Backmarker

I pour mine into empty mobil1 jugs or milk jugs and leave them out with the recycling

Where I live the garbage guys transport the oil not me

tritonic

I don't jack up the car when changing oil. I use a large open pan like below to catch the oil. Afterwards I transfer it to a sealed container like yours to drop off at the local auto store. It forces me to keep two oil pans but after numerous changes it's been the cleanest solution.

pfbz

I gave up on 'purpose built' oil catchers a long time ago...

My simple, way more effective alternative: Rubbemaid Roughneck 10 gallon tote.

Slim enough to slide under the car, tight fitting lid, I just keep the oil right in the container until I get a chance to get it recycled. Containers are cheap ($8 at home depot), durable, and splash much less than anything else I've seen. Bigger than most of those silly oil pans as well.

Sometimes I'll transfer the waste oil into a recycle jug if I'm putting off a trip to the auto parts store to dump the oil. Even if you transfer the oil every time, the lid on the roughneck makes storing a nasty oil drain pan much easier and you don't have to clean it.

L8 APXR

Thanks. Simple and effective.

I am going to cut about half of the top out of my Autozone drain pan and then add a screen or mesh over the opening to catch the drain plug if I drop it. I will also purchase a container just for taking the used oil back to a recycler (like the one you posted).

Thanks to everyone for the input. Seems like such a simple need but no good off the shelf solution that can be used for draining and storing/transporting used oil for those of us without a lift.

semicycler

Cutting the opening to make it wider is a great idea. Adding a screen is overkill, probably will cause more splashing than saves from dropped drain plugs.

But if you happen to drop the drain plug in the catch pan, just use a magnetic pickup tool or magnet on a string to get it out. There will be a big opening to reach in already. The pickup tool keeps your hands clean without the hassle and splashing oil from an added screen.

Backmarker

The drain plug from the tank on my GT3 fell right into the hole in my drain pan the other day

5+ liters of oil came dumping out and overfilled all over my uncoated garage floor in less than 15 seconds. Big mess, not the zen DIY experience I aim for.

I just cut a big hole in mine so that when I change the C4S oil I won't have any more problems.

Ben Z

Then before you cut up your catch basin, why not just put a couple of layers of thick paper towel on it, and a plastic sheet or large garbage bag underneath? The first should stop 95% of the splashing, and the second should catch whatever few drops escape.

Bruce In Philly

Without the hole cut in the pan, the oil splashes up and get the underside of the engine. I always had to get under there and wipe the bung clean.... my car does not have its own arms to reach around there.

Of course, I did drop my plug into the oil..... magnet thing got it right out.

Peace
Bruce in Philly

helispud

I have 2 of the same container. One for oil and the other for coolant. I think I bought them from Griot's 5-6 years ago. They are great! I don't even bother to raise the back end up at all. Just reach in and pull the plug, then take off the fill cap. Then swap the filter. The pan is big but I just put in the truck, and drain it in our shop's recycle tank.

Britjunkie

Although I have a lift, the oil liked to go everywhere other in the low profile pan. I finally realized that if I unscrewed the big cap on the end of the pan, the air wasn't trapped in the pan and the oil went splashlessly into it. Make sure you have a pan that holds the 8 qts without the cap on it. I think mine is a Harbor Freight version.