Shelf life of motor oils???

Joined
Dec 4, 2017
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Location
Florida
Hi Guys,
I am a newbie on this forum, so please be gentle...

A few days ago, I sent this email to Shell/Pennzoil Motor Oil:

"About six years ago, I moved, and apparently, I misplaced 5 one quart bottles of Platinum Full Synthetic SAE 5 W 30 motor oil. I just found them a couple of days ago. Very soon I will be due for my next oil change on my "Pride and Joy". Since this particular car has an eight quart capacity crankcase, I am 3 quarts short. My question to you is if I could safely mix or combine this "old" oil with three quarts of "new" oil. I remember reading somewhere that now Pennzoil synthetizes their oil from natural gas rather than from conventional oil stocks. I have no idea what the synthesis procedure was six years ago. I just want to make sure that this "two different oils" are miscible with one another and that I WILL NOT harm my engine."
The answer was short and sweet, somewhere along the lines of: Pennzoil Motor Oil has a shelf life of four years.We recommend you dump this oil and buy new one.

What do you guys think? Can I still safely use it or not? We are talking retail price of about $40.00 to just simply "Dump".

Thanks for your help.
 
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to BITOG!

Go ahead and use it. It's fine.
 
You might want to be aware of the oil spec. And older spec oil would not be appropriate for some modern engines.

In a worst case, there's always the lawn mower. The oil won't go bad just sitting there and as PimTac suggested, give it a good shake.
 
Look at how long oils sit and are used in the car. I am sure that there are 50s and 60s cars that still have their original oils in the axles and trans etc... a few years sitting on your shelf isnt anything.
 
Any Pennzoil employee telling you that its synthetic oil has a four year shelf life is a nitwit. Make sure it has the right API rating for your vehicle, and give it a good shake before pouring.
 
There are many BITOG members who will tell you to use oil in sealed containers regardless of age. They tend not to believe anything the oil companies say. Everything the oil companies say or do is a conspiracy to sell you more oil. The same members will also tell you that getting the maximum number of miles or the most time out of an oil change is paramount. They would have you spend all your oil change money on UOAs to prove that old oil is still good. Some of these members will also tell you that 50 year oil in the crankcase of a barn find is perfectly good. IMO if you care about your vehicle, give the old oil to one of the members I mentioned above and buy some new oil for your car.
 
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Send a sample for analysis, just for kicks and giggles.

If it was a beater, I wouldn't hesitate. But for a "pride and joy" automobile... I'd buy new Lube.
 
Sealed bottle stored inside (not exposed to severe temp extreme cycles), I would use it so long as it met the vehicle spec.

Last year I had some Pennzoil Platinum (Pre GTL) made in 2009 that I used in my car. I had no worries about using it.
No, I did not do a VOA or UOA on it. I had no question about it.
I have a stash of oil that will be almost as old or older when I finally use it, not concerned one bit.

I remember some place did some VOA and UOA on oil that had been sitting on the shelf for 30 years and it was fine.
I think Valvoline says a 5 year shelf life.

It is a sue happy world, and they are only covering their rear ends.
 
The worst that can happen is additives may settle to the bottom which is why we shake the bottles.
Shake and pour baby.
 
Originally Posted By: SilverSnake
There are many BITOG members who will tell you to use oil in sealed containers regardless of age. They tend not to believe anything the oil companies say. Everything the oil companies say or do is a conspiracy to sell you more oil. The same members will also tell you that getting the maximum number of miles or the most time out of an oil change is paramount. They would have you spend all your oil change money on UOAs to prove that old oil is still good. Some of these members will also tell you that 50 year oil in the crankcase of a barn find is perfectly good. IMO if you care about your vehicle, give the old oil to one of the members I mentioned above and buy some new oil for your car.


There have been test of virgin 30+ year old oil that was good, to the spec rating at the time it was made. So yes if its in a sealed container and meets/exceeds the specs of the vehicle I would use it.
 
Oh nooooo! I asked the same question.............Mix it and your will be fine! Someone once remarked to me "Do you know how many millions of years old that oil is."





Respectfully,

Pajero!
 
Originally Posted By: anotheroldguy
"About six years ago, I moved, and apparently, I misplaced 5 one quart bottles of Platinum Full Synthetic SAE 5 W 30 motor oil. I just found them a couple of days ago. Very soon I will be due for my next oil change on my "Pride and Joy". Since this particular car has an eight quart capacity crankcase, I am 3 quarts short. My question to you is if I could safely mix or combine this "old" oil with three quarts of "new" oil. I remember reading somewhere that now Pennzoil synthetizes their oil from natural gas rather than from conventional oil stocks. I have no idea what the synthesis procedure was six years ago. I just want to make sure that this "two different oils" are miscible with one another and that I WILL NOT harm my engine."
The answer was short and sweet, somewhere along the lines of: Pennzoil Motor Oil has a shelf life of four years.We recommend you dump this oil and buy new one.

Can you post the exact response? Thanks.
 
Originally Posted By: kschachn

Can you post the exact response? Thanks.

On the Pennzoil Website itself.
Quote:
All Pennzoil motor oils can have a shelf-life of up to four years if stored properly and it is not necessary to shake the motor oil bottle before dispensing. Our formulations are carefully balanced so that the additives stay suspended within the motor oil. You can contact the Pennzoil helpline (1-800-BESTOIL) if you wish to identify the date of when your purchase was bottled.


Mobil says 5 years for theirs

Valvoline says it does not ever expire (but gives the API warning and shake bottle note).
 
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