Oil Change Container

[JamieK]

Drop by a carwash and they usually have bunches of different size containers out back. I have a few of the 5 gallon soap containers, and they are nice.

 

[ncfireman1918]

I use one of these. Made by Blitz, holds 3 gallons. Bought at Walmart.

A word of caution on these. I bought two of them at Advance Auto a few weeks ago, because I was tired of the screw top leaking on the drain pans I use (also from Blitz). I was all excited to have a good container to transport my oil to the parts store, started pouring all the contents from my 15 quart drain pan into the new container, and noticed a huge puddle of oil on the ground. The seam on the bottom was completely split open, and I ended up dumping aout 12 quarts on the ground. Had to shovel it all out until I got to good dirt, and bagged it for disposal. That was a pain. Luckily I had some oil absorbant pads from my FD's Haz-Mat truck in the building, so I was able to mop up part of my puddle before it soaked into the ground.

 

[38Chevy454]

I use a 5 gal metal can with a screw-on cap. Like solvents or race gas is sold in. Take it to the auto parts or local recycling place to dump it.

 

[BlindViper]

You know those deerpark 5 gal water things. They work great, even after the little plastic pull tab comes off the "cap" still holds right.

 

[Ryland]

I use a 5 gallon plastic bucket with a sealable lid. I bring my oil to a friends garage where he deals with it.

 

[toyota2]

I buy oil in 5 quart containers. The used oil goes back into them and get transported to my local auto parts store for recycling. They work like a champ and they're free! Well... sort of free.

I'm diggin' the 3 gallon container from WM though...

-Mike

This is what I do also and then I recycle the container.

 

[CrashTestDummy]

I use 5-gallon pool chemical buckets. They have a screw-on lid, and the pool supply place just throws them out. The lid is a bit tricky to screw back on level, but seals well enough to get to the local oil change place to dump off.

It's wide enough that pouring the old oil out of my drain pan is a breeze, and when it comes time to change the oil in the '02 GMC Duramax, I just slide it under the truck and dump oil directly into the bucket.

Gene Beaird,
Pearland, Texas

 

[STORMEASTON]

I have used for the last ten years a five gallon kerosene plastic jug. The nozzle of my oil catch pan fits perfect so I can lean the pan vertically and all the oil will drip into the jug. I then set the used oil filter on the side of the pan an it all neatly drips into the jug.

 

[nolatoolguy]

we use two 55 gallon drums for waste fluids. The oil filters we have that need to go we put in a 55 gallon drum that can only hold about 30 gallons before the small wholes in the sides but its ok for holding stuff with small drips.

 

[RbrtAWhyt]

Drop by a carwash and they usually have bunches of different size containers out back. I have a few of the 5 gallon soap containers, and they are nice.

Thats more like it. We have an automatic car wash in town. I'll check them out. Thanks!

 

[byrd]

if you are filling 55 gallon drums of oil, there is no need to drive it to someone just so they can pump it for free. you could have someone come to you, pump it and then pay you! i get typically .50-.70 per gallon.

 

[t100]

I keep them in the 5gal. water jug. take to Walmart, Pepboys or whatever, dump the oil and reuse the jug.

 

[gunner3773]

5 gallon plastic gas can used only for waste oil

 

[Andy Griffith]

I use the white 5 gallon paint buckets which have the lids that have the pour spout bung. The old oil is taken to the county recycling center where it is disposed.

 

[mkirkpatrick]

Many used oil collection facilities will only accept your oil. You have to pack out your empty container.

Many plastic containers such as milk jugs, cat litter containers, etc. are not immune to the affects of the oil. If you leave them around a couple of months before your trip to the disposal facility, you may find a mess. The side or bottom may have split and all your oil will have spilled onto the ground.

A 5 gallon gas can makes an excellent used oil container. It is immune to the oil, holds several oil changes worth of used oil, it is easy to pour into or out of, and is re-usable.

Guess I better quit using milk jugs. Thanks for bringing that to my attention

 

[rburke65]

I see many large plastic containers at the recycling center when I drop off my "stuff". I have helped myself to these more than once....and the prices are excellent!

 

[Cryptic1911]

I get my oil in 5L / 1Gal jugs, and just pour back into those, milk jugs, or gatorade containers... though I think I'm gonna stop with the gatorade jugs because the guy at the dump gets pissy since he can see water / gas in those from when we empty the oil catch cans into them

 

[Rocket1]

A word of caution on these. I bought two of them at Advance Auto a few weeks ago, because I was tired of the screw top leaking on the drain pans I use (also from Blitz). I was all excited to have a good container to transport my oil to the parts store, started pouring all the contents from my 15 quart drain pan into the new container, and noticed a huge puddle of oil on the ground. The seam on the bottom was completely split open, and I ended up dumping aout 12 quarts on the ground. Had to shovel it all out until I got to good dirt, and bagged it for disposal. That was a pain. Luckily I had some oil absorbant pads from my FD's Haz-Mat truck in the building, so I was able to mop up part of my puddle before it soaked into the ground.

Glad I read this. I picked up one of these a couple weeks ago. I guess I better inspect it before I use it. I ordered it online because all the stores in the area switched to the smaller containers. That would be fine but it feels cheap and thin in comparison.

I also have a drain pan that will hold a little over 2 oil changes. It works well but it can spill if it is tipped the wrong way. I wish it sealed better at the cap.

 

[billspit]

Drop by a carwash and they usually have bunches of different size containers out back. I have a few of the 5 gallon soap containers, and they are nice.

That's real good idea! I've seen containers from one gallon up to 55 gallons at car washes.

For me five gallons is the max size I want. I only have gasoline autos and usually take to the county recycling center before it hits five gallons. Too heavy for my weak old man body.

 

[StarWolve]

At my buddy's garage, we use a oil drain tank like this HF one:

These are nice for draining fluids from the vehicle on the lift.

When that is full, it gets dumped into two raised 55 gallon drums for water separation (valves on the bottom) and filtering (truck oil filters). It then gets transferred in 5 Gallon Army Gas Cans to the bulk tanks for the waste oil furnace. It's nice to have a warm garage in winter in upstate NY, and not paying a heating bill makes the heat even nicer. We sometimes get waste oil from the local highway garage (in 55 gallon drums) and they are happy to get rid of it.

 

[Tom2]

Now that's what I need.. Along with the $1400 scissor lift from HF. That'll make changing oil fun for quite a while.

 

[Scotto]

I have a couple of containers like these. No idea what was in them originally, but they work great. Real thick plastic.

 

[Sterff]

I put my oil in 15 gallon containers that I get from the farm I work on. They are used for iodine for the cows but we get a few extra. After its full I take it to a local construction company and they burn it for heat. The jugs look like this...

 

[lowendrider]

here's a few pics of mine..

 

[e-tek]

Just found out my neighbour pours his used oil in a corner of his yard. Not a very big yard either - it would seep into the neighbours yard for sure....

Honestly though, how many people actually do this. I'd bet LOTS.

 

[Displaced Hokie]

I use a 5 gal gas can as has been shown here. Works great! I take mine to the local Advance Auto.

Sad but true, 20 years ago back home we used to pour ours into a big mounded brush pile...about 200 yard from our well. I know, I know...

 

[Scotto]

Just found out my neighbour pours his used oil in a corner of his yard. Not a very big yard either - it would seep into the neighbours yard for sure....

Honestly though, how many people actually do this. I'd bet LOTS.

I'd seriously let some kinda authority know. That's just laziness and ignorance in this day and age. You can bring used oil anywhere now.

 

[RTcat]

An old plastic herbicide container from our days when we used to spray our corn on the farm. Thing is tough as nails, been using it for 20+ years.

 

[raffaelli]

I use three liter soda bottles, gallon milk containers and the containers the oil came out of.

 

[babzog]

The big jugs of whey protein are also good for 1-2 changes, depending on car size. Wide mouth and sturdy plastic.

 

[logical]

I used to fool with pouring it from the drain pan back into my empty 1 qt. bottles with a funnel but would take forever and I'd overflow half of them. Now, I just save and use empty washer fluid gal. jugs now. It's nice that they are see-thru and I go through just enough in a winter to cover my changes.