Car out of storage. Need oil change?

Hey guys, I have a question about my wife's car.
We got back from being stationed in Japan for three years last month and are about to take my wife's car out of storage. The storage place put fuel stabilizer in it when they received it and started it, cycled the heat and AC, drove it around the lot twice a month for 3 years and filled it up with fresh gas yesterday.
The question I have is if I have to change the oil immediately upon recieving it. I plan on doing it anyway within the next month but I won't have my garage and tools out of storage for at least a couple of weeks. I was under the impression that it had to be changed immediately, but then someone pointed out that emergency generators have oil in them for years at a time and never get changed because oil doesn't deteriorate like gas does. Any input would be appreciated.

 

I'd change it immediately. While i too would want someone to start my car and take it for a quick drive every couple of weeks to keep oil where it needed to be, unless they got it up to full running temperature for a sustained period of time, you would most likely get an accumulation of condensation that would work it's way into the engine oil.

For a while, with my project car, i would start it every week or two and try to get it to operating temperature but even with that... one time i changed the oil i figured i must have had a head gasket leak because the oil i took out was so milky. Now that it's running and i drive it, and after a LOT of testing, I know I don't have a head gasket problem and it must have been condensation.

If it was stored in one of the more humid states, it just makes it worse. so my vote would be to change it.

With regards to the generator thing though. Yes.. if the oil sits there and isn't run through an engine, it's not as much of a problem, but they probably take other precautions that mean they don't have to start the engine every two weeks. Even while they sit there unused for sustained periods of time, I'm quite sure they get routine maintenance based on time rather than use

 

Oil will hold its molecular structure for about a year then it breaks down. Change it and dont take chances on your car over the price of $40

 

Engine oil is relatively inexpensive; new engines are not. Incidentally, if you find yourself in this position again, change the oil immediately before you put your ride in storage too.

 

Thanks all. It was changed before it was stored and does get to operating temperature twice a month. Also it is stored in CA, so low humidity. Either way, I'll get it changed.