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Two Simple Ways to Test Your Unused Motor Oil at Home

Oil is the lifeblood of your car’s engine. Does new unused, unopened motor oil ever go bad? One motor oil expert recommends two simple ways to test your unused oil at home.
DIY Motor Oil Testing at Home

Buying Oil in Bulk to Save Money

It’s not unusual to buy in bulk to save money. It’s a great way to fight off rising costs and also a way to ensure that something you will eventually need like select parts for your car or truck will be available when the time comes.

Or, what if the Old Man has unopened boxes of oil on the garage shelf that has been there since the Carter Administration? Is it okay to use it in your car? Even in a pinch?

These are just a few of the oil-burning questions many car owners have.

Oil and Oil Product Considerations

In an earlier article we learned about an oil test comparison performed by a well-known engineer/mechanic on the Project Farm YouTube channel who demonstrated how not all oils are equal or live up to their price tag―especially with one motor oil you should not trust for more than 5,000 miles.

Related article: High Mileage Motor Oil Put to the Test. Is Your Car’s Engine Ready for Winter?

Which seems odd today since most motor oils are advertised at least 10,000 miles or higher―along with a price tag to match the promise.

From this same YouTube channel we also learned about some of the consequences of adding an oil-stop leak product to your car to put a stop to an oil drip that is staining your garage or driveway.

 Related article: Don't Waste Your Money on This Automotive Snake Oil Scam

Answering a Recent Oil-Related Question

To add to everything a car owner would want to know about their engine oil and oil-related products they might be tempted to try, here is an interesting YouTube channel episode from The Motor Oil Geek who asks the question of since oil cannisters do not come with an expiration date, does this mean that new motor oil cannot go bad? How about oil that has sat on the shelf for 20 years?!

Follow along with the host in a very enjoyable and informative video below for some surprising results and discover:

  • The most basic piece of equipment you will need that you might have in your kitchen or amongst your kid’s school science project stash.
  • What to look for after opening an oil can or bottle.
  • How to substitute an expensive piece of test equipment with something you might use when making coffee in the morning.
  • What reference oil you should use and why.
  • Where to look for date codes on your oil.
  • Why just pouring and observing the oil clarity is not enough.
  • What components of oil do go bad over time.
  • What invisible additives you have to test for that won’t show during a clarity test.
  • What can cause stored oil to go bad and how this applies to paint as well.
  • How to physically perform your own tests that compares new oil with old oil.
  • The most important oil storage advice.
  • What to do with bad oil.

EXPIRED: When Does New Oil Go Bad?

For additional articles related to car oil, here are a few for your consideration:

Timothy Boyer is an automotive reporter based in Cincinnati. Experienced with early car restorations, he regularly restores older vehicles with engine modifications for improved performance. Follow Tim on  “Zen and the Art of DIY Car Repair” website, the Zen Mechanic blog and on Twitter at @TimBoyerWrites  and Facebook for daily news and topics related to new and used cars and trucks.

Image source: Deposit Photos

 

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