Reusing Old Engine Oil

[gfh77665]

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.

Absolutely, positively 100%.

Long story short, we had new, top of the line (at that time) vehicles, and an old beater truck. I would carefully drain Mobil 1 out of my good vehicle and drip filter it, then pour into the beater for another 5000 miles. Worked perfect for years, and saved a few tight dollars (at that time) along the way. Using Mobil 2 is a great resource conservation, too. Just keep the oil clean during the process.

 

[supton]

I don't reuse oil, and I wouldn't own a car that burns that badly. I'd move on.

But if I did, or had a friend in this situation... yes I'd reuse the oil. It's still got plenty of life left in it. Just a bit of pain to make sure it doesn't get dirty between drain and refill into a bottle, but I don't see why not.

 

[4wd]

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

Well, my dad thinned paints and melted tar to keep a roof over our heads - they did what they could …
I helped my parents towards the end - but one day he handed me a check and asked that I pre pay his funeral …
Dignity has allot of faces …

 

[gfh77665]

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...

THIS. It amazes me more people don't understand that concept..

 

[4wd]

THIS. It amazes me more people don't understand that concept..

Well - some have never decided between cheap oil or the next meal on the table …

 

[bjboertje]

I give my 5k mile used oil to my cousin who uses it in a tractor that leaks a quart an hour.

 

[Kira]

It amazes me more people don't understand that concept..

And that it took 21 posts for good ol' Mobil2 to be mentioned!
As I recall, Mobil2 was praised here from every angle.

Heck, I'd keep a full jug and more of my "timely changed" oil to top off my friends NEGLECTED and LOW oil.
I'd tell 'em to go get an oil change....likely they dawdled.

 

[rstsco]

The purpose of a bypass valve in an oil filter to still feed an engine with some oil, even if it's dirty oil. I think this principle applies here, too.

 

[Panda87]

Absolutely, positively 100%.

Long story short, we had new, top of the line (at that time) vehicles, and an old beater truck. I would carefully drain Mobil 1 out of my good vehicle and drip filter it, then pour into the beater for another 5000 miles. Worked perfect for years, and saved a few tight dollars (at that time) along the way. Using Mobil 2 is a great resource conservation, too. Just keep the oil clean during the process.

Mobil 2

 

[Panda87]

Well - some have never decided between cheap oil or the next meal on the table …

100%. I’ve been a homeless teen. There are definitely sacrifices and tough choices.

 

[NiwradND]

As long as you can keep it clean as possible. I normally don't have a container clean enough for used oil for that, but I leave in a sandy dusty area with a lot of wind most days. I would change the filter every 5 thousand miles using used oil.

 

[ripcord]

Oil is oil

 

[WobblyElvis]

she usually waits to refill it until the "genie lamp" comes on.

How long can an engine last when treated this way?

Remember, no good deed goes unpunished!

She puts in some of your used oil. The next day the engine seizes, then what?

 

[ATex7239]

I have never done this but I certainly would. At the end of the day we are all driving around on used oil the first time we start up after an oil change. Heck I’m driving around on 5,000 mile used oil at the moment.

 

[Faawrenchbndr]

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.

Years ago I lived in Tampa and bought a POS Elantra from a kid at work with the intent to just scrap it.
Ended up getting it running. It leaked and burned about a quart every 400-500 miles

I didn’t use used oil in it, but, I use the cheapest crap I could get. A few times I dumped in a quart of gear lube just to see what would happen. It really didn’t slow down the leaking and burning much.

Your car, your money, your call.

 

[fantastic]

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!

There's some characters out there...
Certainly wasn't helping his engine but that's a funny story to tell.

 

[Sequoiasoon]

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.

If you replace your drain plug with a Valvomax or Fumoto you can have a tube on it to drain directly to another container. Keep an old 5qt jug you filled from, some quart bottles, heck a gallon milk or ice tea jug that have been washed out.

A bit more expense on you up front but I love both my Valvomax and Fumoto. Only thing is they drain a bit slower. Also keeps my drain pan from getting messed up with over torqued issues.

 

[jsean]

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.

Yes it’s fine as long as you’re taking care of keeping that drained oil clean.

Not sure how good of friends you guys are, but if budget and skills permit, I think a piston soak would be far cheaper and less painful for you and her in the long term.

I just recently did this on my oil burner that was consuming a quart every 300 miles and I lost about 0.25qt over 5,700 miles post piston soak.

 

[RugopsOP]

I really don't know why everyone thinks it is so hard to keep oil clean? It is not like I keep in my backyard in an opened container.
I thoroughly clean out my pan before the oil change, drain it, and pour it back into a clean jug, and put the lid on.

 

[hemitom]

My father had a 87 Hyundai stellar that guzzled oil he dumped used oil out of his truck in it for two or three years still ran ran and drank oil like the town wine-o. with no ill effects .