Hitchcocks Forum

Does Duckhams 20/50 have a shelf life? I want to do an oil change to my 500 classic and I've some thats 3 years old. Its been kept in an unheated garage. Can I use it?

Regards,
TLR

First of all, I KNOW fairly little about the theory etc. regarding oil and storage, but I have years of experience in buying rather large quantities of oil now and then and storing it in the original containers in the unheated garage for some years (with temperatures varying from - 20 to + 25 deg. C) until the last bottle is empty and I need more. Never seen or noticed any degradation of any engine oil, gear oil or fork oil because of that.....................................................

However, thinking about it a little: Oil is not hygroscopic, so it doesn't attract moisture like e.g. brake fluid does. Oil can handle temperatures far beyond what we have in our garages. So what could go wrong with it, really?.....................................................

I would not worry about it, but use it as long it is clean and of the correct type......................................................

Regards, Anders F. R.

A few years in an unheated garage will be nothing to the millions of years it has spent underground at temperatures and pressures never experienced on the surface.
Use it and stop worrying.

No you can't use it, it will be totally useless, where do you live? I will take it off your hands and recycle it safely.

haha, music to my ears. I really don't like such good waste. Thanks fellas!

Like the others, i'm no oil expert but....
Sitting, even in extremes of temperature shouldn't be a problem, as long as it's sealed, hasn't been contaminated with water or other fluids it should be good for some time yet.
I've had various oils stored in the shed over a year or so and never had a problem,(I have different types for my car, and both sportsbikes, and will now need another for the bullet, ) so sometimes they sit a while between changes.
The only possible means of contamination I can imagine is if it was in a wide container and had accumulated lots of condensation but in the normal container should be good to use.

Hello Folks ,I live off Old (Clean) oil & cheap oil for My Bikes (& Wife’s Car)
I Like the Old stock answer "Well its Been in the Ground a Million Years all ready" ;0)

And I agree if it looks ok and has not been contaminated by anything it should be Ok,.. I would of thought any air born water contamination would of boiled off in use...

Q: I have aquired Some cheap Diesel oil with a detergent in (For wifes car) Would this be Suicide in the Enfield or Jap or ok as a One off to Flush Things Through??0.

But as For your Post "I Would Use it"......

Cheers all... Craig

Lots of interesting info and views on 'bob is the oil guy.com' http://www.bobistheoilguy.com

Hi Denise C, That's a cheap way of getting oil. Lone ranger ,its good for many years, use it.

Craig, I had several gallons of 15/40 diesel oil left over in garage after a change of car, been using it in my 350 classic (engine, gearbox and primary!)for a couple of years with no problems. They used to say detergent oils would take off carbon build up around rings and cause oil consumption to rise..... perhaps it would in a knackered engine but if it cleans out a good engine so much the better I recon! I change oil every 3 to 4 thousand k's and filter only every 2nd or third time, now done about 28,000 and burn no perceptible oil.