How long does oil last.

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I received a company vehicle and put very few miles on my Cobalt 2.2 these days. Maybe 2,000 miles a year. My question is how long is my oil good for inside the crankcase? I only run Pennzoil Platinum or Amsoil SS. Can I leave this oil in for 3 years? I will not use dino oil due to the chatter when started up in the winter.
 
The standard always mentioned is 1 year or x amount of miles. One oil change a year is cheap.
 
Originally Posted By: ZZman
The standard always mentioned is 1 year or x amount of miles. One oil change a year is cheap.


Please point out the abnormalities in this 5 year old oil?

https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/4190879/1992_Surburban_Big_Block_-_M1_

I currently have almost 40K on my Amsoil SS 5W30; full disclosure I'm running two bypass filters (and other goodies) in series, and I have test lab reports every 4-5K...

My two cents to the OP is to run the oil to where you think you need to change it...then run an oil sample. I can pull a sample from a warmed and running engine by removing the oil filler cap and drawing out a small amount at a time with a plant nutrient syringe...http://www.ebay.com/itm/150ml-Large-Hydroponics-Nutrient-Disposable-Measuring-Syringe-Tools-Plastic/122729935019?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649

The idea of running a used oil analysis is not to waste money but to set precedent. Anything anyone says about a "standard" of time or mileage is pure speculation (however conservative or not) until an oil analysis is done.

And yes, there's LOTS of speculation out there...
 
Oil analysis will cost about $28 from Blackstone, add in the cost of TBN TAN and he has exceeded the cost of an annual oil change using Pennzoil Platinum and a nice filter to boot. A decent bypass filter set up starts at about $300.

Oil is cheap.
 
Originally Posted By: BobsArmory
Oil analysis will cost about $28 from Blackstone, add in the cost of TBN TAN and he has exceeded the cost of an annual oil change using Pennzoil Platinum and a nice filter to boot. A decent bypass filter set up starts at about $300.

Oil is cheap.


And the OP nor you know anything about the oil that was thrown away. Would it have been perfectly fine for 2-3 years? Analysis from Horizon (Amsoil) is $27 and includes TBN. I can present facts, learning is optional.

Do whatever lets you sleep at night. As I said, lots of speculation out there...
 
Blackstone's stand is an oils condition is based on usage , not age. If you sent a sample to them and asked how old the oil was, they couldn't tell you. They could say it meets this or that standard, or what wt it tested out as, but not how old it is.,,,
 
As stated, the "standard most common answer" is 1 year. Based on your useage you may consider going to a semi-synthetic hi mileage oil for the stronger additives and the seal conditioners since the car is sitting a lot which can allow seals to dry out. Figure a jug of max life and an ST filter for under $25 a year and call it good.
 
Pen Platinum is $23 and a fram tough guard filter is about $6. That's $29 per year considering no sales or rebates if the OP does an annual oil change.

Like I said Blackstone is $28 plus TBN TAN. Amsoil is $34 postage paid or $24.60 non postage paid (i just looked).

The OP sure can extend past 1 year by using analysis and feel safe in doing so. But for me the juice aint worth the squeeze.
 
It would be similar in asking, Could my oil last to 5000 or 7500 miles and still be OK?

The answer is probably yes.
 
Originally Posted By: BobsArmory
Oil analysis will cost about $28 from Blackstone, add in the cost of TBN TAN and he has exceeded the cost of an annual oil change using Pennzoil Platinum and a nice filter to boot. A decent bypass filter set up starts at about $300.

Oil is cheap.


This! I change oil twice a year in my Corolla total cost with quality filter and Full Synthetic $60 dollars a year total cost or less depending on sales.

My Duramax it going to go 18 month this time. Due to a lack of driving and the Oil monitor says 80% remaining. Total oil change cost $62 DIY Rotella T6 Full Synthetic and new filter or $129 plus tax at the dealership with Synthetic blend. I'll change it out next spring just before the towing season.

Oil is cheap!
 
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Originally Posted By: JohnnyJohnson
Originally Posted By: BobsArmory
Oil analysis will cost about $28 from Blackstone, add in the cost of TBN TAN and he has exceeded the cost of an annual oil change using Pennzoil Platinum and a nice filter to boot. A decent bypass filter set up starts at about $300.

Oil is cheap.


This! I change oil twice a year in my Corolla total cost with quality filter and Full Synthetic $60 dollars a year total cost or less depending on sales.

My Duramax it going to go 18 month this time. Due to a lack of driving and the Oil monitor says 80% remaining. Total oil change cost $62 DIY Rotella T6 Full Synthetic and new filter or $129 plus tax at the dealership with Synthetic blend. I'll change it out next spring just before the towing season.

Oil is cheap!


There is no sense in having this site if the pat answer is "oil is cheap". Yeah we get that. The question was, is 3 year old oil with 6000 miles on it still good? Only one poster attempted to answer that. You have to realize that the auto manufacturers had to give you SOME timeframe and since very few people would ever land over more than a year OCI, they picked that change interval as safe. Doesn't mean they did any tests. I design potentially perishable items from time to time. Usually when asked, I hold my thumb up and make a reasonable period of time that I know is acceptable for the item to last while not making it so long as to look ridiculous. The safe bet is to say change the oil since no manufacturer can predict the exact environmental conditions however, a one time UOA would answer that question. I'll bet anything, the oil would easily be good over that 3 year period. This site at times, is like listening to a bunch of ninnies.....all worried about an engine that could probably run oil out 20k and not matter.....jeez.
 
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I really think it depends on the conditions the vehicle is run for. I did an UOA on my 1996 Contour using PP 5W-30 run for almost 8,800 miles over 18 months or slightly more. It was a mixture of highway and "local", almost no stop and go, driving. Wear metals were low and the TBN was 3.5, plenty of life left in the oil after ~8,800 miles and over 18 months of use. As stated here previously, oil does not know time only how it's used. My BIL bought a used Porsche Boxster, 5 years old with 9,000 miles on it with the factory fill. He did a UOA on the FF and it came back with not bad wear metals and plenty of life left in the oil. This Porsche was a "fun" vehicle used only in nice weather conditions and warmed up totally before garaging again. I'd be more concerned with the type of use, does the oil get hot, up to temp when it's used vs short trips where the oil never gets hot.

Whimsey
 
Originally Posted By: philipp10


There is no sense in having this site if the pat answer is "oil is cheap". Yeah we get that. The question was, is 3 year old oil with 6000 miles on it still good? Only one poster attempted to answer that.


Well early changes give some that warm fuzzy. But I go both ways on my Corolla I change twice a year with no UOA which means one OCI is free. But if you want to go for extended OCI only a UOA is going to give you the truth you may or may not like the answer. If you don't well its just wear you can't get back.

Oil is cheap
Its even cheaper if you shop.
 
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I have left oil in the crankcase for 5 years in seldom used trucks. It was in the ground for a couple of hundred million years (whether GTL or Dino). It does not go bad just sitting the garage. Car is new'ish. Engine is clean. Normal mileage change seems in order, no matter how long it takes to get there
smile.gif
 
In most cases, you aren't going to see excess wear metals per thousand miles on drains extended in either time or miles.
I'm not at all convinced that frequent drains are going to significantly reduce wear in most engines.
Spend a rainy afternoon in the UOA sub-forum and I think you'll see what I'm getting at.
 
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