| Author |
Message |
    
sportsnut
Citizen
Username: Sportsnut
Post Number: 2324
Registered: 10-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 7, 2006 - 2:27 pm: | 
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Where do you bring your oil for disposal?
I'm thinking of trying to do this myself and save the 8.50 per quart oil (Mobil 1) that I was just charged. Plus its something that I enjoy doing (routine maintenance on the cars/house).
Thanks, |
Case
Citizen
Username: Case
Post Number: 1233
Registered: 2-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 7, 2006 - 2:33 pm: |
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I have a storm sewer right at the end of my driveway; I just dump it there in the evenings. Just make sure you don't get caught doing it and you'll be fine.
Alternatively, Maplewood's recycling center has an oil dump. I'm bad with street names - I think its on Boyden? Open weekdays and 9-12 on Saturday.
Some shops (like Pep Boys) will take the oil also... not sure if there's a fee or not. The recycling center is free, of course.
Check out the more expensive oil filters too - I think Fram makes a "tough guard" series. I put a 7,000 mile oil filter on the car last time, but I chickened out and changed the oil (synthetic) after only 4,000.
Good luck! And don't pour motor oil in the sewer... |
jet
Citizen
Username: Jet
Post Number: 1048
Registered: 7-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 7, 2006 - 2:41 pm: |
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Roger that on the recycling center, Sportnut. BTW I have always been told that you don't run synthetic till the engine has 10k on it. Other wrench guys have told me that it's a waste of money , sorta like running 91 when the engine is tuned for 87. |
sportsnut
Citizen
Username: Sportsnut
Post Number: 2325
Registered: 10-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 7, 2006 - 2:55 pm: |
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Thanks for the info. I've heard all kinds of stories on the synthetic stuff. Some garage guys I talked to said that its good for 10K miles or one year others say to still change it after every 3.5K or three months. The 996s come with Mobil 1 so that's what I use. My brother, who is an ASE certified mechanic used to subscribe to the "waste of money" theory but has since changed his mind.
Now to find a container that will hold the 10 quarts of oil I need to drain from the engine.
Case, don't laugh. As a kid the first time I changed the oil in my '76 Nova I had the tub of oil and asked my dad what to do with it and he told me to take it to the bottom of the hill and spread it on the driveway to keep the dust down. |
Case
Citizen
Username: Case
Post Number: 1234
Registered: 2-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 7, 2006 - 3:31 pm: |
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Yeah, I remember doing stuff like that in college, upstate NY.
My good friend the auto mechanic says that if you change every 3,000 miles then synthetic is a waste of money. Probably he's right, but you know... its not THAT much cash if you change it yourself.
I don't know - maybe one of the synthetic blends would be a good compromise. |
Smarty Jones
Citizen
Username: Birdstone
Post Number: 428
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 7, 2006 - 3:35 pm: |
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I used to do this myself until it started to become impossible to dispose of the fluids, and my cat drank radiator fluid I left in the garage (subsequently croaked).....the death nell for this was when the cost of having someone else do this dropped lower than the cost of buying the oil/filter to do myself. |
Bob K
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 10895
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 7, 2006 - 3:47 pm: |
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Pep Boys on Route 22 or the other auto store on Route22 in the Pathmark strip center at the corner of Vauxhall Rd. have the stuff you need. Be careful with the drain plug. Use the correct sizedbox wrench and for God's sake don't cross thread the bolt when you put it back. Believe it or not this happens quite a lot.
Me I am to lazy.  |
sportsnut
Citizen
Username: Sportsnut
Post Number: 2326
Registered: 10-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 7, 2006 - 4:01 pm: |
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The impetus for wanting to do this was about a month ago when I brought my car in for an oil change and while the car was cooling off in the garage we noticed a small pool of anti-freeze forming on the floor below the exhaust. The mechanic says, "Uh oh. That is not good. Looks like you're getting coolant in the combustion chamber which means that you probably have a crack in the block. Let's put it on the lift and have a look."
So we put the car on the lift and low and behold the leak is not coming from the inside of the exhaust but rather is dripping from the coolant resevoir. The mechanic tells me that Porsches are notorious for leaking resevoirs. For some reason they are two piece plastic bottles that are seamed in the middle. They are located in the upper left hand corner of the engine compartment where the heat from the engine causes the seam to weaken releasing the fluid.
"Not a problem to fix" he says. "The part is $225 and it takes about 3.5 hours to put in. We go to his office because now the car has to stay put overnight since the part won't be in until Monday (I had taken the car in on a Saturday). While in the office he looks at me and asks, "Are you an Ibanker?" I say, "No. Do I look like one?" I had on jeans, ratty slip on shoes and a t shirt.
Any way I pick up the car on Tuesay (part delay) and I get a bill from his underling for $918.79. I say to the underling, "Why so much?" So he details the bill for me and they charged me about $150 for the oil change and the rest to replace the coolant resevoir. Now, I know that the price of maintaining this car is high but I have a personal problem paying for things that I know I can do myself.
Case, where'd you go to college? |
Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 12773
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 7, 2006 - 4:09 pm: |
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So you're joking about the storm drain, right, Case?
sportsnut, if you do your own oil changes, I suggest having a shop do your oil change approximately on alternate occasions, because they do safety checks. At least, a good shop will do that. A shop that knows your model will check for common problems that you may not know about.
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themp
Supporter
Username: Themp
Post Number: 2643
Registered: 12-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 7, 2006 - 4:34 pm: |
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Aren't gas stations and auto stores required to take oil from consumers? |
Case
Citizen
Username: Case
Post Number: 1238
Registered: 2-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 7, 2006 - 4:36 pm: |
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I think in NJ, they're required to take it but are allowed to charge for it. The recycling center is the best solution I can come up with.
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Case
Citizen
Username: Case
Post Number: 1239
Registered: 2-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 7, 2006 - 4:36 pm: |
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I think in NJ, they're required to take it but are allowed to charge for it. The recycling center is the best solution I can come up with.
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jet
Citizen
Username: Jet
Post Number: 1049
Registered: 7-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 7, 2006 - 4:38 pm: |
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Sportsnut , how you going get the ••• in the air ? I haven't seen too many ramps that would handle the 50's , are you really going use the scissor jack in the side hole ? |
sportsnut
Citizen
Username: Sportsnut
Post Number: 2327
Registered: 10-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 7, 2006 - 4:53 pm: |
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No I wouldn't use the scissor jack, maybe invest in a good hydraulic jack and put the car up on jack stands.
BTW, I have the 285/30-18s on the rear, so I really don't know of any ramps that would work.
Anyone have a lift in their garage? |
Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 12778
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 7, 2006 - 4:57 pm: |
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I think I still have a hydraulic jack and at least two jack stands. Give me a call.
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sportsnut
Citizen
Username: Sportsnut
Post Number: 2328
Registered: 10-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 7, 2006 - 5:05 pm: |
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Thanks Tom. At the rate I've been driving the car it might be a while before the oil needs to be changed.
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John Caffrey
Citizen
Username: Jerseyjack
Post Number: 97
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 7, 2006 - 7:21 pm: |
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Re: Sythetic oil questions,
logon to cartalk.org and post your questions. You will usually get 10 intelligent answers in 1/2 hour. |
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