Does motor oil go bad?

[lunchmoney]

I found some 5-year-old quarts of Mobil 1 Synthetic.

Can I still use them? Or does motor oil have a shelf life?

[Fixtion]

if it's in the ground for millions of years i'm sure half a decade is nothing...go for it.

-fixtion

[calponte]

its fine

[Railrocker]

I dont know but they put a time limit on your oil changes, so many miles or this date for your next one. I bet it has a shelf life.

[99IntegraGS]

http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/...helf_Life.aspx

Question:
Shelf Life of Unopened Mobil 1 Quarts
Does Mobil 1 synthetic motor oil (in an unopened quart) have any sort of shelf life, like conventional motor oil?
-- John Lantz, Littleton, CO

Answer:
ExxonMobil recommends a five year maximum shelf-life for engine oils, including Mobil 1.

JD

[lunchmoney]

Originally Posted by Railrocker

I dont know but they put a time limit on your oil changes, so many miles or this date for your next one. I bet it has a shelf life.

Well that has to do with oil that's been beaten on by your engine, not sitting on a shelf.

[lunchmoney]

Originally Posted by 99IntegraGS

http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/...helf_Life.aspx

Question:
Shelf Life of Unopened Mobil 1 Quarts
Does Mobil 1 synthetic motor oil (in an unopened quart) have any sort of shelf life, like conventional motor oil?
-- John Lantz, Littleton, CO

Answer:
ExxonMobil recommends a five year maximum shelf-life for engine oils, including Mobil 1.

JD

thanks... this probably means that it's good for 10 years... I think I'll go ahead and use it.

[AzGrower]

AMSOIL...FTW!

[Bluto Blutarsky]

Originally Posted by AzGrower

AMSOIL...FTW!

Free oil FTW

[GenPac]

I don't think anyone mentioned this but, was this 'full synthetic' or a 'synthetic blend'? I would think a synthetic blend has less of a shelf life than a full synthetic based on the fact that conventional oils break down naturally over time and use (recommended changed every 3mo or xxx miles?) whereas full synthetics are more rated over use (cumulative mileage) not time.

[buchaja]

Originally Posted by lunchmoney

thanks... this probably means that it's good for 10 years... I think I'll go ahead and use it.

That's the way I'd look at it. Sitting on a shelf the only issue that could affect it would be water absorption.