2 Stroke Oil and Shelf Life

What's it like millions of years old when you got it to begin with...

I would be worried if it was milky color, otherwise,,,,not....

Looked OK, smelled OK, tasted fine.

Best if used before April 1, 2050; expires immediately thereafter.

I'm good.

I would say fine- and I've used much older, pre-opened stuff.

The major problem with fuel is oxidation of gasoline, forming sticky varnish films via crosslinking (as well as evaporation of lighter fractions). That's why kerosene lasts much longer. Oils are made from higher carbon chains with lower rates of reaction, as well as much lower levels of unsaturation (double bonds are prone to oxidation/epoxidization). Far less oxidation and essentially no evaporation, unless there are some volatile additives.

I've used 2 stroke oil out of a previously opened container that must have been at least 25 years old. Found it buried in a box from a previous move. Worked just fine in my chain saw, weed wacker, leaf blower, etc. If I had a jet ski that required some special low ash super-duper expensive oil, I would probably be a bit more circumspect about it, but I've often wondered if Bombardier just says that you will kill that Rotax engine if you don't use their "special" oils to maintain an income stream.

Could have been setting on the shelf at the store you bought it from that long.

It's not that it has an expiration date like milk.

I had a 50 year old can of Hudsonite Clutch oil from when Hudson's used an oil bath clutch. It worked ok in a Villiers 200 clutch on an old Greeves bike. It was smooooth!

I gotta go take a nap now.....

The die is cast. The oil is mixed.

It's in the tank and in use. As soon as I can find that 15 YO and get him motivated.

Thanks for indulging me.

As long as it tastes fine, you should be good.

I have noticed some very fine drop out deposits in even the best high quality oil if left in storage for a long time.

This occurred in unopened bottles,so I guess it is possible for additives to drop out over time.

I have also read somewhere that thermal cycling,even the relatively minor deviation

from winter to summer in a storage building can tend to "wax-ify" certain

hydrocarbons in motor oil.

Look in the bottom of the bottle next time you do an oil change,and you will see a

small amount of slightly cloudy drop out,like a little flour in the oil.

I don't have any scientific proof of this,only empirical evidence from my own experience.

I have tried several different brands.

I would be curious to know anyone else's results.

A lot of motor oil vendors use black plastic for the containers so you don't see that suspended gunk. I noticed the same thing in the Rotella oil for my diesel. It looked like brown dust at the bottom of the one gallon containers which were white.

I don't think I would worry about the suspended 'stuff'.

Since I have been using nothing but the highest quality Sam's Club 10W-40 no-name dino oil in my '02 Chevy Suburban for the last twelve years. We've logged about 212,000 miles with about half of that towing a 32 foot travel trailer, sometimes punishing that little 5.3L Vortec within an inch of its life over high mountain passes. Burns about 1/2 quart of oil every 5,000 miles.

The oils today, even the cheap crap, are absolutely amazing. They have the same API certification as the name brand oils that cost twice as much.

Of course we could get into the dino vs. synthetic discussion, but I believe engine life has a lot more to do with changing the oil prudently than the type of oil. I generally use 5,000 mile intervals because it is easy for me to remember by looking at the odometer. Certain severe applications (turbo, racing, towing, extreme heat/cold, etc.) might make a good reason to use synthetic, but for the majority of us, a properly rated API dino oil works just fine for the majority of drivers.

Cheers !

The Petroleum Quality Institute of America

Interesting link. Thanks!

For all that may be interested,here is a link to a very informative site on motor oil in general,as well as other lubricants.

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/motor-oil-101/

Huskies used Crisco (the motorcycle, not the dog).

Two stroke dirt bikes used castor oil which can cause racing runs.