Best oil container for DIY oil change?

I have experimented with a number of ways to change oil.

1. line a box with a double layer of plastic bags. I did this many years ago. It is prone to spillage when bring it for disposal and results in oily garbage. Not recommended.

2. Blitz oil container with a large screw on lid. It comes in at least two sizes of lids, big and huge. I used this before. Occasionally, oil does drip outside the lid area. This had a screen so you can put a filter and have it drip before disposal.

3. circular or triangular pan. This has the largest opening so very little chance for a spill but does require transferring the oil prior to disposal..

4. Oil absorbent mat. Nice but do you want to keep a stinky, oil smelling mat in your garage.

5. Large pan to catch drips. I think I may get one. The alternative is to line the ground with large plastic garbage bags that have been slit open. I used to use newspaper. Often the newspaper would be either clean afterwards or have just a few drops. Recently, I did have a spill of maybe 1/4 cup and it created a mess as the newspaper got soaked. #4 is easier to throw away by rolling it up, not having a large flat pan to throw away.

6. Oil container that you drain the oil on the top and it drains to a tiny hole. Disadvantage includes that the top is permanently oily.

I was thinking of #5, lined with plastic and newspaper and also #2, but maybe #3.

I saw this online.

5. tray: http://www.blitzusa.com/products/oil...ns/podpgdt.htm

I also saw online reports of leaks from caps so I am inclined to get a pan like this....

http://www.blitzusa.com/products/oil...podp2gpod.html (round plastic pan with a spout)

or

http://www.blitzusa.com/products/oil.../lessmess.html (low rectangular pan with a raised section to put the oil filter to drain.

After going through several different oil drain pans I settled on one just like this one, although mine is gray and made by RhinoGear. It holds 5 gallons so it's wide and deep and oil doesn't splash out:



After I drain the oil into the above drain pan, I transfer it to this oil storage container, also made by RhinoGear. This holds 3 gallons so it's good for a couple of oil changes before I take it for recycling. I bought both of them at my local O'Reilly Auto Parts store:



When I change the oil I put a "pig mat" oil-absorbing mat under the car and put the drain pan on top. If any oil should spill or splash, it will be held by the pig mat and not stain the garage floor. You can find these at many places. All of this stuff is also available from Amazon.

I used to use one similar to this but you have to clean it really well before putting it in your car and it's too easy for these to leak during transport which is why I went to a dedicated transport container. Bav Auto sells a very nice one like this that's rectangular with more capacity and two drain holes, but I accidentally sliced it open when I started up my weed wacker too close to it:

This is what I have. You can seal it up & carry it on its side even. had it for about 8 years now. It was important enough for me to ship it here to Panama when we moved from Florida. For home use I would use nothing other than it. If you cannot empty it out right away then you just put the lid on it & store it. It is completely sealed(o-rings) so no leaking.

http://blitzusa.com/products/oil/Oil...s/podp10od.htm

Originally Posted by Espresso

This is what I have. You can seal it up & carry it on its side even. had it for about 8 years now. It was important enough for me to ship it here to Panama when we moved from Florida. For home use I would use nothing other than it. If you cannot empty it out right away then you just put the lid on it & store it. It is completely sealed(o-rings) so no leaking.

http://blitzusa.com/products/oil/Oil...s/podp10od.htm

Wow, maybe they made them better eight years ago. That thing has really bad reviews on Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/RhinoGear-1183.../dp/B00004X13X

I have 9 quarts sitting in mine for the last week or so.

What they show on amazon is obviously different than what is on their site now. Maybe it is the black covers...... I have the green covers


I can even take pics of mine as proof. Do not want to steer anyone wrong.

Originally Posted by Espresso

I have 9 quarts sitting in mine for the last week or so.

What they show on amazon is obviously different than what is on their site now. Maybe it is the black covers...... I have the green covers


I can even take pics of mine as proof. Do not want to steer anyone wrong.

Sometimes companies will cheapen a product rather than raise the price. This never made sense to me.

If you really want to be clean, get a vacuum oil extractor and don't even worry about climbing underneath.

Originally Posted by mdsbuc

Sometimes companies will cheapen a product rather than raise the price. This never made sense to me.

Its because the majority of consumers would rather suffer and then brag about their savings than spend a nickel more for quality.

Originally Posted by cwsqbm

If you really want to be clean, get a vacuum oil extractor and don't even worry about climbing underneath.

Recent BMWs don't have a dipstick. As far as clean, a vacuum oil extractor will result in a cleaner garage but a dirtier engine as more old oil is left behind. Of course, if you change it often, the old oil gets diluted with the new.

I just keep old cardboard next to the little freezer in the garage for oil changing. It goes under the drip pan. I probably need to get a bigger pan for the oil, however. My existing one works but it gets really full with 7 quarts coming out. I have an old 5 gallon can from when the poly was applied to my homes floors I put the used oil in prior to recycling. If I do not have cardboard, I use old newspapers. Cardboard works better - and keeps me off the sometimes cold concrete.

Jim