Old Engine Oil: How long is it usable?
Question by Guest | 2013-01-18 at 13:58
In my garage, I have found a bottle of old motor oil. I can only guess how old this oil can be, but I think, it can easily have an age of 10 to 20 years.
Can I still use this motor oil or has motor oil something like an expiration date?
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Provided that the engine oil is kept tightly closed in the original container, according to the manufacturers, it will be usable about 3 to maximal 5 years. So, you should definitely dispose your 10 to 20 years oil properly and you should not use it any longer.
The problem with older oil is the following: Over time, the additives contained in the oil can evaporate or lose their effect. Therefore, the necessary quality of the oil is no longer guaranteed. If the oil was already open, it can come to an undesired exchange with the air. This also can impact negatively to the properties of the oil. Therefore, you should use up your oil within 6 months after opening and you should not longer use it after that time.
Another reason for fresh oil is the technical progress on both sides, the side of the engines and the side of the oils. On the one hand, modern engines can easily be ruined with old oil, on the other hand, modern oils have a better performance and enhancing properties, which are also required by many engines today.
2013-01-18 at 20:43