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About a year ago I was servicing our old Fiesta, and decided in my wisdom to buy a 25 litre drum of oil, and another of anti-freeze, thinking i was being economic, as they were pretty good value compared to buying 5 litres of each. Thing is, a year later they're still both about 2/3 full! I'm planning to service my new car in the next week or two, but am a bit concerned whether the fluids will have degraded in any way? Any ideas?
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Oil and antifreeze will both last at least a couple of years, provided you keep them in sealed drums and free from contamination.
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Here's an idea: change your oil more frequently. Your car will love you for it and your anxiety about the degradation of the oil will evaporate.
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Thank you Roger for the ever so patronising response, but the oil in question is basic non-synthetic oil. The two cars i've had since selling the old fiesta have both required semi-synth, so i've not been able to use the old oil in them. I've now bought an old Hilux, which i reckon should be fine with the older oil, hence the question.
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we tend to say at least 5 years sealed, could probably last longer as thats jsut to go on the safe side
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Owen
I may be many nasty things, but, with my limited technical expertise, patronising is not one of them. Mine was a straight response to your straight question. I'm not here to score points; like many others, I get a lot of value out of the Back Room and I try to pay something back myself.
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Roger - No offense intended, sorry.
20W50 - Thanks, exactly what i was looking for.
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I've used mineral oils which have been several years old with no ill effects. Not because I dont change the oil often (I change several vehicles at 6 months/5000 miles whichever is earliest) but because I bought a lot of 1 gall cans of Duckhams after they had changed over to litre cans. Of course they are all sealed but, for all I know, they were already a few years old when I bought them. I've also used 2 stroke oil several years old with no ill effects. I measure 'no ill effects' by the fact that I have four outboard motors which are all over 30 years old and still starting and running with no problems. Having said that I imagine there must be some degradation of oil over time and of course my experience is only with mineral oils.
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I can't think of any chemical or physical reason why straight mineral oil should deteriorate in a sealed plastic container. Possibly in a metal one because of condensation and corrosion?
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That's the problem - thy're both in metal containers, both of which have been opened. I've obviously put the caps back on, but don't know how airtight the seal will be.
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I can understand why some types of anti freeze may have a life expectancy but a standard base oil 20/50 or what even can not be lifed other then its marginal ability to absorb and if the container was seal up then I see no reason to discard it unless you have no use for that grade anymore. Regards Peter
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My dilemma arises as follows -
- Oil is changed every 6000 miles
- engine needs 4.5 litres with filter change, and doesn't need any top-ups in between
- new oil is cheapest in 5-litre containers
So I throw away half a litre at each change, as there's no use for odds and ends of oil!
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My dilemma arises as follows - - Oil is changed every 6000 miles - engine needs 4.5 litres with filter change, and doesn't need any top-ups in between - new oil is cheapest in 5-litre containers So I throw away half a litre at each change, as there's no use for odds and ends of oil!
save yourself time, worry, cash - just take car to kwikfit or national who will do oil+filter for less than cost of 5 litres good dino(=fossil) or semi or full synth.
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Why Throw it away - just use it next time - eventually you get a "free" oil change. In response to the above I'd sooner change the oil myself and do it properly. Roger - great answer - I agree change the oil more often.
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Well, yes, I suppose so. But I get filter + semi-syn from Pug dealer for £15 (special offer, seems permanent), so not much saving there. And at present rates (unlikely to increase) the next 9 changes will take 6 years, for a saving of about £10 !
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There is some debate interestingly right now on this at my local bike discussion forum.
Consensus is the base oil never wears out (that's why it's recyclable. The additive package in it may degrade over time under storage but it doesn't seem a critical issue. A pal of mine is still using some Pennzoil API SF he bought from the PX at the Clark Airforce Base for US$0.49 cents a pint in 1990 before the Americans left, with no apparent problems!
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Hey, use the left-over 500ml to treat the lawnmower to an oil change!
Come on......you know it makes sense!
--
groups.msn.com/honestjohn - Pictures say a thousand words.....
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Good thinking, DL. I can't even put it in SWMBO's Clio - that doesn't use oil either!
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