Does open motor oil expire?

DaveInLA · May 24, 2006

I remember reading somewhere that it doesnt, but I found this link when looking for something else:

http://www.realsimple.com/realsimple/content/print/0,22304,676079,00.html

Motor oil
Unopened: 2 to 5 years
Opened: 3 months

I keep an open bottle (partially used) of M1 in the trunk of my cars to top off in case I'm low.

pzev · May 24, 2006

I don't agree with what they say about motor oil. However, I could possibly condensation or contamination problems depending on where it is stored.

sjlee · May 24, 2006

I agree about the condensation or contamination being the problem. If you tighten the cap back on, it's about as "sealed" as it is when you buy it, so I doubt if it has anything to do with that.

I would say that if you keep an open bottle in your car that you should use it when you do oil changes so that the oil doesn't get that old.

insomniac · May 24, 2006

Unopened = about 3 yrs.

I keep the balance oil from the latest oil change (in case of top-up) only until the next oil change, after which I discard it and repeat the practise with the balance oil from the current oil change.

To avoid any sort of 'contamination', I don't open the bottle of balance oil to look at it, sniff it, or whatever.

FD777 · May 24, 2006

Here is Castrol's answer .

I don't really believe the opened expiration time.
Plenty of people change their oil every 6-12 months. The oil sitting in your car is definitely exposed to the elements. Should you really change it after 3 months? Well, that's up to you.

Edit: Doh, Ray said the same thing.

bob_ninja · May 25, 2006

Ray, 100% agree.

Another example of stupidity are motorcycle riders who put in new oil before storage for winter, then dump it in the spring because after 6 months it is no longer any good?!?!
I have a bike and a vechilce that sits for 6 months and put in new oil before storage, but still use it afterwards. I just shorten the OCI some.

jsharp · May 25, 2006

It has to be true. It's on the internet...

Ray H · May 25, 2006

Double-fudge crap! (I forgot about that - ya' got me there...)

Volvohead · May 25, 2006

The way the author was talking, you'd think we were dealing with brake fluid. Perhaps he doesn't understand the difference.

Mr Nice · May 25, 2006

How long does it last if you never open it?

pbm · May 25, 2006

I've used 12 year old motor oil with no problems.

axjohn · May 25, 2006

Here's what I do when I have leftover oil in a quart/gallon container:

I put the cap on, but not too tightly. Then I squeeze the bottle until just a little oil comes out of the top, then I close the cap tightly. That gets a bunch of O2 out of the bottle. Then I clean the cap and tape the cap and threads with duct tape really good. Duct tap is actually a vapor barrier. Really good seal. Have never had a problem with oil going bad this way. And yes, I started doing this before I found BITOG--I guess I was a "BITOG in training" guy then; now a full fledged stash-holding member!

Pretty a--l, eh?

surfstar · May 25, 2006

I keep my open bottles in a vacuum chamber, isn't that what you guys do?

I mean there's vacuum in an engine, so that must be why the oil can last up to a year in the crankcase, so I thought if I store it like that it would be the same principle.

bruce381 · May 25, 2006

that is wrong
opened or unopened it will last longer than the current spec SM.
bruce

Ray H · May 25, 2006

It's funny that MSDSs from the blenders pointedly state that sealed motor oil is stable indefinitely, but the author of that unsigned (good decision, Sir!) article boldly pronounces that recapped oil deteriorates in three months. It's also funny that oil poured into an engine and subject to he11ish temperatures over an OCI varying from three months to over a year, and assaulted with blowby moisture and partially burned fuel contamination, manages to survive, yet resealed oil stored at human-tolerant ambient temperatures is destined to "spoil" in three months because some unidentified moron who probably couldn't tell rotten walnuts from rutabagas says so. What an amazing world we live in.

Zaedock · May 25, 2006

The Chevron Delo400 SAE30 that's in my Jeep right now was bottled in Nov. of '01 and works fine. I'll go with the MSDS info.

Ray H is right on.

Kestas · May 25, 2006

Ray, your eloquence entertains me to no end... well put!

jayno20 · May 26, 2006

I am about to buy 3 jugs of Maxlife oil. They will be around for about a year before they are used up, will they be ok? I am assuming yes, but how credible is it that the internet says they last 5 years unopened? I mean there is a lot of crap on the internet that isnt exactly backed up with facts. Anyone know this info for certain?

FD777 · May 26, 2006

If you read my post above, there's a link to what Castrol said. I'm sure that other companies will have a similar answer.

If you're using the oil within a year, the oil will definitely be fine.

Plenty of us here - especially the GC users - are using oil that's 3-4 years old.

Vilan · May 26, 2006

quote:

Originally posted by jayno20:
I am about to buy 3 jugs of Maxlife oil. They will be around for about a year before they are used up, will they be ok? I am assuming yes, but how credible is it that the internet says they last 5 years unopened? I mean there is a lot of crap on the internet that isnt exactly backed up with facts. Anyone know this info for certain?

A few months ago I added a quart of 10W30 to my car. Found it in the garage. The API rating was SF, and the bottle was stamped 1984 on the bottom. So far so good.

I'm not sure that I would've filled up my crankcase with it if I had a gallon of it though, maybe just use a little at a time.

Does open motor oil expire?

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