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DIY oil change thread... best drain and disposal methods

7K views 43 replies 22 participants last post by  RRunty 
#1 ·
When I used to do my own oil changes, I had a large container where I could get at least two good oil changes before hauling down to Chief Auto.. yes, I said Chief Auto.. remember them? It's been that long. The 1980's to be exact. Well I threw that good oil drain container away.. worked excellent at the time. Never leaked. I could keep it stored in the garage for months until the next oil change.

Fast forward to 2015... I want to start doing my oil changes again and what I'm finding are very poor designs and reviews on most DIY oil change containers. They are either too small, too big, or they leak. Thank Al Gore for the internet!

This one is huge.. holds 58 quarts. It has good reviews, doesn't leak.. but its pricey. This thing is $92.00 on Amazon.

Amazon.com: Hopkins FloTool 42008 Crude Control Oil Drain Pan - 58 Quart: Automotive

Question for those DIY'fers... What do you use to change and dispose your oil?

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#2 ·
I just use the old fashioned plastic drain pan and then pour it into one of those big plastic jugs that kitty litter comes in. Nice wide mouth helps avoid spills. I've been using the same jug for over ten years and it holds a couple of vehicle oil changes and a lawn mower change or two. Then I take it to the motor pool at work and dump it in their big recycle tank.

Bob
 
#5 ·
I have an old drain plan that works really well - can't find anything like it anymore. I have a (new when I bought it) yellow 5 gallon diesel gas can that I dump my individual oil changes into. When it gets full, I take it to the local parts store for recycling. It's only 5 gallons, so is easy to maneuver and pour with the spout.
 
#6 ·
Each their own, right.

I change mine every 5k with 6qts of Penzoil Platinum from Walmart. I drain it by removing the 13mm factory drain bolt and letting the oil collect into a cheap 10qt drain pan that doubles as the transport container.

I use a 24mm to help me change the oil filter on my '14 3.6l. I buy Mopar replacement oil filters from the local Jeep dealership. Good enough for Jeep, good enough for me and it helps me create the oil change paper trail.

I take the used oil to the nearest auto parts store. In my case it's an Auto Zone. Sometimes the Advanced Auto parts. They are within a block of each other. Both, like most, allow you to drain your oil into their collection container for no charge (they probably make a buck, but I don't care).


Pennzoil 5W20 Full Synthetic Platinum Motor Oil, 5 qt - Walmart.com

http://www.autozone.com/shop-and-garage-tools/oil-drain-pan/flotool-10-qt-oil-drain/505818_0_0/
 
#8 ·
I replaced my oil drain bolt with a Fumoto short nipple oil drain valve. I connect a 3/8" clear hose between it and a cheap 12 quart oil container. I open the valve...oil drains to the container...close the valve...no leaks and no mess. After disconnecting the hose...I dispose the oil at Advance Auto Parts store. I do this every 6 months in June and December which is about 4k miles per oil change. No fuss...no muss!
 
#10 · (Edited)
I use one of thee 15 quarters from car quest:



Never had it leak on me in ~10 years. I do always put it inside a garbage bag for transport to help, just in case. Sometimes I drain it back out of the pan into the original containers since that's easier to transport, but I've yet to find a reliably clean way of doing that, outside of a pump.

Weird thing about up here - no recycling places, really. A few of the shops reuse it for fuel oil, so that works out I guess.
 
#11 ·
I have one like this: FloTool 5 Gallon Drain Pan 11845MI: Advance Auto Parts
I had it for 20 years or so now. The 5 gallon size makes for a big target for the oil to drain into. It's also large enough to use as a parts washer too.

I buy the oil in 1-5 quart jug and a 1 quart bottle. Usually all oil drained fits back into the 5 quart container the new oil came in.

As for the old oil, many repair shops have waste oil furnaces and will gladly take your used oil. Most chain auto parts stores take it also.
 
#12 ·
I park my Jeep over a storm drain, open her up, and let the oil flow. No need for any pesky collection pans!
:lmao:
KIDDING

I just save my containers from when I change my washer fluid and pour into that from a cheap $5 pan I got at Walmart or someplace. Then I take it back o Autozone and leave the container and everything behind with them. Sometimes if I'm changing ALL my vehicles at once I'll take it to my family's place since they collect it and run a waste oil burner to heat the shop.
 
#13 ·
I have one of these:


And one of these:



I drain the oil into the pan, then dump it into the Jerry can. When the Jerry can is full, I take it to Auto Zone. They give me a five dollar gift card for my trouble. Can't beat that with a stick.
 
#14 ·

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#24 ·
I feel a bit cheap saying this but I used a 5 gallon bucket for the TJ. I could slide it right under the TJ and drain it in minutes. I honestly haven't tried that with the JK yet, I have a dealer package for oil changes I'm still using up right now.

I do wonder if the JKU is tall enough to use the 5 gallon bucket, mine has a little taller spring and tire now, but I think the TJ had more room under there.
 
#26 ·
just get an ez-drain or fumoto valve and you can use any container after that.. plug up the hose and drain into regular oil drain pans, old oil bottles, old milk jugs, whatever. just turn the valve off when the container is full, replace container, turn the valve on and continue as much as you like. no need to over complicate the drain pan :)
 
#28 ·
What's it gonna take to sell you on it?:)
 
#36 ·
I use the Fumoto valve with the the nipple and the rubber hose. That way I can drain the oil right into an empty milk jug. I can take that right to Advance Auto and recycle it. It makes changing the oil really clean and neat (except the filter).

That's just the way I do it! Let me know if you have questions.

-Ryan
 
#37 ·
Ahhhha for the old days. Back in the '50's we lived on dirt roads, which the neighbors used to keep the dust down on by getting 50 gallon barrels of used oil from the gas stations. They had a spreader bar made out of pipe they would screw into the drum and lie the drum on it's side in the back of a pickup and drive along spreading the oil over the road......don't know exactly what the EPA was up to at the time.
 
#40 ·
I hate to say this... my dad would dig a hole and bury the used oil in the dirt planter on the side of the house. And the next door neighbor had a retaining wall with a large planter filled with gravel in a space behind the garage. They poured all their used oil in there for decades.

The old neighborhood is probably a super fund hazardous waste site.

:-/

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