DIY oil recycling

[C1am]

I've just read the following:

 

http://www.motherearthnews.com/diy/recycle-motor-oil-zmaz81jfzraw.aspx

 

Would it be correct to assume, as one of the replies states, that increased acidity of the recycled oil makes this a bad idea? I presume any additives would quickly lose their effectiveness?

[Ronnie L]

Why would you bother doing this?

I remember a time when you could buy 5 gallon drums of recycled engine oil. You could get them by mail order (got a vague recollection that Gamages used to do do it). Seem to remember my father-in-law having a drum of the stuff which he used for top-ups. However it was only used by the most skint or penny-pinching motorists who couldn't stretch to new oil, or were running an old smoker which used a pint of oil every 50 miles or so.

 

I remember reading at the time (late 1960s / early 70s) that although oil could be filtered to get rid of the worst of the impurities it was still a crap lubricant because over time the long-chain hydrocarbons (or something like that) got hammered and broken-up and the oil stopped being properly able to take the heat and pressure of an engine.

[Bobthebeard]

Save the cash and just don't change the oil..... The result will be the same but cheaper, or even free! Bork your engine for nothing!

'Filtered through toilet tissue' eh? So worn out engine oil with bits of bog roll in it?

Verdict. Nonsense. If it could be done you can bet your ass that BP/Shell etc would be buying out plumbers merchants and Andrex.

[320touring]

Save the cash and just don't change the oil..... The result will be the same but cheaper, or even free! Bork your engine for nothing!

'Filtered through toilet tissue' eh? So worn out engine oil with bits of bog roll in it?

Verdict. Nonsense. If it could be done you can bet your ass that BP/Shell etc would be buying out plumbers merchants and Andrex.

Bmw used a similar system on the e46...

[Bobthebeard]

Bmw used a similar system on the e46...

So what is the German for 'sealed for life, filtered by bog roll' then? May explain a thing or two...

[320touring]

So what is the German for 'sealed for life, filtered by bog roll' then? May explain a thing or two...

Ita the engine oil breather. Early ones had 'bog roll' filters.

[forddeliveryboy]

The oil giants could recycle oil and restore it to near-new qualities, but it's cheaper for them to just order more out of the ground.

 

The smaller the particle, the more abrasive it is. Passing it through a filter medium (it's about 5 micron in the engine oil filter, I think) gets rid of the bigger stuff but sub-micron soot particles only drop out with more involved methods.

 

If you're looking for a really cheap lubricant, filtered veg oil is probably the best if it's not been overheated (turned very dark) and made acidic. Some vegoilers use it with very good results. It's miles better than mineral oil without additives.

 

There are commercially available lube oils which are veg with additive package, too.

 

https://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/ncnu02/v5-029.html

[philibusmo]

I have recycled* old engine oil before by filtering it through a sieve and an old pair of trousers into a big drum and then putting it on the fuel tank of that Peugeot 106 diesel which was covered in newspaper. Obviously I didn't then drive it using this as fuel creating huge clouds of horrible smoke as I am a constantly perfectly law abiding citizen as would never dream of doing such a thing.

[UltraWomble]

I have recycled* old engine oil before by filtering it through a sieve and an old pair of trousers into a big drum and then putting it on the fuel tank of that Peugeot 106 diesel which was covered in newspaper. Obviously I didn't then drive it using this as fuel creating huge clouds of horrible smoke as I am a constantly perfectly law abiding citizen as would never dream of doing such a thing.

At least you used a sieve and pair of kecks - I used to lob it directly into the tank of the ZX along with anything else vaguely combustable.

Car stank like something very unpleasant but ran perfectly well.

[Twiggy]

I remember reading an article years ago about a super oil filter. It was so good at its job that you only needed to change the oil and filter every 50,000 miles - this was when manufacturers recommended an oil change every 3,000 miles. It was rumoured that the oil companies bought the patent for millions, and it was never heard of again.

Was I dreaming, or has anyone else heard about this ?

[Vladimir Putin]

Please not to recycle oil.  Buy Russian oil instead, we need money to pay for World Cup.

[martc]

that although oil could be filtered to get rid of the worst of the impurities it was still a crap lubricant because over time the long-chain hydrocarbons (or something like that) got hammered and broken-up and the oil stopped being properly able to take the heat and pressure of an engine.

Exactly this, the oil companies can recycle the oil but it's used for either less demanding applications or added at low levels to virgin oil.

 

And long-chain hydrocarbons is the correct phrase.

[forddeliveryboy]

https://www.mann-hummel.com/fileadmin/user_upload/service/catalogues/pdf/MH_Centrifuges_en.pdf

 

Can see how these work effectively on older diesel engines where soot contamination is a problem (and which filters don't remove) but won't the loss of lubricity still be the same?

[twosmoke300]

Doesnt oil lose its hot grade vicosity with use due the chopping of the hc chains ? All the filtering in the world wont reverse that surely ?

[plasticvandan]

i just paint my sheds and fence with it

[New POD]

i just paint my sheds and fence with it

 

I just pour it down the drain.........and let Severn Trent worry about it.