Re-refined Oil

[rScotty]

What's the status of recycling or re-refining used oil these days? There used to be lots of small town refineries that would take used motor oil, "re-refine" it, and sell it as off-brand inexpensive oil.
I have no idea what process was used.
Has anyone worked in that industry?

 

[SteveS42240]

I saw "re-refined" oil when I was a kid and even bought some for lawn mowers because it was cheaper, and money was very tight. Today, due to the high cost of equipment, I only use good quality oil and filters for my equipment.

 

[grsthegreat]

Never seen or heard of that. I only see people using used oil in heaters or sometimes chainsaws

 

[WM75Guy]

Cook Oil in Fort Worth bought our used oil, refined it, and marketed it cheaper than new oil when I was younger. Mostly 30W. It has since gone out of business. We sold it at our gas stations. People that had vehicles burning oil used it, as well as for lawnmowers. Never heard any bad things about it causing damage.

 

[dodge man]

It seems like valvoline was selling partially recycled oil for a while.

 

[mjonesnh]

Blue Diamond was a brand I remember in country stores growing up. 30wt I believe, 49¢/qt.

 

[HamishMacCheap]

I remember it when I was a teenage driver back in the '60's and probably used it because I had junk cars and no money.

As Steve said above, use good filters and quality oil. Equipment is too expensive now to save pennies if in fact it is still available.

Even Hamish MacCheap won't go that cheap.

 

[Williy]

I will never purchase pennzoil or quacker state no protection for an engine

Back in the 50's my cousin's neighbor when he need oil he
would check all the old engines laying around and get the
oil from them. He purchased clunkers for $50 but one Saturday night he couldn't find any oil and added water
heading into town hitting 100+ the engine locked up
put it in natural and pushed it in the ditch. He found another
clunker to purchase.

willy

 

[ultrarunner]

Grand Auto stores sold reprocessed oil and it was always 10 cents cheaper per quart... 39 cents verses 49 cents.

 

[California]

Grand Auto stores sold reprocessed oil and it was always 10 cents cheaper per quart... 39 cents verses 49 cents.

I may be mis-remembering but adjacent to the Richmond (SF Bay) refineries there were short levees around pools of motor oil on the tidal mudflats that were the 'processing' to reclaim used oil. I recall as a kid going by there when US40 (now superseded by I-80 at higher elevation) went right along the shore, and my Dad explained that the black mudflat pools were settling ponds before that used oil went as input to the refineries.

Grand Auto! People think the original Harbor Freight marked the low point in quality of tools. Grand Auto was several steps lower. I had a radiator hose from there burst after a few months. Never did buy their pretend tools.