uses for leftover oil

[HawkeyeScott]

I have various quarts and 1/2 quarts of several different oils laying around. If I mixed them together for my next oil change, I would have exactly FIVE different brands of oils, and THREE viscosities spalshing around my 4.0. I'm sure it wouldn't complain. However, I would rather NOT mix. I do not have a beater, lawnmower, powerwasher, chainsaw, oil monster, etc, so what the heck am I going to do with all these random quarts of extra oil?

What do you guys do?

 

[Shannow]

Try flushing the rest of the dregs out of the sump on your next oil change.

When I changed the oil on my 4Runner (was selling it), I tipped a litre of oil through it to see how much more black came out.

About half a litre of extra black, and a half a litre of fresh.

So there was a half litre less old oil in the sump when the new fill went in.

 

[GROUCHO MARX]

I mix the leftovers eventually. I'll put them in summer use.

You can always buy "up" to an oil change, i.e., if you have 1 qt leftover oil, buy the additional qts to make an oil change of the same oil.

You can also donate to a friend who doesn't obsess about oil. (If you can call such a person "friend")

 

[Towel_Rail]

I'd just keep it on the shelf. Might come in handy someday, so why worry about finding a use now?

 

[HawkeyeScott]

I need to do something with it because I have limited space. I haven't worried about it for awhile, but apparently unneeded oil doesn't just diappear into thin air. (Dang it.) I will likely end up using it for a short OC. Or, I could put it my nephews' stockings at Christmas. (Yeah! Quaker State dino!)

We'll see.

 

[Triple_Se7en]

Use it - just shorten your dino OCI by 1K.

 

[BuickGN]

I was just thinking the same thing. I have 3 quarts of mixed TSO, SSO, 10/30, M1 5-30; not to mention a gallon of ATD/ATF mix from the drain/refills. The ATF will go toward a "free" drain and refill on the TL. But the oil mix will either go toward "flushing" the old oil out during a change or the new Honda lawnmower. Who would've thought, $9/quart oil in a lawnmower.

 

[sw99]

I collect all my used oil and save it for the mother in law's oil change

 

[harley145000]

my daughters old 98 escort always gets a 1/2 quart of somthing differant at an oil change.I use 4 quarts gtx5w30 ,the engine takes 4.5 quarts.somtimes it gets 5w20 or 20w50 motorcycle oil for the 1/2 quart.

 

[levi]

Do what you are most comfortable with.

I use partial or leftover oil for top-offs between changes or mix a quart in at a change.

If you mixed them all together for one oil change, you'll never be able to tell a difference.

You could buy one less quart than you need for the next few oil changes and blend in a quart at a time for a while.

Or do the above mentioned mother-in-law or give-away techniques!

 

[Loobed]

Originally Posted By: Towel_Rail
I'd just keep it on the shelf. Might come in handy someday, so why worry about finding a use now?

with the price of oil hitting $100 a barrel, that oil on the shelf will be a better investment then the stock market

 

[ssmokn]

I use it for topping off.

If I have a 1/2 quart or quart of some oil that isn't the same viscosity or brand I hang on to it and slowly use it to topoff the cars that I have in between changes. It may be different but a 1/2 quart in a 4 or 8 quart sump is not something I'm concerned about. I'd rather have my oil level topped off. That is how I use it up.

 

[javacontour]

I was going to suggest either buying up, in the case of full quarts, or using it as top up oil.

I think the idea of using it to "flush" out old oil is a good one.

You have enough for an oil change it seems. So why not drain the old oil, fill with your "collection" run the engine for 10-15 minutes, then drain that out, and fill with whatever you are going to fill with.

 

[ARB1977]

Im pretty lucky since i add 6 qts with a over size filter to my 3.4L. When i change my tranny fluid i syphon any fluid in my ps system and replace it with that.

 

[blueiedgod]

Originally Posted By: HawkeyeScott
I do not have a beater, lawnmower, powerwasher, chainsaw, oil monster, etc, so what the heck am I going to do with all these random quarts of extra oil?

What do you guys do?


Buy a lawnmower, snow thrower, chainsaw.... problem solved.

This is exactly what I do, use the left overs in the lawnmower, snowthrower, chain saw (as chain lubricant), generator....

 

[kd5byb]

I've been burning old, yet-unused, left-over oil in my kerosene/diesel/JP8/Jet A torpedo heater.

Can't use too much, as the heater won't light off when started and smokes like an F4 Phantom when started. (yik!)

It's been great to get rid of all those half-quarts I've had for years and it keeps me warm working in the garage! No smell, either. It does leave some ash in the heater.

Many of these left-over quarts went to cars I no longer own. Had several quarts of Type F ATF that went to my '95 Ranger which I no longer own. Others were quarts of dino oil I bought long ago for the lawn-equipment and generator before I went exclusively to synthetic in everything.

I'm too anal to run anything but nice, new, correct grade syn oil in my power equipment. Yep, I run Mobil 1 in my power equipment... Yes, it's a sickness...

later,
b

 

[DABEAR95]

Ha-ha, I am just like the last guy and have the same problem. I use GC in my B&S engine toro so I have a hard time using up partial quarts.

 

[PT1]

Originally Posted By: Triple_Se7en
Use it - just shorten your dino OCI by 1K.


Absolutely! Use it all in one OCI and then start collecting again. I use mine for my annual vacation 4000 mile trip. Which is all freeway driving anyway. I discard used oil only.

 

[BigAl]

I used to worry about mixing. Then I tried it in an older car to get rid of odd quarts . . . no trouble. Did it again in a newer car . . . no trouble. Now, I don't worry about it so much. I'll use up leftover oil in the summer, but generally just use it for top-up oil. My out-of-state daughter's car uses a bit of oil. When she comes to visit, I'll always top it up with whatever's open. If I didn't, she'd probably run it dry . . .

 

[BrianWC]

Until recently I had a transmission fluid leak at the cooler for about 6 mos. I learned there are all sorts of handy substitutes for Dex III when used in the proper amounts.....