When is engine oil old?
Different manufacturers give different data. However, the fact is that the engine oil shelf life is very long when stored properly (standard temperature, original packaging, dryness, darkness). So you don't have to be afraid to pour engine oil into your vehicle, which has been in stock for even a few years. Provided it is packaged in unopened original packaging and has not been exposed to extreme temperatures, its quality and usability will not be affected.
The filling date can be found on the engine oil packaging.
Mobil says,that the minimum shelf life of engine oil is 5 years.
Castrol not indicate the minimum durability of engine oil.
TotalEnergies states, that their oil does not have a minimum shelf life and will last for several years in the original packaging. If there are no sediments on the bottom of the package, the oil is fine. If sediments appear, they recommend not using such oil. Overall, however, they recommend not using oil older than 2 or 3 years.
Based on the information above, it is clear that each manufacturer has different approaches for this problem. However, subject to certain rules, such as storage in the original and unopened packaging, at standard temperatures and in the dark, the oil can be used without any worries for several years after the date of filling. It is important that there are no sediments on the bottom of the package that can form if the oil is very old.
We in the PraveOleje.sk team follow the rule that we no longer pour oil older than 5 years into our cars. Usually, however, we are able to spend the oil before it reaches such an age.