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I just bought a bottle of Castrol Edge oil for topping up. The oil is advertised as being 'Fully synthetic', I don't really know what that means but it was produced sometime in 2012.
That seems like a while ago, does the oil expire? I am asking because my car is burning it right now and might be that expired oil is the culprit.
Manufacturers like Elf and Valvoline state that as long as their oil was stored under optimal conditions, unopened containers should be good for a practically unlimited time. However Mobil1 says that their oil has a shelf life of five years. Many people will tell you that unopened motor oil shouldn't be used after 3-5 years.
Either way, I'd say your oil should be fine. You could inspect it for obvious defects to be sure, if it appears to be layered, hazy, oddly coloured or has floating stuff in it - get rid of it.
If your car suddenly started burning oil after a change I would check if the oil is the right viscosity and complies to the standards required for your model.
