What Oci Should I Use?

brainpause · September 12, 2009

My circumstances may be a little unusual.

My truck stays parked, except for towing a 5500# a few times a year, and I usually drive it once a week, sometimes more.

I use Pennzoil Platinum 5W-30 (yes I've seen the Pennzoil discussions), and go by the Oil Life Indicator in the truck. I get about 6500 miles on an oil change, but it takes about 9 months to get that many miles.

Would you change?

Larry

Spurshot · September 12, 2009

Nothin to change. 9 months is nothing to worry about.

thearborbarber · September 12, 2009

You should be all to go. iF you are worried send a sample of your oil to blackstone labs at your next oil change. They will tell you the condition of the oil. It's only $22.50.

http://www.blackstone-labs.com/

Irv · September 13, 2009

I agree with the above comments but I wouldn't leave your oil in any longer than a year, that is when it is recommended to be dumped, no matter how many miles are on it.

WilliamBos · September 13, 2009

I agree. Dump it after a year. When I drove very few miles, I changed every 3 months no matter what. Condensation is a killer.

I agree with the above comments but I wouldn't leave your oil in any longer than a year, that is when it is recommended to be dumped, no matter how many miles are on it.

Pilot12 · September 13, 2009

I agree with the above comments but I wouldn't leave your oil in any longer than a year, that is when it is recommended to be dumped, no matter how many miles are on it.

I've always wondered about this because I also only need an oil change a year due to low miles.

What exactly makes the oil bad after a year? Does this mean I can't buy and store oil if the total time from purchase to next change is more than 12 months? Am I supposed to check expiration dates on my oil bottles?(almst said "cans") Does pouring it into the engine somehow affect its properties? Seems to me it would store in the crankcase just as well as on the shelf, as long as it isn't used. I can't see a reason for a hard and fast one year rule.

Another way to phrase the question is why is oil used for 1000 miles and 13 months in worse shape than oil used for 6000 miles and 6 months?

Don't get me wrong and start flamin' me; I follow the rule. I want my engine to last. Just wonderin'.

Spurshot · September 13, 2009

In Scottsdale, it probably isn't the same issue of leaving oil in for extended periods it is in...say MN. Scottsdale has nearly no humidity all year long. MN has more humidity in a week than you can accumulate in a year. People forget about local environments being different when we have these discussions. Personally, I think a truck in Scottsdale could sit for a few yrs of not driving and the oil would be better than one setting a month in some very humid environments with temp fluctuations.

txab · September 13, 2009

That crap was in the ground for millions of years. It will make 1 more year in a crank case.

Thanks Mr. Happy.

bossier62guy · September 13, 2009

That crap was in the ground for millions of years. It will make 1 more year in a crank case.

Yea crude oil might have been but I'm not running crude in my engine.....I go by 1 year if it's dino, if it's synthetic I'm not that concerned. I actually had some dino oil on the shelf for a couple of years before it was used. When I poured it into my engine you could tell that it was separated badly. I then did a second oil change and no longer keep more than a quart or so around until I need it.

davzog · September 13, 2009

I also use Pennzoil platinum and my truck sits a lot too...it is well over two years old and has 19k miles...

I change every 6 months, and once changdd the oil at 2300 miles....check teh mileage after I changed it....of course that did not hurt anything.

I agree that a year with synthetic is fine...

Irv · September 13, 2009

I agree with the above comments but I wouldn't leave your oil in any longer than a year, that is when it is recommended to be dumped, no matter how many miles are on it.

I've always wondered about this because I also only need an oil change a year due to low miles.

What exactly makes the oil bad after a year? Does this mean I can't buy and store oil if the total time from purchase to next change is more than 12 months? Am I supposed to check expiration dates on my oil bottles?(almst said "cans") Does pouring it into the engine somehow affect its properties? Seems to me it would store in the crankcase just as well as on the shelf, as long as it isn't used. I can't see a reason for a hard and fast one year rule.

Another way to phrase the question is why is oil used for 1000 miles and 13 months in worse shape than oil used for 6000 miles and 6 months?

Don't get me wrong and start flamin' me; I follow the rule. I want my engine to last. Just wonderin'.

It has absolutely nothing to do with shelf life, a sealed bottle/jug of oil may be a few years old before it is used and that is perfectly acceptable, but when it is run in a vehicle all kinds of other things happen to it like, moisture, chemical reactions, carbon and your worst enemy, acids.

These are the oil killers and why leaving them longer than a year is not a good thing.

Even Amsoil, who have a 25,000 mile OCI recommendation also say or "1 YEAR" which ever comes first! They state this on the back of the bottle and/or in their literature.

Also comparing oil that is in the ground for a million years is not a comparison, it does not go directly from the ground to your engine, it is refined, purified and additives are added long before it reaches your engine.

bossier62guy · September 13, 2009

According to the good folks that manufactured the oil that I was referring to above....they say it did have something to do w/ shelf life....you believe what you want to believe, I'll believe the folks that produce the product I use.

Irv · September 13, 2009

According to the good folks that manufactured the oil that I was referring to above....they say it did have something to do w/ shelf life....you believe what you want to believe, I'll believe the folks that produce the product I use.

If that is what you want to believe then by all means go with it, I am curious on this one myself.

I just checked a bottle of recently purchased Mobil S-1000 that I have in the garage, I could see no expiration date nor a manufacted "when" date? It does have a code on it and I am sure if I asked them what this code meant I could find out the day/year it was made?

I am also wondering if oil that is 3 years old say, would need nothing more than a good shake before adding it to your engine, you know something like you have to do with a bottle of wax, a can of paint etc that has been sitting around for a while?

I am not sure what "Manu" you are referring too but I would have my doubts if they said not to use it if the shelf life is older than say a couple of years? I am also not sure if I'd believe them, they would love nothing more than for you to go out and purchase some more "newer" stuff of their product.

Not saying that is the case but in all my years of using oil, I have never seen a bottle/jug that has had residue/seperation in the bottle after I am done pouring it into my engine? Maybe the oil I always purchase is not that old, I don't know, or maybe it is because I normally use synthetic so it doesn't seperate like dino does, I don't know?

If I were you I would go to this site http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/ and ask your questions there, the folks over there are far more knowledgable than I am but at the same time you may get a lot of different replies on shelf life etc? Let us know as I am curious on this one as well. Good Luck

dlstewart01 · September 13, 2009

I believe most oil manufactures agree on around 5 years shelf life, but it is ok way past that as long it is sealed and never been opened. Sometimes the additives may fall out of suspension a little bit. Just shake it real good.