Bottle shape and opening size

[y_p_w]

Just started thinking about it. For the longest time, Mobil 1 was the only bottle I knew of with a wide mouth (maybe Amsoil too?). It was also well known for its distinctive angular shape. Most quart bottles are still narrow mouthed, although some like Valvoline have an instantly recognizable shape. Some have gone to specific molds with the manufacturer's name, but others still use generic bottle shapes.

All 5 quart jugs have a wide mouth, but I'm wondering why there aren't more quart bottles with an easier pour. There are also some odd bottle shapes only for the sake of distinctiveness. Amsoil's is funky. Red Line has this bottle shape that makes it hard to pour because it doesn't vent well. They use the same basic shape for their fuel system cleaner. and it makes it near impossible to get all of it out at an angle where you can jam the bottle opening into a filler hole.

I'm old enough to remember oil cans, and the need for an oil spout that pierced the can. And of course the can needed to be pierced twice in order to vent.

 

[Nick1994]

Chevron Supreme has a pretty good opening

 

[bdcardinal]

I have "some" bottles of Pentosin Pento 5W40 that have a wide mouth opening similar to Mobil 1.

 

[aquariuscsm]

Mobil 1 definitely has the best shape jug/bottle. They always pour without splashing all over the place.

 

[y_p_w]

I've still got a bottle of Motul Gear 300. Not motor oil, but the oddest looking cap I've ever seen. I don't get why it has an extension.

I was thinking about how smoothly it poured from the times I've tipped a bottle and it splashed then missed the funnel. Pennzoil jugs used to mention how they had a smoother pour - I think using the hollow handle to vent.

And I wish Red Line could just rethink that bottle.

 

[eljefino]

Lesser XOM products have had the wide mouth too (approx 1.25 inches across) and I like how they fit precisely in my valve cover hole so I can drip dry them. Superflo, circa 2002, had this feature.

 

[DragRace]

Never had an issue with Redline's bottles. Amsoil bottles were good as well.

The biggest issue I have,is with the 5 quart jugs,always hard to handle.

 

[Pablo]

Originally Posted By: y_p_w
Amsoil's is funky.


But you have never used Amsoil. Bottle works fine.

 

[Jimmy9190]

Originally Posted By: DragRace
The biggest issue I have,is with the 5 quart jugs,always hard to handle.


This is why I do not like the 5 quart jugs. That and my truck only takes 4 quarts for an oil change so I do not want a huge 5 quart jug sitting around with only one quart left in it..

However, I did change the oil in my wife's Honda recently, it was the first time I ever used Mobil Super 5000 and I was very impressed with the ease of pouring the oil with the larger opening of the bottle. The Mobil oil is doing fine in her car too, quieted the engine down a good bit. I like the Mobil Super enough that I may just switch to it for the next oil change for my truck.

 

[volk06]

A lot of people pour with the oil portion tilted up or a "bottom" pour (with the spout on the bottom), how ever if you hold the bottle "upside down" and pour with the spout on "top" it reduces the splash by allowing air in the bottle right away. So for those compaining of oil splashing or gurgling, use the top or sideways pour. It works great when you don't have a funnel!

 

[y_p_w]

Originally Posted By: volk06
A lot of people pour with the oil portion tilted up or a "bottom" pour (with the spout on the bottom), how ever if you hold the bottle "upside down" and pour with the spout on "top" it reduces the splash by allowing air in the bottle right away. So for those compaining of oil splashing or gurgling, use the top or sideways pour. It works great when you don't have a funnel!


That's how I do it. Once almost all the contents are out then it can be tipped over. However, if you just drop the opening straight down it will splash. I almost never get that with an M1 bottle, but then you need to worry about pouring it out too fast.

 

[y_p_w]

Originally Posted By: DragRace
Never had an issue with Redline's bottles. Amsoil bottles were good as well.

The biggest issue I have,is with the 5 quart jugs,always hard to handle.

I thought the opening on the standard Red Line bottle was smaller than most conventional motor oil bottles.

 

[y_p_w]

Originally Posted By: Jimmy9190
Originally Posted By: DragRace
The biggest issue I have,is with the 5 quart jugs,always hard to handle.


This is why I do not like the 5 quart jugs. That and my truck only takes 4 quarts for an oil change so I do not want a huge 5 quart jug sitting around with only one quart left in it..

However, I did change the oil in my wife's Honda recently, it was the first time I ever used Mobil Super 5000 and I was very impressed with the ease of pouring the oil with the larger opening of the bottle. The Mobil oil is doing fine in her car too, quieted the engine down a good bit. I like the Mobil Super enough that I may just switch to it for the next oil change for my truck.

I recently used one of those. Not for my wife's Civic though. And 5 quarts is way too much for her car. I used a jug of API SM PYB 5W-20 for her car once - oil only no filter change. Without the filter it only took like 3.2 quarts. So I found a bottle for the rest of the oil and labeled it with the contents. Eventually when I got a case of Mobil Super 5000 in 5W-20, I just poured that leftover PYB quart in with the drain bolt off. I figured it might flush out some of the old oil left in the pan, especially since we'd gone a long time (about the 10K limit) between changes.

 

[Errtt]

Back in the day if you couldn't find the ol metal spout to stab into the top of the can, a can opener would do. Just a smaller hole.

 

[Klutch9]

Originally Posted By: Pablo
Originally Posted By: y_p_w
Amsoil's is funky.


But you have never used Amsoil. Bottle works fine.


Agreed. The Amsoil bottle design is good and foolproof, since it vents properly no matter how you pour it. Assuming that you don't pour too fast, of course, as with any design.

 

[KD0AXS]

Originally Posted By: volk06
A lot of people pour with the oil portion tilted up or a "bottom" pour (with the spout on the bottom), how ever if you hold the bottle "upside down" and pour with the spout on "top" it reduces the splash by allowing air in the bottle right away. So for those compaining of oil splashing or gurgling, use the top or sideways pour. It works great when you don't have a funnel!



That's not "upside down" , that's the way you're supposed to pour. Many oil bottles have a picture stamped right on the bottle showing to pour it this way, but people still do it wrong.

 

[volk06]

Originally Posted By: KD0AXS
Originally Posted By: volk06
A lot of people pour with the oil portion tilted up or a "bottom" pour (with the spout on the bottom), how ever if you hold the bottle "upside down" and pour with the spout on "top" it reduces the splash by allowing air in the bottle right away. So for those compaining of oil splashing or gurgling, use the top or sideways pour. It works great when you don't have a funnel!



That's not "upside down" , that's the way you're supposed to pour. Many oil bottles have a picture stamped right on the bottle showing to pour it this way, but people still do it wrong.


Yep - thats why i put "up side down" in quotes because most people don't realize that! lol

 

[aquariuscsm]

Holding the 5 quart jug sideways while pouring it makes it come out smoother. Flimsy quart bottles pour out messier than the firm ones also.

 

[DragRace]

Originally Posted By: aquariuscsm
Holding the 5 quart jug sideways while pouring it makes it come out smoother. Flimsy quart bottles pour out messier than the firm ones also.


I'll try the "sideways" trick the next time I get a 5-quart jug.

 

[y_p_w]

The nice thing about 5 quart jugs is that they're almost perfect for the contents of an entire oil change. They contain 5 quarts and some are even labeled as having enough capacity for 6 quarts of used oil. My local recycling center no longer has a can for used oil containers, so I end up bringing them home after dumping the used oil in a drum and reusing them for future oil changes.

It's actually easier for me to drop off my oil at my county hazardous waste collection facility though, but they're hours are limited. They do one Saturday a month, but 2 weekdays every week. They'll take up to 15 gallons of almost anything that doesn't contain asbestos or isn't radioactive. And they take the containers.

Anyone know if it's possible to recycle the bottles if I don't use them to store used oil? I thought it might be possible to wash out the bottles and dump them in the used chemical bottles at that recycling center. The sign there says the bottle need to be washed before leaving them. I thought that unused motor oil isn't terribly toxic, although you don't want to pour gallons of it down the drain or pollute storm drains with it. My other alternative is to wait for the household hazardous waste facility to open. I figure that's where I'm going to drop off my oil soaked paper towels. Last time I also left behind dead batteries (including some really old rechargeables), dead CFL tubes, and other stuff I couldn't otherwise get rid of legally.