Oil shelf life

[lgeist04]

I have a new MX6000 HSTC that is coming up on the 50 hr service. I have a couple of bottles of Shell T6 5W-40 that are unopened from when I did my 50 hour on my MX5400 a couple of years ago. Is that oil still good to use for my new 50 hour service?

 

[GreensvilleJay]

yes, just shake them up a bit.....
I'm still using QUART cans, 10W40 from 1977 Fun part is trying to remember WHERE I put the 'piercing spout pour' gizmo.....

 

[imnukensc]

Yes, it is. Unopened conventional oil has a shelf life of 5 years. Unopened synthetic has a shelf life of 7-8 years. I actually think either of their shelf lives, unopened, is longer than that.

 

[TheOldHokie]

I have a friend who is still using engine oil his father stockpiled in the sixties. It goes in his old tractors not the wife's Mercedes.

Dan

 

[DustyRusty]

I have a friend who is still using engine oil his father stockpiled in the sixties. It goes in his old tractors not the wife's Mercedes.

Dan

View attachment 113266

Ask your friend for an empty one for my collection. thanks

 

[Runs With Scissors]

I have a friend who is still using engine oil his father stockpiled in the sixties. It goes in his old tractors not the wife's Mercedes.

Dan

View attachment 113266

Thats cool. 60 cents......

I remember stocking the shelves with those style cans, and selling that tool that jammed in the top to pour it out. My dad had probably 5 or 6 of those tools laying around.


Edit: To the OP, I have never ever had oil go bad. I have never even heard of an "oil expiration date"

If you are worried, ship it to me, I'll use it.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

oil doesn't go 'bad' BUT the additives will 'come out',settle tot he bottom of the can. Shake it up real good and it's ready to pour ( once you find the 'gizmo'...... )

 

[fried1765]

Thats cool. 60 cents......

I remember stocking the shelves with those style cans, and selling that tool that jammed in the top to pour it out. My dad had probably 5 or 6 of those tools laying around.


Edit: To the OP, I have never ever had oil go bad. I have never even heard of an "oil expiration date"

If you are worried, ship it to me, I'll use it.

I have some Phillips 20W-50 aviation oil that is 30+ years old.
I am not afraid to use it, though I do not have an airplane anymore.

 

[The Evil Twin]

Yes, it is. Unopened conventional oil has a shelf life of 5 years. Unopened synthetic has a shelf life of 7-8 years. I actually think either of their shelf lives, unopened, is longer than that.

This is pretty much what the oil company that sponsored my racing told me. Of course, that is stored in a typical garage. Not out un a shed where it gets to 110° during the summer.

 

[TheOldHokie]

I have some Phillips 20W-50 aviation oil that is 30+ years old.
I am not afraid to use it, though I do not have an airplane anymore.

I would be afraid to use it.

Oil may not "go bad" but the product performance does age out. The oil in my picture is labeled for service MS/DG which dates it as pre-1964. No way I would put it in any of my cars or diesel tractors and they never leave the ground. Its what my old Fords drank when new but even there I would pass it over in favor of a newer and better formulation.

Dan

 

[GeoHorn]

Oil sits in the earth 50 million years….but “goes bad” after we put it in a container..?? I’m callin’ b.s. on that.

Our local oil distributor was going out of business (keeping his propane service tho’) and gave me several cases of Mobil “Red Top”…which was an SAE50 aircraft piston engine oil he’d had since the early 1950’s when he was the supplier to Mooney Aircraft factory over in Kerrville. It was the engine-factory-recommended oil for new aircraft engines.
Mobil told me not to use it due to “shelf life age”. I figured b.s…. since it’s nothing more than a heavy duty non-additive engine oil. I used it for almost two decades in my 9N Ford without a burp… and that tractor is still working for it’s “new” owner. (I did “annual” oil changes in that tractor. I had re-sleeved with new pistons/rings that engine when I first acquired that tractor. It never burned oil.)
I’d imagine that Shell T6 5W-40 will do just fine in your new tractor as it’s a current product.

 

[lynnmor]

Blackstone Labs did a newsletter in 3 parts about old oils, see the April, June & October 2012 newsletters for much information. If you don't want to spend the time, this statement in the end says a lot:
"We stand by our statement that “oil is oil” and in the end, it doesn’t make a lot of
difference what you decide to use."

 

[The Evil Twin]

Oil sits in the earth 50 million years….but “goes bad” after we put it in a container..?? I’m callin’ b.s. on that.

Our local oil distributor was going out of business (keeping his propane service tho’) and gave me several cases of Mobil “Red Top”…which was an SAE50 aircraft piston engine oil he’d had since the early 1950’s when he was the supplier to Mooney Aircraft factory over in Kerrville. It was the engine-factory-recommended oil for new aircraft engines.
Mobil told me not to use it due to “shelf life age”. I figured b.s…. since it’s nothing more than a heavy duty non-additive engine oil. I used it for almost two decades in my 9N Ford without a burp… and that tractor is still working for it’s “new” owner. (I did “annual” oil changes in that tractor. I had re-sleeved with new pistons/rings that engine when I first acquired that tractor. It never burned oil.)
I’d imagine that Shell T6 5W-40 will do just fine in your new tractor as it’s a current product.

We aren't talking about something like a water well. What goes in the bottle didn't come straight out of the tap. Lube oil goes through a number of processes and is completely different.

 

[TheOldHokie]

Blackstone Labs did a newsletter in 3 parts about old oils, see the April, June & October 2012 newsletters for much information. If you don't want to spend the time, this statement in the end says a lot:
"We stand by our statement that “oil is oil” and in the end, it doesn’t make a lot of
difference what you decide to use."

Interesting data. The one thing it demonstrates is that prior to the early to mid seventies when the science got better and API testing and licensing got more rigorous you had no real idea what was actually in the can. Blenders were all over the ballpark with additives snd claims.

BTW i arranged for a VOA of that Primrose oil. It was a MM/MS/DG oil which dates it late fifties or very early sixties. Similar to several of the other oils of that vintage in the Blackstone collection.

Dan

 

[GeoHorn]

We aren't talking about something like a water well. What goes in the bottle didn't come straight out of the tap. Lube oil goes through a number of processes and is completely different.

Well Doh.… refining rearranges/sections molecules which have been in existence for eons…. their make-up is pretty well established as far as age is concerned.

 

[The Evil Twin]

Well Doh.… refining rearranges/sections molecules which have been in existence for eons…. their make-up is pretty well established as far as age is concerned.

Individually, yes. That does not mean they are stable. Totally different animal, my man.

 

[GrizBota]

When did the cans go away completely? Late ‘70s? Or as it early ‘80s? I think they were cardboard barrels with aluminum tops and bottoms at the bitter end?

 

[GreensvilleJay]

The cans I have( 7 cases x 24...) are Imperial QUARTS, cardstock side with metal ends. Best guess is mid-late 70s as SHELL doesn't know their own oil that was made locally...... Only have English on them,so preTrudope !!! A lifetime supply of proper oil for any period correct musclecar !

 

[RCW]

When did the cans go away completely? Late ‘70s? Or as it early ‘80s? I think they were cardboard barrels with aluminum tops and bottoms at the bitter end?

I’m guessing metal cans left late-60’s, followed by cardboard cans. Think by early ‘80’s you no longer needed the cutter/spout…

 

[fried1765]

The cans I have( 7 cases x 24...) are Imperial QUARTS, cardstock side with metal ends. Best guess is mid-late 70s as SHELL doesn't know their own oil that was made locally...... Only have English on them,so preTrudope !!! A lifetime supply of proper oil for any period correct musclecar !

"Trudope"
Love it.
SO appropriate!