Does engine oil settle

[obi_waynne]

I was wondering if engine oil settles out if it is left standing for a long period of time?

Oil is a complex mix of compounds but I was wondering if they are stable or prone to settling and if they settle this would mean we should shake the bottle of oil before topping up the car?

 

[HDi fun]

No, it doesn't. There is no need to agitate the bottle.

There are no particles in suspension in engine oils so there's nothing to settle out.

This is a good time to mention Slick50, Prolong and all the other PTFE (Teflon) additives. These DO contain particles, which DO settle out.

They also do nothing at all to reduce engine wear.

In somes cases it has been reported that they have blocked oilways and have consequentially caused oil starvation leading to engine damage.

 

[oilman]

The additives in oil can settle out if left for a long time, it's called additive depletion or additive dropout. If the oil has been sat around for a while, give it a bit of a shake. If you've bought it online the courier tends to make sure it's been well shaken by the time it gets to you.

Some oil additives are liquids that mix, but some are in suspension and they are the ones that can settle out.

 

[HDi fun]

The additives in oil can settle out if left for a long time, it's called additive depletion or additive dropout. If the oil has been sat around for a while, give it a bit of a shake. If you've bought it online the courier tends to make sure it's been well shaken by the time it gets to you.

Some oil additives are liquids that mix, but some are in suspension and they are the ones that can settle out.

I honestly didn't know that and stand corrected.

One thing to avoid doing is shaking a bottle of brake fuid as this introduces air bubbles.

 

[old-git]

Ok, but what is 'a long time' or 'for a while'? A week? A month? A year? Longer?

 

[prevtec]

just shake the oil before use, god knows how long its been on the shelf in store

 

[HDi fun]

Ok, but what is 'a long time' or 'for a while'? A week? A month? A year? Longer?

Steve, I think you've totally missed the saliency of this thread.

It's not a means to define for how long is 'for how long'; it's to qualify (and not to quantify) whether or not engine lubricants contain suspended particles that will settle under the action of gravity when stored for an indeterminate period.

Presumably we could conduct a few simple centrifugal lab tests to prove the point.

 

[old-git]

Steve, I think you've totally missed the saliency of this thread.

It's not a means to define for how long is 'for how long'; it's to qualify (and not to quantify) whether or not engine lubricants contain suspended particles that will settle under the action of gravity when stored for an indeterminate period.

Presumably we could conduct a few simple centrifugal lab tests to prove the point.

If someone says 'after a while' or 'a long time', that needs to be quantified otherwise the statements are meaningless. Oil may settle, but it could be after 50 years!

 

[HDi fun]

If someone says 'after a while' or 'a long time', that needs to be quantified otherwise the statements are meaningless. Oil may settle, but it could be after 50 years!

But if we assume that the suspended particles are of exactly the same density (mass per unit volume) as the liquid within which they are suspended then they will not settle, under the action of gravity, to the lower part of the vessel within which they are contained.

Absolute temperature plays the biggest part here.

Are the suspended particles, molecules, or quanta components of the oil small enough on a molecular level to have no effect, regardless of absolute temperature, or, are they on a macro level, large and dense enough, whereby we might need to consider them in isolation?

If the suspended particles are large enough (and dense enough) to require us to consider them alone then perhaps we should agitate the top up oil before administering it's contents to our engines.

But surely if engine oil contains some dense particles then those are the most likely to be flung away from moving parts.

Perhaps we really should take some oil samples and subject them to a clinical/mechanical centrifugal test.

P.

 

[old-git]

But if we assume that the suspended particles are of exactly the same density (mass per unit volume) as the liquid within.....................Perhaps we really should take some oil samples and subject them to a clinical/mechanical centrifugal test.

P.

I think we are arguing at cross purposes here, HD. I have no idea if oil settles or not. I was just seeking clarification from oilman on what constitutes 'a long time' and 'for a while'

 

[HDi fun]

We're not at cross purposes at all. I'm not anyway and you cannot be at cross purposes on your own.

I'm just asking another question in addition to yours.

 

[old-git]

We're not at cross purposes at all. I'm not anyway and you cannot be at cross purposes on your own.

I'm just asking another question in addition to yours.

Don't you believe it

I can also get very confused, it's an age thing. Nurse, my bag's full again.

 

[HDi fun]

Don't you believe it

I can also get very confused, it's an age thing. Nurse, my bag's full again.

Rotten sod

I WILL NOT ACCEPT THAT IN DEFENCE. I, too, can manage to get very confused I'll have you know, despite having not quite made 40.

How are you, mate? Not spoken directly in a while. Unless, of course, my memory fails me

Cheers,

P.

PS - Do NOT shake that bag

 

[obi_waynne]

Is it me or are we going a bit off topic here. Next thing I know they'll be swapping war stories!

 

[HDi fun]

Or starting one!

 

[obi_waynne]

 

[turbonutter69]

 

[old-git]

Rotten sod

I WILL NOT ACCEPT THAT IN DEFENCE. I, too, can manage to get very confused I'll have you know, despite having not quite made 40.

How are you, mate? Not spoken directly in a while. Unless, of course, my memory fails me

Cheers,

P.

PS - Do NOT shake that bag

I'm sorry, do I know you?

I am fine, it is everyone else that has issues (should that be has or have, can't make my mind up?)

PM on its way

Steve

PS, Too late!