Outboard Oil Life

[Volvo]

Seeings as how there's been questions on the lfespan of fuel in a tank??, what are the thoughts on lifespan for outboard oil unmixed with fuel..
ie; if one buys it by the twenty litre drum how long can it be relied upon before there's any risk of it going off or deteriorating???.
CHeers

[Roughasguts]

Years and years and years as long as the bottom of the drum hasn't become rusty and some how contaminated.

But having said that I would prefer to keep any container you use full that is several 5 litre containers instead of 2 litres of oil and 18 litres of air.
That might not make any diferance but i'm just guessing it would.

But I would shake the drum around a bit before pouring any out! surely there has to be some kind of settling of the oil after years of just sitting still.

[blaze]

dont know about any where else but where I get my oil from I buy it by the 5l as 4 X 5 is cheaper than 1 X 20. My supplier tells me its because the 5l drums are more popular so theres less mark up
cheers
blaze

[Roughasguts]

Blaze some how that makes sence I could buy a 20 litre bag of milk for my coffee shop, But it wasn't worth it.

Cause I could buy 20, 1 litre cartons of milk for 5 bucks less and it didn't turn as quick.

Go figure.

[JohnWF]

I have read somewhere in a technical paper that you should keep the oil away from light if it is in a plastic container because light degrades some of the TCW type additives in the oil. Following that advice, I am amazed at the number of dealers who exhibit/dispay the oil on shelves in areas that are subject to direct sunlight.