Are you a DIY-er when it comes to work around the house? For those wanting to take their DIY expertise into the garage or shop and wish to care for their planet, creating a motor oil recovery system can be a useful project. A DIY motor oil recovery system is one of the best ways to ensure you get every drop out of your motor oil containers for environmentally-conscious disposal later on.
A Word of Caution: Before this project can be started, it is important to understand that some motor oils are not meant to be mixed with others, so make sure your motor oils are compatible or of the same brand before mixing.
Materials
The list of materials you will need for your motor oil recovery system will vary. You’ll need 1-inch diameter PVC pipe and a number of different 1-inch PVC fittings. If you add more PVC and more fittings, you can increase the number of bottles the system can hold. However, for a simple standard motor oil recovery system, you will want approximately 3 feet of PVC pipe. For fittings, you’ll need one 90-degree PVC fitting, three T-fittings, and 5 45-degree elbows. This will create a system for four bottles of motor oil. PVC cement will help to glue all the pieces together. You’ll also need a couple of pipe straps and a couple planks of wood to help hold the system out from the wall, allowing you to place a recovery bin under the system.
Image sourced from Family Handyman
Steps to Making the Oil Recovery System
- To build your motor oil recovery system, begin by collecting all of your materials listed above. You’ll also need to obtain tools including a measuring tape, a hacksaw to cut your PVC, and a drill to mount your completed oil recovery system.
- Next, cut your 3 ft section of PVC into 3 6-inch sections and 6 3-inch sections. Being exactly precise is not necessary but do your best to get the measurements close.
- Begin laying out your pieces of PVC and PVC fittings, but do not use the PVC cement until the entire system has been laid together correctly.
- Begin with the 90-degree fitting, lining up one 6-inch section of pipe to be inserted into the fitting. On the other side of the pipe section will be a T-fitting. Alternate T-fittings and sections of 6-inch PVC until you reach the last T-fitting. The 3rd opening of the T fittings should be pointing in the same direction as the 90-degree fitting.
- At the same end as the last T-fitting, line up one 3-inch section of pipe, then a 45-degree fitting, with the far end of the fitting pointing down in the opposite direction of the free ends of the 90-degree and T-fittings. Add another 3-inch section of pipe to the end of the 45-degree fitting, extending it downwards.
- Back at the ends of the 90-degree and T-fittings, line up one 3-inch section of PVC with each of the fittings and place a 45-degree fitting at the ends of the pipes.
- Now, with your pieces all in place, take out your PVC cement and glue everything together. Make sure to use an ample amount of PVC cement to ensure there are no leaks within the system.
- Finally, once the PVC cement has dried completely, mount your system on a wall with pipe straps, high up enough for a recovery container to fit underneath. Use sections of wood to extend the system a couple inches from the wall. This helps ensure your recovery system is mess free and allows a container to be more easily placed under it.
Customize Your Oil Recovery System
There are a number of different ways you can customize your oil recovery system. Use as many or as few T-fittings and PVC pipe sections as you need to. This allows for size customization within your system, as you will be able to drain more or fewer oil bottles.
The type of container you wish to catch your motor oil in can also be customized. A gallon jug is a popular choice for recovering motor oil. A 2-liter soda bottle is another great option. For larger projects or jobs, such as in a car shop, this oil recovery system can be modified to accept large quantities of oil by mounting it higher on the wall and using a bigger container, such as a 55 gallon drum. Many different containers can be used, as long as they have a lid that screws on.
It is important to mount your system high enough for the recovery container you will be using. A funnel can be used to increase recovery container height if the opening of your container is too far from the recovery system.
Make sure your motor oil recovery system is housed away from the other chemicals that go into your vehicle. Motor oil should never be mixed with other liquids like antifreeze or brake fluid.
How to Dispose of Your Motor Oil
When it comes to disposing of your motor oil with a mind toward the environment (rather than tossing containers with residual oil at the bottom straight into the trash), there are a few things to keep in mind. First, the regulations for disposing of motor oil vary from county to county, so check with your local city hall to determine the proper places to dispose of your motor oil. Most commonly, service stations that perform oil changes or other auto parts stores will take your oil to be properly disposed of. But be prepared to pay a fee, as disposal services often cost money.