Uses for used motor oil - Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum

Diesel_Dave · 11-30-2011, 12:40 PM

So I've got about 5 gallons of used motor oil sitting around in my garage. Is there anybody that ahs come up with some good uses for it.

When I was a kid on the farm my Dad used it to paint wooden hay wagons to preserve them.

I know some folks have made waste oil heaters.

I've heard of a few folks who have filtered it and mixed it with diesel fuel. Sorry, that one's not for me--I value my fuel pump and injectors too much.

Any others out there?

jkv357 · 11-30-2011, 01:12 PM

I worked at a gas station in high school (80s) that burned it in a furnace to heat the shop, but that's the best use I've heard for it.

Not sure if that's still feasible now though.

Jay

California98Civic · 11-30-2011, 01:28 PM

My understanding is that it can be re-purposed. I bring it to my auto parts store. That's what I have been thinking they do with it... send it soemwhere to be reincarnated as motor oil again... or something like that... seems better, ecologically, than burning it, but I can understand using it for heating too.

user removed · 11-30-2011, 02:10 PM

WE used it in our waste oil heater which was EPA approved. Close to 1000 gallons a year. The heater preheated the oil and injected into a combustion chamber with ceramic diffusers and a very efficient heat exchanger. It produces 135k BTU of heat at close to 97% efficiency. I could stick my hand into the flapper in the exhaust pipe and there was very little heat lost and the unit itself was inside the shop so any heat radiated from the unit was also utilized.
Collected on site and used on site. At the end of the winter season sometimes we had to buy home heating oil or get more waste oil from some other businesses.
It's still doing the job even though I have no owned the shop now for 11 years. Paid for itself several times over in fuel cost savings.
regards
Mech

euromodder · 11-30-2011, 02:19 PM

Errrr ... much of it gets recycled over here in (most of) Europe to base oils, with the remainder being burned.

slowmover · 11-30-2011, 02:34 PM

I used to use it along fence lines to keep weeds down. And kill fire ants. Today I just give it over the parts store. Since I don't have another use for it (and couldn't "generate" enough to feed a heater; and no need to "paint" equipment in the sun belt) recycle is easy enough.

Of course, you could always re-purpose some old burner like the gasoline-fired passenger car heaters of the 1950's to warm your engine coolant faster, DD.

Diesel_Dave · 11-30-2011, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slowmover

Of course, you could always re-purpose some old burner like the gasoline-fired passenger car heaters of the 1950's to warm your engine coolant faster, DD.

Hmm, now that's an interesting idea!