Catching oil drips

[l_bilyk]

So one of the cars that sometimes sleeps with the 'vette drips oil like there's no tomorrow. I have no real intention of fixing it.

Is there anything better than a piece of cardboard or wood that I can use to catch the oil until the car finally dies? What can i do to remove the oil that dripped on the concrete?

 

[Tim240Z]

My 55 Pontiac leaks like a sieve! I will usually get a box (like what you would get soda/beer cans in (lip is about 2" high), and line it with foil, then throw a rag/paper towel in it to soak up the oil drips. Then I just slide that under the car. The box/pan is cheap enough to throw away, but tough enough to keep around for as long as you need.
Tim

 

[TER]

I use cat litter to soak up oil and hydraulic fluid -- let it soak up the puddles for a couple of hours, work it back forth with a broom, and it will sweep up easy. If you park in the same place, you can put the cat litter in a shallow box or metal drip pan.

 

[Stuart in MN]

The local auto parts store sells metal drip pans that look like giant cookie sheets, they work pretty well.

 

[MXtras]

Go to a local restaraunt or restaraunt supply joint and see if they will sell you a couple of used industrial sized baking trays. They are very heavy duty aluminum - not thin and crappy like most of the ones available at auto parts stores.

They come in handy for all kinds of things - rebuilding carbs, small engine work, etc. I have had several of these from a place that burnt down - got them super-cheap.

Scott

 

[Pitalplace]

Lowe's, Menard's, Home Depot, appliance place sell plastic tray for under washer. These work great for under the car or when working on the car to save the mess on the floor. They are a little bigger so they will catch both the engine and ******.

 

[kartracer55]

Yeah blitz makes sheet metal drip pans for a few $ a pice <10$ IIRC and they are made in the US too (btw lol) Just stick one of them under there

Jim

 

[3/4tonYJ]

i 2nd the large resturant style cookie sheets (i've got 4, @ 2'x3' or so) just don't weld over them, they are made of alluminum and you can guess what happens..........
i've also got a couple of them from the local auto parts store (much thinner, but made of steel)...

Hmmm, what does owning so many "drip pans" say about my vehicles?........

 

[Cutch]

I use the large trays from Blitz...hey I have Jeeps...but also use aluminum dog dishes to help catch my leaks....they can hold a fair amount and don't take up much room.

 

[Rascal]

I've heard good things about this product: http://www.hvaa.com/abzorb_oil_mat__faqs.htm

I recommend you use it combined with a flat metal tray.

There is another product out there similar to this tarp, but it is reusable as it doesn't retain the oil. Again you would have to use it with a tray or something.

 

[sjsfire]

Go to a local restaraunt or restaraunt supply joint and see if they will sell you a couple of used industrial sized baking trays. They are very heavy duty aluminum - not thin and crappy like most of the ones available at auto parts stores.

They come in handy for all kinds of things - rebuilding carbs, small engine work, etc. I have had several of these from a place that burnt down - got them super-cheap.

Scott

Aw hell...just go in the kitchen and get a couple of cookie sheets, kick the cat out of the literbox and your in bussiness......might want to keep that old car, you might be living in it

 

[rodwerkz]

actually a old kitchen cookiesheet is the best thing. I use one to catch the drips out of my t. Usually the drip will run down to one spot so you don't need that much surface area. Plus draining one of those huge pans can be a real pain inthe ***.

Cookie sheets are also excellent for disassebling things that are going to leak or have small parts like steering boxes or carbs.. i use them all the time in my shop.

 

[AndrewM]

My wife gives me her old cookie sheets. She gets newer stuff that doesn't stick to her baked goods (after the fire alarm tests), I get new tool and parts trays.

Though they do have some scorch marks on 'em...

 

[Cutch]

My wife gives me her old cookie sheets.

My wife has no idea what a cookie sheet is

 

[GarageHonky]

I've heard good things about this product: http://www.hvaa.com/abzorb_oil_mat__faqs.htm

I recommend you use it combined with a flat metal tray.

There is another product out there similar to this tarp, but it is reusable as it doesn't retain the oil. Again you would have to use it with a tray or something.

I just visited the Absorb Mat website. It looks interesting. Anyone using one of these in there garage?

Dave