Is it ok to use oil that's been on the shelf a while?

That's my question. My friend cleared out his garage and gave me all his automotive stuff which included several quarts of oil. All the containers are sealed and are Royal Purple which is why I ask, I just don't want to throw them away.

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1992 Mercedes-Benz 400E
2002 Mercedes-Benz ML500

The oil won't degrade from sitting, but the SAE rating may not match what you need for your car. Check your manual for the oil rating needed, and the containers for the rating offered before you put it in.

Cool, it does match my car so I'll use it, thanks!

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1992 Mercedes-Benz 400E
2002 Mercedes-Benz ML500

To be safe I would try to determine approximately how old the oil is, then contact (call) Royal Purple and pose the question to a tech. I do know that manufacturers assign shelf lives to some, if not all, of their lubricating products. I had some Shell synthetic-blend trans fluid that was 3 1/2 years old. I contacted Shell before using it and was told the shelf life for that fluid was 5 years! I discarded it. A close friend had a few quarts of Mobil 1 that were 5 years old - all sealed. He opened one and poured some into a clear container to check it first - it had coagulated! The oil had sludge-like matter that had settled to the bottom. He checked the other quarts and they were all the same. The oil had not been subjected to high temps, only sub-freezing temps while in storage in his garage. He contacted Mobil and they said it was known to occur. I believe they sent him a coupon to use in the purchase of fresh oil. This is not one of those urban myth stories. I have been close friends with this fellow car enthusiast for more than 40 years.

Might be worth checking here for Mercedes approved oils (USA):

http://www.whnet.com/4x4/oil.html

and here for Bob's thoughts:

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/

That is strange! On the Mobil web site, they say their unopened Mobil 1 oils have a shelf life of 10 years.

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95 E320 Cabriolet, 159K

Could it be that some additives in the oil seperate after a while? You know that oil isn't made by the oil company, it's just refined. It's been around for a long long time. I would not hesitate to use ten year old oil. I might not put in a brand new car though, just in case.

Just a thought...

I've had some 10W40 sitting in the garage that I bought a few months before, undisturbed until I performed an oil-change. After I poured the first quart in, I noticed that there was a "residue" (if you will) in the bottom of the container. I then poured the next quart into the just-emptied container and noticed the same thing. So I poured 1/2 back into the now-emptied container, shook up those two, and the next three, poured them all into the crankcase and TAH-DAH! No separation.

Bottom line: If the containers are still sealed, and the factory already told you that the SL (shelf-life) is "XX years" and you feel confident w/their product, go ahead and use it. HOWEVER, if you know there are issues with chemical/formulation break-downs, due to just sitting in the garage/where-ever, then my all means, chuck the stuff and get new. And, if you're like Oliverb's friend, call the manufacturer and see if they'll honor an honest customer by refunding/couponing you to your satifaction. Remember, it never hurts to ask.