Oil life in container

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Originally Posted By: Linctex
Originally Posted By: SilverSnake
Shell told me the shelf life of UNOPENED, sealed oil containers is 5 years if stored in proper environmental conditions. You can decide who to believe.


I choose to NOT believe SHELL.

I have never witnessed any ill effects of "old" oil.



I am sure that what you have personally witnessed will be the deciding factor for everyone.
 
Originally Posted By: Bluestream
Originally Posted By: JohnnyJohnson
Originally Posted By: kschachn
Originally Posted By: JohnnyJohnson
When it was in the ground for a million years how much did it deteriorate?

You mean it was a fully formulated motor oil all that time? With additives and everything?


Most the stuff in that formulation where in the ground a million years as well. So did they deteriorate?


Not really valid to compare Crude oil to refined oil products. Refined oil has additive that will come out of solution in about 5 years when store in warm environment or 2 years when stored in cold. Shacking container will not put them back into sloution


Excellent post. Thank you.
 
People hoard stuff, then when they pass their kids find the stash and use it. Yet to see a post anywherre that said that oil from 70s and 80s ruined their cars...
As far as specs go, a fresh fill of SJ will beat the [censored] out of dino SN that is 10 or 15k miles old. And yet bitogers buy those cars, clean an up with HDEO or pyb or whatever and run them until the tubs rust out, or something other that oil related happens. Point is, don't get passionate about a trivial topic. A [censored] match is for kids, thought this was an adult board.
 
This question is brought up way too often, the answer needs to be stickied.

Depends on who you listen to.


Pennzoil is 4 years.

Mobil says 5 years for theirs

Valvoline says it does not ever expire (but gives an API warning and shake bottle note). [/quote]

I have used 7 year old oil no issues (as in engine is still running), and may have used older in the past.
I am one that so long as it meets spec and is in a sealed container stored in reasonable conditions, I will use it.
 
Originally Posted By: SilverSnake
Originally Posted By: Linctex

I choose to NOT believe SHELL. I have never witnessed any ill effects of "old" oil.

I am sure that what you have personally witnessed will be the deciding factor for everyone.


I NEVER said that... do NOT put words in my mouth.

My opinion is my opinion.
Your opinion is your opinion.

If you think oil goes bad after 5 years, fine. I don't care what you believe.
 
Originally Posted By: Linctex
Originally Posted By: SilverSnake
Originally Posted By: Linctex

I choose to NOT believe SHELL. I have never witnessed any ill effects of "old" oil.

I am sure that what you have personally witnessed will be the deciding factor for everyone.


I NEVER said that... do NOT put words in my mouth.

My opinion is my opinion.
Your opinion is your opinion.

If you think oil goes bad after 5 years, fine. I don't care what you believe.


thumbsup2.gif
 
Good job blupupher. You hit it right on here in my opinion.

Questions I have are this..

If after 4-5 yrs what happens to cause the additives to "permanently" precipitate out of solution??

What physical or chemical process initiates at that time to cause the process to happen??

And if time not in use can cause a falling out of solution event than what else could cause this type of an event to initiate?? Extreme heat exposure??

These above questions are just curiousity questions. Nothing more to it than that. I would like to learn about what is going on there and why things happen or do not happen. That's what I like about being on here. Learning. There are so many very, very smart people on here.

Something there is just a bit odd to me. But hey, whatcha gonna do?? I like the Valvoline answer as it seemingly makes sense to me.
 
Last edited:
I think the key is keeping oxygen away from the oil in a sealed container. However, there still could be bacterial activity of some sort to degrade the oil. After opening, if it looks and smells OK, then I'd use it. Just like food in the fridge.....
 
Originally Posted By: bbhero

Questions I have are this.... If after 4-5 yrs what happens to cause the additives to "permanently" precipitate out of solution??
What physical or chemical process initiates at that time to cause the process to happen??
These above questions are just curiosity questions. Nothing more to it than that.


These are EXCELLENT questions.
I would like to know the science behind the statements,
the reasoning and the rationale.........
not just what the marketing/liability depts say.
 
If it is sealed up I would use it regardless of age.
Just shake and pour.
People here tend to overthink things a bit.
It is only oil after all and can't change into anything else.
 
Originally Posted By: JohnnyJohnson
Originally Posted By: kschachn
Originally Posted By: JohnnyJohnson
When it was in the ground for a million years how much did it deteriorate?

You mean it was a fully formulated motor oil all that time? With additives and everything?

Most the stuff in that formulation where in the ground a million years as well. So did they deteriorate?

It was? You mean you can just pump all the additives out of the ground?
 
Originally Posted By: kschachn
Originally Posted By: JohnnyJohnson
Originally Posted By: kschachn
Originally Posted By: JohnnyJohnson
When it was in the ground for a million years how much did it deteriorate?

You mean it was a fully formulated motor oil all that time? With additives and everything?

Most the stuff in that formulation where in the ground a million years as well. So did they deteriorate?

It was? You mean you can just pump all the additives out of the ground?


LOL coming from you I suspect you believe that.
 
Originally Posted By: JohnnyJohnson
LOL coming from you I suspect you believe that.

Yeah sorry, it is just my chemistry background coming into it I guess. People making sweeping statements that sound cool but aren't representative of reality. Confusing elements with compounds, thinking that all compounds are equally stable over time, stuff like that.
 
You make a good point.
Most of us know nothing of chemistry beyond high school and have no idea of how stable the compounds in the add pack might be.
It could be that a fully formulated oil starts out at 100% and slowly degrades over time.
There might be processes afoot to which we are blind.
We should all remember that not blowing an engine up is not a good standard by which to judge a fill of oil.
 
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