How to Dispose of Waste Oil by Blending It With Diesel
Disposing of used motor oil can be a hassle. Collection, storage and delivery of the oil to a processing center all pose financial and environmental risks. By mixing used motor oil with diesel fuel on site, these liabilities associated with waste oil disposal are eliminated. The diesel oil mixture can then be burned in a diesel engine with used oil concentrations of up to 7.5 percent as mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency.
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Things You'll Need
- Used motor oil
- Diesel fuel
- 50-gallon drum or blending system
- Milk jug
- Drill with mixer attachment
- Hand siphon pump
Instructions
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1
Measure the appropriate ratio of used oil to diesel fuel to use for fuel in a diesel engine. Since the particulates in used motor oil can cause engine damage, a 99-to-1 ratio is recommended, meaning 1 percent of the mixture would be used motor oil, while 99 percent would be diesel fuel.
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2
Measure approximately a half gallon of used motor oil by filling half of a used milk jug. Pour this into a 50-gallon drum. (Steps two and three can be skipped if a blending system is available)
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3
Fill the rest of the barrel with diesel fuel. Mix the used motor oil with the diesel fuel by using a drill with a mixer attachment.
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4
Insert one tube of the blending system into the fuel tank of a vehicle and the other tube into the collected used motor oil. Turn it on and it will take care of the blending process, automatically depositing the blended fuel back into the tank.
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5
Siphon the mixture using a hand-powered siphon pump into the vehicle from the 50-gallon barrel. An automatic pump could be used, but make sure it is approved for pumping fuels before use.
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Tips & Warnings
Adjust the percentage of used motor oil in the mixture to best suit the diesel engine it will be burned in. Older diesel engines can typically handle a higher percentage of motor oil, while newer engines tend to be more sensitive to higher concentrations.
Used motor oil contains dissolved particulates that can damage an engine. Filter the used motor oil before mixing if possible and always mix used motor oil with diesel in small quantities.
Use caution when working with waste motor oil, as it is a carcinogen. Always wash exposed skin thoroughly after handling.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit motor image by Petr Efremov from Fotolia.com
