Consensus on oil "going bad" even if not driven?

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99% sure it's fine. But just to check, get a UOA
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If you don't short trip it, then I wouldn't change the oil until it had around 5k miles on it.
 
If you live in the Rust Belt, and don't keep the vehicle in a humidity controlled environment, the filter will rust after a couple years. I also wouldn't push a basic cellulose filter past 2 years regardless of mileage-but a synthetic media filter could go longer.
 
If we're splitting hairs then one should question the value of a vehicle that is only driven 500 miles in 2 years. Why even own such a thing?

And if the answer is -- it's a precious collectible! Then change the oil yearly because it's precious collectible.

But if it's a '92 Pontiac Sunfire with no paint and a dying interior then why bother wasting oil?
 
Why yearly? Does oil go "stale" ?
Why should you change it yearly?
It's already millions of years old.
What's another 20 ?
 
Originally Posted By: wowthisexists
Car gets driven 500 miles in 2 years.
Do you change it? Or is it fine?


Where is that car parked (inside/outside) and in what climate?

UOA is a good idea, but I would run it at least 1,000 or 1,500 miles before doing that.
 
Do you have plans to drive it more than 250 miles per year in the future? What are you worried about happening to the car if you don't change the oil? A little sludge in another 100 years?
 
Originally Posted By: Reddy45

And if the answer is -- it's a precious collectible! Then change the oil yearly because it's precious collectible.


That is NOT necessarily true.

There are SAE papers that can be interpreted to state this belief as false.
 
I think the OP is just toying with us. I don't think there is an actual vehicle in question here.
 
Originally Posted By: Reddy45
I think the OP is just toying with us. I don't think there is an actual vehicle in question here.


Could be.
 
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