Opinions on 'Old' New Engine Oil

[Hamrhead]

I've got 10 quarts of Mobil 1 in my attic - still in the sealed jugs. Thing is, they've been up there for 6+ years.

Would you use it in your Viper, or just get fresh oil for the next oil change?

[Fatboy 18]

Yes no problem at all

[quickster2]

Shake it well before use. Some may say overkill but I shake all my oil before use. No problem to use.

[Old School]

Yes, this vintage oil is still good.

[ForTehNguyen]

https://www.mobil.com/en/lubricants/...mobil-1-quarts

[Lawineer]

Wouldn't surprise me if it attracted some moisture, but probably fine.

[13COBRA]

99/100 it'll be fine. But for $100, I'd just buy new.

[Aevus]

99/100 it'll be fine. But for $100, I'd just buy new.

Same here.

Doesn't worth the risk. At all.

[StrokerAce]

Would it attract more water than say a car left sitting all winter that isn't started?

[13COBRA]

Would it attract more water than say a car left sitting all winter that isn't started?

6+ years is a little more than a winter. Unless you live on Chernobyl.

[StrokerAce]

6+ years is a little more than a winter. Unless you live on Chernobyl.

Agreed. However, one is in a sealed container where the other was most likely brought to temperature a few times and is inside an engine block. Just curious which is most likely to have water of any considerable amount.

Upstate PA can get mighty cold in winter.

[efnfast]

i'd only store it for 2-3yrs then toss it

[GTS Dean]

I would run it. If you are worried about moisture, every full heat cycle you put on the oil, the water/oil heat exchanger is going to get it hot enough to boil the moisture out. If you are worried about oxidation, there's less surface area exposed to air in the sealed bottle than a crankcase pan full of oil.

If you're not going to use it, then offer it to someone with the story and a deep discount.

[Lawineer]

Would it attract more water than say a car left sitting all winter that isn't started?

No, but only because it's sealed.

Temp changes = condensation = moisture. Probably not an issue when it's sealed.

[Bill Pemberton]

Good info from ForTehNyugen,

We have all been told over the years about how Full Synthetic oil had a much longer shelf life than Conventional Oil, but there is a point where it could have degraded. I think an easy answer would be if you pulled into a Dealership and asked them to change your oil and they said they had some 6 year old bottles laying around that they would give you a discount on. Would you do it?
it seems with all the " Promotional Sales " over the years getting 10-40W in 5 quart jugs can make an oil change reasonable enough. Just my take as I would not use oil of that vintage.

[Old School]

This reminds me of that pink Himalayan salt that was popular a few years back. Supposedly formed 250 million years ago yet had an expiration date on the label.

[StrokerAce]

No, but only because it's sealed.

Temp changes = condensation = moisture. Probably not an issue when it's sealed.

That's my point.

[Bill Pemberton]

Well, we all know Wine is kept at very specific temperatures because sealed or not it can age and decay over time. Oil has tons of additives, detergents , and is processed so that is a bit different than Himalayan salt. I think Nyugen has a solid post , and the oil in question is even beyond the stated shelf life suggested by Mobil 1.............we need a true Petroleum Engineer to explain the reasoning, but my bet is on additives, moisture possibilities and more to determine shelf life.

[13COBRA]

Everyone has their opinions. The only way to know which opinion is correct, is for OP to put it in his car and see if he has any issue between now and his next oil change.

For $100 worth of oil, I don't think I'd run that experiment in my car.

I also change my oil after it sits in the car for the winter.

[Arizona Vipers]

If it was me I'd just get rid of it. I'm sure it would be ok, but I'd rather run new oil then 6 year old oil. Oil is cheap.

[SRT_BluByU]

bin it..

[Lawineer]

Well, we all know Wine is kept at very specific temperatures because sealed or not it can age and decay over time. Oil has tons of additives, detergents , and is processed so that is a bit different than Himalayan salt. I think Nyugen has a solid post , and the oil in question is even beyond the stated shelf life suggested by Mobil 1.............we need a true Petroleum Engineer to explain the reasoning, but my bet is on additives, moisture possibilities and more to determine shelf life.

Lol, wine has active (live) cultures. Compare it to, say, vodka, which does not. It's fine 6 years later in a sealed bottle.

[Old School]

25 or 30 years ago Mobil1 had a packaging change or formula change or something. My Walmart had it 75% off. I bought all they had, 3 overflowing shopping carts of 5 qt jugs. It took many years to go through that......

[StrokerAce]

I use old opened oil in my lawn equipment. lol

My friend's father has a shop with a wall full of the actual cans of Quaker State oil. Metal tops and cardboard sides. He probably has 100+ cans left. Anyway, the son was using this stuff through the early 2000's in his Dakota. lol His dad had no idea. He was so pissed. Never an issue though. That being said it burnt probably a quart every 500 miles. lol

['93 RT/10]

Here is an answer right from the Mobil website.

https://www.mobil.com/en/lubricants/...mobil-1-quarts