Does oil have a use by date?

[PeterNem]

Seems a silly question, I'd have thought not, but just wanted to check!

I just bought two 1 litre bottles of Castrol TWS for my M5. These bottles have a date stamped onto the neck with no description of what it is - the date is around a month in the past.

I was just wondering if this was the date the oil was bottled, or wether it might be a use by date and the bottles have been stood about for years?

The thing that made me consider this is that the oil is branded as "Castrol TWS motorsport", but I am fairly sure that Castrol no longer brand the oil as this, but rather as "Castrol EDGE 10W-60".

 

[Bluelion]

heh I was wondering this this weekend myself. Found an unopened can of oil which I now recall buying over 2 years ago, is it sill good to drop it in the car?

 

[Janesy B]

i think as long as no moisture has gotten into the oil then it should be okay.

 

[Gaygle]

The general rule is not to use it after 3 years.

 

[Mark A]

Doesn't oil break down over time though? Thats why you still have to get the oil changed every year even if you do under the mileage between changes.

I think the date on the bottle will be a manufacture date but I'm not 100% sure.

 

[PeterNem]

I guess i therefore need a specific answer on whether the date on the bottle neck is the date is was bottled or the date it needs using by!

 

[Mark A]

Just looked at my bottle of Ford oil and it says "filled on" next to the date so i think yours will be a filled on date also.

 

[PeterNem]

I assumed that it would be, just puzzled that it's branded in a way that the oil company seem to have stopped using!

 

[chaparral]

heh I was wondering this this weekend myself. Found an unopened can of oil which I now recall buying over 2 years ago, is it sill good to drop it in the car?

Reminds me...The oil in my car engine is over two years old...(Think i better change it soon)

 

[jaydee]

If oil's got a use by date I wouldn't worry too much mateys. It's been in the ground for zillions of years...))

 

[SB118]

Reminds me...The oil in my car engine is over two years old...(Think i better change it soon)

Nah, it'll be good for another year yet.

 

[Jamous]

5 years from fill date

 

[chaparral]

Nah, it'll be good for another year yet.

LOL

I gave my bike it first oil change in four years about two weeks ago... (But i only clocked up less then 2000miles in all that time)

 

[SB118]

Pfft, not changed the engine oil in my SJ since i bought it, the first time around. Think it's about 4 1/2 - 5 years now, just keep topping up what drips out

 

[marmalade]

In these economically challenged times this is only something to worry about if using to fry with or over a salad

 

[SB118]

Welll salads are bad for you, so i'm doing the world a favour by sticking it in my car

 

[Cyber-Mav]

expired oil is better then no oil.

 

[bmh.01]

All the castrol stuff i've bought before the date printed on the bottle is the fill date, althoguh it usually says fill date above the actual date.

 

[[TW]Fox]

Interesting thread.

Have a bottle of Castrol SLX Longtec 0w30 in my boot. It is sealed but the date of fill has faded. I've therefore no idea how old it is, although it does have a sticker on it proclaiming how its suitable for super duper amazing Valvetronic engines as they were the latest big thing.

So it's gotta be at least 5-6 years old?

Is it safe?

 

[Gaygle]

Probably not. And i wouldn't want to risk it for the sake of a few quid. Like i said before, 3 years is the general limit for engine oil, but i think it's 4/5 years for things like gearbox oil. I remember looking it up a while ago when i found a bottle of Castrol SLX in my shed and i really needed to top the oil up.