but you can email almost any oil manufacturer's tech support group and they'll say that there is no expiration date.

There are countless folks on here with jugs of oil from 5+ years ago that use it without a single problem. Heck, I wouldn't hesitate to use 10 year old oil as long as the bottle was sealed.


Pennzoil said 5 years when I emailed them...max.


Mobil said 5 years as well as long as the original containers are sealed and stored inside.
 
So the last 2 responses actually validate Haas' comments, at least somewhat.

The 24qt box would last me 2.5 oil changes so I think it will be fine.

Thanks for the information
 
The reason they don't recommend more than 5 years is because the API grades will probably change in that time period. In theory it might be good for a longer period of time, but the oil makers don't really go out there and say it.
 
IMO....very true. If people have stored oil in their stash, their is "no sale" for the company on current offerings.

Originally Posted By: Wolf359
The reason they don't recommend more than 5 years is because the API grades will probably change in that time period. In theory it might be good for a longer period of time, but the oil makers don't really go out there and say it.
 
Originally Posted By: daves87rs
Still finishing up my SM oil....

And one Walmart up here still has SM/GF-4 Edge on the shelf. I don't see Wakefield running out to save us from it.
wink.gif
 
Originally Posted By: mongo161
IMO....very true. If people have stored oil in their stash, their is "no sale" for the company on current offerings.

Originally Posted By: Wolf359
The reason they don't recommend more than 5 years is because the API grades will probably change in that time period. In theory it might be good for a longer period of time, but the oil makers don't really go out there and say it.


I agree. We cleaned out an old open garage recently and I found a 1/3rd of a gallon of Rotella 15W-40 that was at least 18 years old and this week I used a quart of it to top off a Ford big block engine in the dump truck because it looked and felt good.
 
IMO storage conditions present the biggest impact on the life of oil, not the time. Few yrs ago I came across a pile of synthetic ATF drums that where stored in a desert for two yrs. There was approx 5 inch layer of clear liquid on the surface (synthetic base oil), in the middle the stuff was more or less with the original colour of red and on the bottom you could find black junk that had to be scraped off of the drums after cutting them half and a little bit of water. These drums were with original seals.

So keep the temperature variations minimal.
 
I have some in my stash going back to 2004, PP in the older bottles, also some 2005 QS HP and TP in clear bottles. stored in my basement.

Oil looks fine, looks like fresh oil, I shake them before I pour them in, but really what is going to deteriorate at room temp in a sealed bottle.
 
A Kendall district rep told me a few years ago that two important things in using oil more than 3 years old is to make sure the bottle has its original cap seal and also to shake each bottle well in case there WAS any separation.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top