Shelf life of engine oil in canister and engine
Content
Does motor oil have an expiration date?
Almost all motor oil manufacturers claim that their lubricants are usable for five years from the date of the spill. It does not matter whether the grease was stored in an iron or plastic factory canister, this does not affect the properties of the grease. You can see the date of manufacture on the canister itself, usually it is written with a laser on the body, and not printed on the label. Also, many eminent manufacturers (Shell, Castrol, Elf, etc.) note in their oil descriptions that storing lubricant in an engine and in a sealed canister are completely different things.
Engine oil shelf life
Being in the car engine, the lubricant is constantly in contact with the environment and various elements of the motor itself. That is why the instruction manual for almost any modern car indicates the oil change period, not only based on the number of kilometers traveled, but also the time of its operation. So, even if the car was motionless a year after the last oil change, it must be replaced with fresh one. At the same time, in normal operation, engine oil can travel 10-12 thousand kilometers before it loses its properties and maintenance is required.
How to properly store motor oil?
There are a number of criteria, taking into account which it is possible to maintain the original properties of engine oil for a very long time. Naturally, these rules apply to lubricants that are stored in factory-packaged metal or plastic canisters. So, the most important parameters for storage are:
- ambient temperature;
- Sun rays;
- humidity.
The first and most important thing is to observe the temperature regime. Everything works here in the same way as with food - so that they do not disappear, they are put in the refrigerator, so the oil located at least in the cool basement of the garage will retain its properties much longer than if it stood in a room at room temperature. Manufacturers recommend storing motor lubricants in conditions from -20 to +40 degrees Celsius.
Direct exposure to sunlight also adversely affects the quality of engine oil. Because of this, it becomes "transparent", all the additives contained in the lubricant precipitate, which then also settles in the engine block sump.
Humidity affects oil that is stored in an open container, or just an unopened canister. Lubricant has a special property called hygroscopicity - the ability to absorb water from the air. Its presence in the lubricant adversely affects the viscosity; it is absolutely impossible to use it in the engine.
Where to store engine oil?
The best option is a factory unopened canister - without contact with the environment, the lubricant can be stored for a very long time. But it’s not worth pouring into your iron canisters - the oil can react with the material of the canister, a precipitate will appear, in this regard, the plastic of the factory canister is better. If you need to pour grease, then the plastic of the canister must be oil and petrol resistant.
