Re-Refined Motor Oil

[hmerchan]

Does anybody use the re-refined oil motor oil from Safety Kleen or Universal Lubricants?

What are other alternatives for re-refined motor oil other than these two? Which one is better? How does it compare(in terms of cost and performance) to virgin Oil?

 

[expat]

Safety Kleen used to produce the Walmart house brand here in Canada.
I never heard anything bad about it.

 

[Danh]

If re-refined oil is a priority why not just use Valvoline NextGen? Major manufacturer, decent reputation, widely available and something like 50% from re-refined sources.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: hmerchan
What are other alternatives for re-refined motor oil other than these two? Which one is better? How does it compare(in terms of cost and performance) to virgin Oil?

Performance wise, it meets the appropriate standards. One of the main advantages of Safety-Kleen (and Walmart Canada products) is cost, container size, and relatively large range of products available, including agricultural and industrial fluids.

The Canadian Walmart Safety-Kleen 15w-40 can often be had for around $40 (sometimes less) for a 5 gallon pail. That's not so easily done here with the comparable Rotella, Delvac, or Delo products. They also sell 5w-20 in the big pails, which is normally hard to find, along with various types of hydraulic fluids, which are a little harder to get at a normal retail location.

 

[TrevorS]

Originally Posted By: Danh
If re-refined oil is a priority why not just use Valvoline NextGen? Major manufacturer, decent reputation, widely available and something like 50% from re-refined sources.


And high NOACK

 

[Solarent]

There are lots of methods for re-refining oils, some are better than others.

IMO Safety-Kleen uses some of the most effective programs, with their base oils being comparable to other suppliers who sell virgin stock. Their refining system for reclaimed feedstocks is very similar to that used for heavy crude feedstocks (like those from the oilsands in AB). As always it's the quality of the finished product not the feedstock that is important.

Their finished oils are formulated with preapproved additive packages purchased from reputable suppliers. I would have no hesitation in using their finished oils. I don't know much about Universal.

 

[GaleHawkins]

45 years ago re-refined motor oil was like 15 cents a quart in a glass container that the kid filled in the back room when business was slow because high gas prices (like 25 cents a gallon)

 

[hmerchan]

Thanks for the replies

.

I researched on Valvoline NextGen and it looks like it is more of a hybrid of rerefined and virgin oil rather than a pure rerefined oil product.

I was expecting rerefined oil to have lower prices than virgin oil; but it looks like it is almost same price. It does not motivate enough to use rerefined oil vs virgin oil

Probably once the market matures the price will reduce.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: hmerchan
I was expecting rerefined oil to have lower prices than virgin oil; but it looks like it is almost same price. It does not motivate enough to use rerefined oil vs virgin oil

It's all marketing. Up here, NextGen stuff is a wee bit cheaper than the non-NexGen stuff. And of course, our re-refined WM house stuff is cheap because Safety-Kleen does little to no marketing and Walmart Canada handles that for them.

 

[MolaKule]

Quote:
Thanks for the replies smile.

I researched on Valvoline NextGen and it looks like it is more of a hybrid of rerefined and virgin oil rather than a pure rerefined oil product.

I was expecting rerefined oil to have lower prices than virgin oil; but it looks like it is almost same price. It does not motivate enough to use rerefined oil vs virgin oil grin

Probably once the market matures the price will reduce.


Look at it this way; it seems it should cost less since they get the oil virtually for free, but the refining costs are a bit higher.

I think it only makes sense to re-refine oil and keep the contaminated lubes out of our water and soil.

 

[PandaBear]

Originally Posted By: MolaKule

Look at it this way; it seems it should cost less since they get the oil virtually for free, but the refining costs are a bit higher.

I think it only makes sense to re-refine oil and keep the contaminated lubes out of our water and soil.


Also since they can sell the base oil to blenders that not tell you about it, it will be sold at commodity price like other base oil of the same grade.

So why would the finished oil be any cheaper? If anything they would only pull down the average price of all oil, and raise the purchase price (or reduce the hauling away cost) of the used oil from mechanics and auto part stores.

 

[hmerchan]

Yes so if rerefining happened at a larger scale then the refining costs should reduce and hence the advantage of "getting the used oil for virtually free" be visible and the final cost reduce.

 

[oilguy55]

Re refined oil is expensive to produce.

They don't get used motor oil for free there is competition for it some pay $1.50 a gallon for it. Some processes only get 50 percent base oil out of a gallon of used oil some get a bit more, add in transportation costs to pick it up then add energy costs chemicals and the capital investment in the re refining plant adds more to the bottom line costs to refine the used oil.

Group 2 sells around $3.50 to $3.85 a gallon re refined oil will bring less than virgin Group 2 so there is little profit margin on used oil refining.

Add in there is a few major virgin base oil plants coming on line and gas to liquid base oil plants further pressuring prices down with over supply the re refining business is in for tough times ahead.

 

[hmerchan]

Interesting. I thought use oil was almost free. In also read government will reimburses 40cents/gallon for used oil collection.

The new vaccum distillation rerefining process gives a pretty good efficiency.Also with virgin oil being a precious resource I think government will support oil rerefining and encourage the closed loop infrastructure.

 

[skellyman]

Vaccum refineing ? the process started in the 1860's.
Readup on The Vaccum Oil Co.
(XOM)

 

[rw19]

The technology to create virgin like re refined oil is there. Its just cost prohibited. Easier to burn it off as bunker oil. That's capitalism at its finest! I hope things change soon. Bunker oil is nasty stuff. Ships should be using clean diesels more so than trucks since they operate in international waters, with weak and very unmonitored ecosystems.

 

[hmerchan]

Yes it is an old process for oil refining.

Although I think it was not used for re-refining used oil since back then.

 

[hmerchan]

That is good info.

Yes with current prices there is not much of a difference between virgin and re-refined oil.

But the way I see it the cost of re-refining is quite static and hence re-refined oil prices will not change much over time. Whereas virgin oil being a limited resource may see a price variation with availability in global market.