Oil's Well That Ends Well.

[firemac]

Apologies if this is a daft question: does engine oil have a use by date?

Reason I ask is because I've got quite a few litres of Castrol Edge 5W-40 that I bought a few years back (2008-ish) when we were running diesels. Now that we have a tractor again, I'm wondering if it's still OK to use. According to the handbook in the car, the viscosity seems to be in the range but there's nothing on the oil packaging about age integrity.

Appreciate any guidance or thoughts.

[Tech01]

No real Use By date, if kept in normal conditions, in clean and closed container. Should be good more or less indefinitely, I would have thought . . .

[Cyker]

As long as the container hasn't been open to the air, it should be okay.

Oil does degrade over time but I don't know how long it takes; Synthetics degrade slower than minerals tho'.

Just give it a good shake to make sure it hasn't settled and it should be okay :)

Edit: Apparently the manufacturer rule of thumb is it's best used before 5 years, but anecdotally most oils will be fine even older than this; Just may require more vigorous shaking to mix in anything that's settle on the bottom!

[DjRav]

Silly question, but isn't oil already millions of years old?!!

Dave

[firemac]

Silly question, but isn't oil already millions of years old?!!

Dave

It's all a bit moot now anyway. My local Mr.T tells me that I should only use 5W-30 in the new RAV & that I shouldn't let the 5W-40 anywhere near it.

The nice man did give a litre of Mobil 5W-30 gratis however. Any body have need of 4 litrs of Castrol Edge??

[Big Kev]

Apologies if this is a daft question: does engine oil have a use by date?

Reason I ask is because I've got quite a few litres of Castrol Edge 5W-40 that I bought a few years back (2008-ish) when we were running diesels. Now that we have a tractor again, I'm wondering if it's still OK to use. According to the handbook in the car, the viscosity seems to be in the range but there's nothing on the oil packaging about age integrity.

Appreciate any guidance or thoughts.

An acountant has had expensive oil in stock for years FFS.........year wan, Jamesy...........cash flow........

Bothwell Buyer

[firemac]

Apologies if this is a daft question: does engine oil have a use by date?

Reason I ask is because I've got quite a few litres of Castrol Edge 5W-40 that I bought a few years back (2008-ish) when we were running diesels. Now that we have a tractor again, I'm wondering if it's still OK to use. According to the handbook in the car, the viscosity seems to be in the range but there's nothing on the oil packaging about age integrity.

Appreciate any guidance or thoughts.

An acountant has had expensive oil in stock for years FFS.........year wan, Jamesy...........cash flow........

Bothwell Buyer

Well, you know what it is about accountants, BK. We're always very careful about our clients' funds but absolute carp at looking after our own. You'd be surprised what else I've got knocking around in the garage......

I've got two motorbikes taking up space in there and even though I hardly get enough time to ride one, I can't decide which one to sell. They'll probably both still be there when the petrol finally runs out!

[Big Kev]

Aye Jim........"cobbler's weans are worst shod...."

Gus......"the children of the local Timpson franchise owner have holes in their shoes...."

[battleaxe]

For years I used Castrol Magnatec in all my cars and bikes over the years, now you should not use car oil in the bikes, all bike oils cost more per lt than car oil.

M y stealer sold me a Lt of Mobile when they changed my motor, went back 3 month later and the urk told me they have never stocked that type and I should use the stuff they now stock, boy I hate these guys with venom

Any way I have now decided to go back to 05w-30 C2 synthetic magnatec, now my Martin Lewis bit, Asda direct have an offer on, £21.00 for 4 Lt and £7.00 a Lt bottle, go in store and a Lt is £9.00.

B-A

[Guest]

Gus......"the children of the local Timpson franchise owner have holes in their shoes...."

Cheers Mate ..... thought I woz in a parallel universe for a minute :)

[Tech01]

"My local Mr.T tells me that I should only use 5W-30 in the new RAV & that I shouldn't let the 5W-40 anywhere near it."

If you look in your vehicle handbook, Toyota will list a range of oils that may be used, and I would be surprised if 5W-40 were on of them. I may be wrong, of course...

Chris

[firemac]

"My local Mr.T tells me that I should only use 5W-30 in the new RAV & that I shouldn't let the 5W-40 anywhere near it."

If you look in your vehicle handbook, Toyota will list a range of oils that may be used, and I would be surprised if 5W-40 were on of them. I may be wrong, of course...

Chris

Interestingly enough, the handbook recommends 0W-30 as "preferred" for my engine although the stuff Mr.T gave me yesterday is 5W-30 with a "must only use this" warning.

Having said that the 5W-30 stuff does meet ACEA C2 as demanded in the handbook but you can't help but wonder why the discrepancy.......

[Big Kev]

He with the refrigerated testacles was good enough to have pinned what seems to be an "Oil Gospel" at the head of the page, and I for wan have no reason to refer elsewhere, coz his is more current.......?