Old Oil - Shelf Life?

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D

Ducati

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Nov 19, 2008
380
Boatless Boatless Annapolis
My boat came with various bottles unused oil that are over 6 years old.
15-40, W30, transmission oil etc. Some are not open and some are half full.

Question? Does oil have a shelf life?
 
Don S/V ILLusion

Don S/V ILLusion

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Sep 25, 2008
7,696
Alden 50 Sarasota, Florida
I used to work with refinery guys who's opinion was that it isn't the oil that breaks down but the additives.
 
kloudie1

kloudie1

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Nov 6, 2006
10,220
Hunter 34 Mandeville Louisiana
Wouldn't worry too much about the un-opened ones .. shake them well before using to re-mix the additive package.. The opened stuff as Don says, you can use to add a little but not use it as a primary fill.
 
sailaway78

sailaway78

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May 11, 2005
3,431
Seidelman S37 Slidell, La.
Oil is cheap

I don't think I would worry about using unopened bottles. But anything that has been opened, I would toss. You don't know for sure how long it has been opened, who opened it, and there may be something besides oil in there. If you didn't open it, toss it. When compared to even minor engine repairs, the cost of a half quart of oil is virtually nothing.
 
RichH

RichH

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Feb 14, 2005
4,773
Tayana 37 cutter; I20/M20 SCOWS Worton Creek, MD
The additives are the first to be oxidized/volatilized.

However, the 'dilution rate' of a single quart or less in a marine engine of typical 4-6 quart capacity is quite insignificant @ 25%-16% ... and youre definitely not going to have the complete degradation of the additives to a 100% level. You can most assuredly run such an engine on 'straight' oil on an occasional basis ... and thats what they use to 'break in' an engine when 'new'.

These are marine engines not "Beemers" that require super-special super-mega-expensive lubrication oils. Use the 'capped' oil, use the 'uncapped' oil in other applications - squeeky door hinges, etc.
 
zeehag

zeehag

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Mar 26, 2009
3,198
1976 formosa 41 yankee clipper santa barbara. ca.(not there)
dont ever pitch out oil--there is always a good use for it....squeeky doors, chainplates and turnbuckles, all kindsa stuff.....
 
S

Steve Dion

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Dec 2, 1999
15,184
Hunter Vision-36 Rio Vista, CA.
zeehag said:
dont ever pitch out oil--there is always a good use for it....squeeky doors, chainplates and turnbuckles, all kindsa stuff.....
Click to expand
Ya, like washing your dirty oily hands with clean oil and then with soap and water.
 
zeehag

zeehag

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Mar 26, 2009
3,198
1976 formosa 41 yankee clipper santa barbara. ca.(not there)
works better than scented lotions...gets out the real dirt....



BICYCLE REPAIRS!!!!!!!!!
 
Ross

Ross

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Jun 15, 2004
14,693
Islander/Wayfairer 30 sail number 25 Perryville,Md.
That oil was in the ground for how many years before they pumped it out?
 
zeehag

zeehag

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Mar 26, 2009
3,198
1976 formosa 41 yankee clipper santa barbara. ca.(not there)
before i left sd i found a case and a half of oil and tranny fluids---threw the open ones into my beeter-- didnt seem to hurt it any....
 
JVB

JVB

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Jan 26, 2006
270
Schock Wavelength 24 Lake Murray, SC
There are no regulations on the age of oil before it goes into an airplane engine. There are a few rules on required additives. There's nobody more picky than the Federal Aviation Administration. So I would use unopened bottles. Just in case there is something to the additives deteriorating I'd use the old along with new bottles.
 
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