How do you deal with unused oil in a bottle/jug?

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I get that this has probably been discussed before, but I'm not going to search through the archives.

I've currently got vehicles where a typical oil change is obviously going to be less than the oil I have on hand.

For my wife's Civic, the owner's manual change amounts are 3.4 quarts with filter and 3.2 without. I find the price of 5 quart jugs much cheaper so that's what I typically get, although once I found a special on quart bottles and used those. But my most recent change it was 5 quarts, I put in about 3.5, and the rest is still in the jug. It also barely uses oil, so I'm not even sure I'll need any for top offs. I'm thinking of getting just 2 quarts the next time which should be enough for a change without a filter with what I have left in the jug.

I'll typically just keep unused oil around for top offs and if there's any left for my next change that's the first to go in. Not really for like 10 years, but used within a year or less for my next oil change.

Any opinions?
 
I keep it in original quart until next time or top off. I will occasionally decant remainder of 5 qt jug into a clean older quart bottle or keep it in the original jug, depending on amount. Oldest goes into car first.
 
I try to buy a number of large jugs of the same oil on sale. I measure out the amount I won't need for the change (I keep an empty container with good side markings on hand for that purpose) and dump in the rest. The leftovers accumulate and I get a "free" change every once in a while.
 
I keep a leftover 5 quart jug(s) around, one for XW-30, one for XW-40...

Half quarts get poured in, empty bottles and jugs get turned upside down for a day or so...

When nearly full, their used as an oil change in the appropriate car...
 
You need one more vehicle
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My wife's : 6 qts
Mine : 10 qts
Work truck: 4 qts.

Luckly 4 jugs works for me. Before i saved them on side.
 
I just keep it in the trunk.

But yeah, this is why I like the single quart bottles for cars that take less than the full 5 quarts. Plus, the smaller quart bottles are easier to pour
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The parts stores' oil change bundles with the oil and filter let you get single quarts, so I do that.

Also, if the car takes a little more or a little less than a whole quart amount (for example, 3.9 qt or 4.1 qt), I'll just round it. So a car taking 3.9 or 4.1 qt will get 4.
 
Just use any leftover oil for your next oil change. It's all compatible with one another. Several years ago, I did an entire oil change (4-1/2qts) using all leftover oils. There was 5w30 - 10w30 and 5w40. It was all synthetic and I used it for 6K OCI. Vehicle never sounded any different, never turned black any sooner - showed normal pressure on my oil gauge and looked normal coming out.

No after-effects several years later. Only uses 2/3rds of a quart between changes (16 years-old) and does not smoke or clatter.
It's life is good.
 
Sure. I'm not of the opinion that motor oil necessarily goes bad within a year just because the seal has been broken. But I do get that some feel that it's going to degrade one it's opened. I do recall asking Mobil a question about the stability of the motor oil, and customer service said that as long as it was sealed the oil should last longer than the bottle. Didn't necessarily make me feel any better about stockpiling bottles (like some used to do with "German Castrol") but it did answer my question. I have also heard of some motor oil company warranties where it's only maintained if the oil was purchased less than 5 years before used in an oil change.

I also found this, which doesn't seem to be very specific about my case where it's been opened but otherwise kept clean:

Quote
http://www.elf.com/en/advice-corner/engine-oil-faq/does-motor-oil-expire.html
You are probably wondering if you can still use cans of oil which seems old: the oil is usable as long as it is sealed, stored in a cool dry location and no water or dirt has gotten in the bottles.
 
Originally Posted by Triple_Se7en
Just use any leftover oil for your next oil change. It's all compatible with one another. Several years ago, I did an entire oil change (4-1/2qts) using all leftover oils. There was 5w30 - 10w30 and 5w40. It was all synthetic and I used it for 6K OCI.



+1. Many people do this all the time. I only have 5w-30 and 5w-20 and I don't have an issue mixing different brands and weights. I normally do this on the spring/summer oil changes.
 
I keep unopened oil in my basement. I keep open-oil in my insulated and 3/4" plywood-finished garage. It's never there more than six months anymore. I change oils every six months, for the past several years now.
Early April
Late October
 
I have two viscosities and four vehicles. I just pour it in on the next change. The 5W-30 in our full-sized van goes the longest (once per year change) but luckily that one uses almost exactly 5 Qts. I'd use it to top off others too. It isn't like a 1/4 Qt of 5W-30 is going to destroy my 0W-20 engines.

In your case just keep it closed and save it until the next change. It is more than happy to sit on the shelf for 6-months.
 
I get about a litre left over after each change on my 240. After four, the brew goes in the engine. A redblock would probably run fine with vegetable oil in it so four slightly different oil specs aren't gonna hurt it.
 
I'd either put it in quart jugs, or leave it for the next OCI. Nothing goes to waste here, or takes up much room.
 
Pour it in the river and watch the rainbow.
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Just kidding, I take it to my local waste transfer station they have a free Hazmat drop off area. Goes back in the Gallon Containers is came out of before.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted by StevieC
Pour it in the river and watch the rainbow.
lol.gif


Just kidding, I take it to my local waste transfer station they have a free Hazmat drop off area. Goes back in the Gallon Containers is game out of before.

Wow. You'll just dump it? I've heard of some people who will just take everything and maybe use it in an oil-fired heater. I remember disposing of motor oil that had been in my Integra transmission, and others were looking at me funny because it looked like it was unused oil. It did have somewhat of a metallic sheen though.

I get that maybe some might believe that the oil degrades as soon as it's exposed to a lot of atmospheric air which might have moisture. Still - most bottles I've seen aren't hermetically sealed or anything. I remember tossing an unopened bottle of Mobil 5W-20 in the trunk of my wife's car, and I had to remove the carpeting and replaced the spare tire cover. I guess most jugs have a foil and/or plastic seal these days.
 
I used to round up. Many engines are ok with a bit extra oil in them. Not 3 quarts over, but going up a half quart likely isn't going to kill an engine. Under a half quart, unless if it's only 3 or 4 quarts. Right now the fleet each takes round numbers, 4, 5 and 8 quarts.

My Camry only takes 4, but I buy oil in 5 quart bottles. The Camry also leaks a quart over the 5k OCI, so it works out. I used to store the unused oil in my shed, but I tore that down, so I just put the cap back on and store outside.
 
Heh, wife use Rain-X for windshield washer fluid; what she does is buy a gallon and leaves it in the trunk. When it runs out she can dump the whole thing in and be done with it.

'cept this last time the sealed bottle decided to leak most of it out into the well where the jack goes. I'm guessing I'll have fun cleaning that one up...

Speaking of storing oil in sealed bottles, I'm not sure how important that is. I mean, oil in usage is getting exposed to air, partially burned hydrocarbons and water. What's a bit of basement humidity?
21.gif
 
Originally Posted by s2krunner
You need one more vehicle
smile.gif



Or more OPE: a mower, a generator, or even something fun like a minibike or go kart to dump the leftovers into.
grin.gif
 
Originally Posted by supton
I mean, oil in usage is getting exposed to air, partially burned hydrocarbons and water. What's a bit of basement humidity?
21.gif



nothing at all.... as long as the cap is on.
 
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