Used Car Engine Oil: What Mechanics Do & How to Filter

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the handling and recycling of used car engine oils by mechanics. Participants explore the processes involved in filtering and recycling these oils, as well as the legal and practical considerations surrounding their disposal and reuse.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions the recyclability of used car engine oils and inquires about methods for filtering out dust and particles.
  • Another participant mentions a personal practice of burning used oil and tires, while cautioning against improper disposal of batteries.
  • A different participant asserts that most repair shops save used oil and antifreeze for recycling, noting legal requirements for disposal and reporting spills.
  • It is suggested that some shops utilize waste oil heaters during colder months.
  • One participant describes the function of oil filters in vehicles, indicating that they capture small metal particles and suggesting that recycling plants likely employ similar filtering methods.
  • Another participant shares knowledge of individuals who burn waste oil in diesel engines after filtering, emphasizing the importance of maintaining appropriate viscosity.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of practices and beliefs regarding the recycling and disposal of used engine oils, with no clear consensus on the best methods or legal obligations.

Contextual Notes

Some statements rely on personal practices and anecdotal evidence, while others reference legal regulations that may vary by location. The discussion includes assumptions about the effectiveness of various filtering methods and the role of technology in recycling processes.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals interested in automotive maintenance, environmental practices related to waste disposal, and the recycling of lubricants may find this discussion relevant.

RKD89
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I was wondering what do mechanics do with used car engine oils( lubricants)?

Like are they recyclable .....

I know how water and Oil can be separated , but how does one filter dust and other particles from oils....


thanks in advance
 
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I think we covered this topic last year...I save it..along with the old race tires.then on Earth Day i have a huge bon fire and toss them in..to celebrate Gaia..
heres a tip for you..don't throw old batteries in the fire..I usually take them to the river near by..
 

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ok seriously. most repair shops save the oil and antifeeze. the recycle people pick this up, and old iron brake rotors and the like and recycle it. In most all the states, it is not legal to dump this and any spills over 5 gallons must be reported to the EPA. You do not have to separate the ainti freeze, atf from motor oil.
 
a lot of shops have waste oil heaters for use in the colder months.
 
RKD89 said:
I was wondering what do mechanics do with used car engine oils( lubricants)?

Like r they recyclable .....

I know how water n Oil can be separated , but how does one filter dust n other particles from oils....


thnx in advance

dunno about the mechanics but i know that every car with an internal combustion engine has an oil filter which is usually a mesh of some material(paper?) that sorts out the relatively small pieces of steel in the oil, when it clogs up you need to change the filter and usually you change the oil as well.

now I am sure that recycling plants filter down the used oil a few times with this system until its good to be used again. i also think that the science of nano materials has contributed a lot to this process, after all a diesel engine can just about burn any type of oil out there, probably even distilled lubricant oil, so i guess its certainly called upon.
 
I know people who burn waste oil in diesel engines without distillation. They just filter it before adding it to the tank. It is kept dilluted enough to keep the viscosity low enough.
 

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