Reusing Old Engine Oil

[RugopsOP]

Anyone here do it? And if so, how do y'all go about it?

I have a friend with a 2009 Corolla with near 400,000 miles on it, but burns oil off the wazoo. It appears to be ~2qt every 600+ miles. I don't know her driving habits, but she usually waits to refill it until the "genie lamp" comes on.

I, on the other hand, do OCI every 3000mi and use full synthetic. Would it be okay to give her my used oil to burn? I've ran two BlackstoneLab tests and both results came back nicely and they suggested a longer OCI interval for me.

 

[fantastic]

Never done it my life... I don't plan to either.

 

[4wd]

Nope - have not but that oil has life left …

 

[RugopsOP]

Never done it my life... I don't plan to either.

do you have a car that burns a quart every 300mi?

 

[4wd]

Anyone here do it? And if so, how do y'all go about it?

I have a friend with a 2009 Corolla with near 400,000 miles on it, but burns oil off the wazoo. It appears to be ~2qt every 600+ miles. I don't know her driving habits, but she usually waits to refill it until the "genie lamp" comes on.

I, on the other hand, do OCI every 3000mi and use full synthetic. Would it be okay to give her my used oil to burn? I've ran two BlackstoneLab tests and both results came back nicely and they suggested a longer OCI interval for me.

Probably okay if kept sterile …

 

[jetman]

Sounds to me like her oil is near new all the time because of all the makeup oil. Just change the filter annually.
IIRC yrs ago there was someone on here with a oil eatin Honda 2000 that did this.

 

[RugopsOP]

Sounds to me like her oil is near new all the time because of all the makeup oil. Just change the filter annually.
IIRC yrs ago there was someone on here with a oil eatin Honda 2000 that did this.

pretty much, but she's spending a decent amount even with buying the cheapest stuff she can find. I instructed her the same; just replace the filter.

If I do give her my used stuff I'll tell her to just mix it 50/50.

 

[Capt W]

I've reused old oil many times in the past. It's a cheap and very effective stain/sealer/insect repellent for wood fences. Used diesel oil makes it too dark, though.

If the OP is draining quality synthetic at 3K - assuming it's not sheared out of grade too badly - it probably wouldn't be so bad to feed that Corolla.

I'd want to know why the Corolla's consumption is so severe, though. It could be some rather easy fixes, such as various gaskets or valve stem seals. A compression check is in order.

 

[oldcodger]

No, unless you want to be blamed for any and all things that can be expected to fail in a 300k engine.

 

[fantastic]

do you have a car that burns a quart every 300mi?

I did have a 1995 F-250 7.3L that drank a quart in 600-800 miles. I still dumped in clean oil. Get the thickest / cheapest oil off the shelf at WM. At least some 10w-40 High Mileage oil.

Possibly try the forum fav Valvoline Restore and Protect to see if it slows anything down over x4 oil changes (might get there quicker in your case). No guarantees but might be worth a try to reduce consumption. Then switch over to 40 grade High Mileage oil.

 

[RugopsOP]

I've reused old oil many times in the past. It's a cheap and very effective stain/sealer/insect repellent for wood fences. Used diesel oil makes it too dark, though.

If the OP is draining quality synthetic at 3K - assuming it's not sheared out of grade too badly - it probably wouldn't be so bad to feed that Corolla.

I'd want to know why the Corolla's consumption is so severe, though. It could be some rather easy fixes, such as various gaskets or valve stem seals. A compression check is in order.

Those years of Corollas had low tension piston rings that notoriously seize up and cause oil consumption. So I figured that's the culprit. Combined with the super high mileage and probably a little bit of neglect has caused it to reach this point.

 

[jadmt]

in a car that has 400,000 and goes thru a qt every 300-500 miles absolutely I would use my used oil that has 3000 miles on it..not like you could do any harm...heck I would use oil that had 5000 miles on it...I guarantee the car with 400,000 miles is not going to know the difference...

 

[rstsco]

I did have a 1995 F-250 7.3L that drank a quart in 600-800 miles. I still dumped in clean oil. Get the thickest / cheapest oil off the shelf at WM. At least some 10w-40 High Mileage oil.

Working at a service station while in high school, we had one guy who'd drive up in his very old pickup and go straight into the service bay. All he wanted was a quart or two of gear lube pumped into the engine. We'd put it on his tab (yes, we had some customers with a tab) and off he'd go!

 

[JohnnyG]

With 400,000 miles and run low on oil regularly, that thing is on its last legs. She should find someone that changes their oil every 3000 miles and offer to dispose of the used oil for them.
That would be her free make up oil.

 

[walterjay]

Years ago my daughter had an old high mileage Honda Accord that used oil. She was finishing getting her degree and living on a shoe string. I was using Pennzoil Platinum at the time. I would run it in my car for about 3,500 miles and then use the oil as makeup in her burner. That car thereafter went on to live for quite a few years before selling it.

 

[Nessism1]

I do it. Not for use in an engine, though. I use old oil to mitigate sticking when doing concrete work, coating the forms. Great stuff.

 

[K-Man]

My dad used to save used engine oil to use in the lawn mower. But he was cheap in ridiculous ways anyway.

 

[xspeedy]

Sounds like that Corolla needs some good used Valvoline Restore and Protect.

 

[Sequoiasoon]

How good is the friend? With benefits? Cheap, toss a new PCV in it. A little less cheap do a piston soak maybe unless not wanting to get blamed.

Your good used oil, throw it through some cheese cloth or coffee filters and pass it on to her maybe in qt jugs, ask for the old ones back.

 

[THORROMIG]

Get a new PCV as mentioned earlier and feed it your used oil. Sounds like shes on a tight budget.