uses for used motor oil?

[KTurner]

I was thinking of 2 possible uses for used motor oil;
1. In a hydraulic system.
seams like even used motor oil has got to be better than many hydraulic oils since it is a much higher grade of oil to start with. Could this cause damage? I don't see how having suspended carbon in the oil would hurt anything and the loss of additives would mean nothing to hydraulic oil.
2. Well diluted in diesel fuel.
I've heard of people burning straight ATF, so it seams like I could burn used motor oil at 10:1 or so without any harm

I'd rather not go through the hassle of properly recycling it if I don't have to, and if I can get away with using it in place of something that would cost $4 a gallon or even $20 a gallon, all that much better, but it certainly isn't worth risking the equipment if it isn't safe.

What do you guys think?

A third option... Have it tested to see if it still has life. If so, continue using it for the original purpose until its no longer any good. Not sure how much oil you're talking about, so this may or not be cost effective. While not directly resolving your desire not to properly recycle, it would result in you having less oil to get rid of. Around here, they make it easy to recycle. Any number of auto parts stores take it along with the county landfill.

And one more - there appears to be a market for used oil at a couple bucks per gallon in quantity. Don't know anything about it, was just curious and googled it real quick. This could be the reason why they make it easy to recycle.

Keith

 

[JJZ 109]

I'm surprised it works well. Bar oil has "stickiness" additives in it.

Never done it myself, but I've heard of people adding STP (can you even get that stuff anymore?) or other such additives to old oil to make it stickier for bar & chain oil.
You'd have to cut a heck of a lot of wood to use up any appreciable amount of old oil though.
I just take mine into the local quick lube place when I get my oil changed. State law here says that if someone sells oil, they're mandated to take used oil back. Same with car batteries.
For the cost and the pain of keeping used oil around and then having to dispose of it properly, I have someone else do 2 of my 3 vehicles as well as the motorcycles. I only change oil myself on my bucket truck and the Kubota.
Although I haven't tried it yet, I understand that our town highway department will take in used oil for their waste oil heater.

 

[wcampbell47]

In the late 60's the Marines used Continental multi-fuel engines in the 6x6 trucks. If diesel was not available we could mix motor oil and gas as a substitute.

Don't think I would try that on today's diesels. It makes a heck of a good fire starter. An old fire dept captain uses old motor oil mixed with a bit of gas to start his burn piles.

 

[BeeferMan]

I'm surprised it works well. Bar oil has "stickiness" additives in it.

Had professional loggers tell me they mixed paraffin with used motor oil and that was their bar oil...

 

[Barnone]

My bar has outlived more than a dozen chains.

Been using it for bar oil for years with no bad effects.

 

[20 20]

I quess in the end it is up to you what you do with it. No matter what you decide I strongly suggest straining it through a filter process of some sort. Years back I would mix it half and half with bar oil for the chainsaws. I do filter it now and mix it with my diesel no problems so far. There are many folks that FILTER there old oil and mix it in with their diesel. The key word being filter.

 

[alagary]

I thin it with gas and spray a narrow strip under the fence lines.

 

[JerryK]

Local shop that maintains quite a bit of heavy equipment [ they change a lot of oil ] just dumps the used oil/hyd. fluid into a 55 gallon drum with a coarse screen filter. From there, it is pumped thru a filter and into a 1000 gallon tank and mixed with fuel oil. They heat their work area with a big forced air fuel oil furnace... Thats where I drop my used oil off, and they thank me for it....

 

[super55]

I use it mainly for torching brush piles, preservative for wood lumber, coat it on some of my farm implements especially if it has fertilizer hopper. My planter and seed drill and drop spreader owners manuals all recommend coating with used oil or diesel.

 

[DJ54]

I use it in my waste oil furnace. Nice to have friends that farm, excavating companies and have used oil to get rid of. I give them an clean 55 gal. drum, and when it's full, I'll take them another.

It helps me, and helps them. There is some maintenance with this furnace, but well worth it. It has paid for itself in the last 5 years.