Used oil: An often overlooked resource

American Recycler, January 2010 - : "Long before it became widespread practice to recycle paper, plastics and other waste stream commodities, used oil was recycled to recover its innate heating value. Even though it’s dirty and exhausted of lubricity, a gallon of used oil contains 140,000 BTUs of energy, approximately the same heating value of a new gallon of oil.

Used oil is a broad category that includes mixes of crankcase oils, transmission and hydraulic fluids, and industrial oils of many grades and qualities. EPA defines used oil as any oil refined from crude or synthetic that has been used and thereby contaminated by physical or chemical impurities. It’s not publicly traded as a commodity. Most transactions are private and most people involved in the business are reluctant to talk about price or the volume distributed. Therefore, there is scant and conflicting data on this sector.

An EPA Material Characterization Paper published in December 2008 estimated the quantity of used oil generated annually at 1.35 billion gallons with 784.4 million gallons used as fuel, 160.7 million gallons re-refined and 200 million gallons going to landfills or illegally dumped. A long-time executive in the used oil business estimated that over 50 percent goes to industrial burning for energy, about 20 percent to re-refining into base lubricants and 15 to 18 percent to on-site heating.

Nobody knows how much is illegally dumped, but the consensus is that illegal disposal has decreased substantially over the past few decades. “Used oil is a big business today and grows with each hike in the price of a barrel of crude. Anyone foolish enough to dump it on the ground or down a storm sewer is not only subject to criminal penalties, but is also wasting a valuable commodity,” said Rob Stevens, president and CEO of EnergyLogic, a Nashville-based manufacturer of used oil furnaces and boilers."

Magnusson Moss Act

How Safe are Extended Oil Change Drain Intervals?: "It's Federal Law as dictated by the Magnusson Moss Act for the car manufacturer to void your warranty for using oil with longer drain intervals unless they provide both the oil and the labor to change it, free of charge, so the warranty is not at issue. If the motor oil is capable of protecting your car for longer, than your car does not benefit from changing it more often. You, who has to pay for the oil, certainly do not benefit from spending more money. Oil manufacturers are in business to turn a profit and any way they can they will. Their oil change recommendations are geared towards maximizing profits and keep you coming back as often as possible."

Skepticblog » Oil Change Interval

Skepticblog » Consumer Rant – Oil Change Interval: "For years, the recommended oil change interval for gas-powered cars in the US has been every 3,000 miles. This 3,000 miles interval is so well programmed into the psyche of the driving public that for many, drivers, mechanics, and dealers alike, it’s sacrosanct. I’m trying to break a superstitious habit.

Let’s start with the fundamentals – why we need to change the oil in the engine? Because oil gets “used up.” This means that after being in the engine crankcase, churned at high temperature by the crankshaft and circulated throughout the bearings, it will eventually lose it’s lubrication quality. This lost of lubrication is due to contamination from the engine (anti-freeze, unburned gasoline, metallic particulates from the bearing) and physical destruction of the oil molecules due to intense heat and sheer forces which the oil is subjected to."

Intrusion Detection & Oil Condition Monitoring - ChemInfo

Intrusion Detection & Oil Condition Monitoring - ChemInfo: "In early 2008, a paper industry technical group encountered a new product that appeared to hold potential benefit for industrial applications. The IntelliStick technology for real-time intrusion and oil condition monitoring in vehicles appeared to have potential use instationary equipment. Although proven indevelopment and vehicular applications, IntelliStick was new to the severe challenges of a paper mill environment.

Subsequently, the industry group and IntelliStick Inc. agreed to conduct a Pilot Program at three mill locations. The purpose of the program was to evaluate the technology in operating environments, using a real-time oil condition and intrusion monitor system to help protect critical equipment against failure (repair or replacement), and help assure maximum up-time. Further, the IntelliStick instrument design, features, capabilities and benefits would be evaluated with on-going feedback regarding performance and future design enhancements for this environment."

Developing An Effective Oil-Analysis Program

Developing An Effective Oil-Analysis Program: "Oil analysis is a key component to any reliability condition-monitoring program. But it requires much thought and planning to implement a successful program—starting with the selection of the oil-analysis laboratory. The laboratory will be a valued partner in your overall oil-analysis process, so choose carefully. Once it has been selected, let your lab help in the implementation of your program through assistance in sampling, test-slate selection, data-evaluating techniques and training.

Consistency is an enormous factor in the success of your program. Pick an overall program coordinator and give him/her the tools to make the program pay off. Use the same people to do the oil sampling.

In a down economy, unless the program is justified on a cost/benefit basis, it will not survive. Make sure that you track and document the results and let everyone—especially management—know about the return on investment."

Oil of L.A. - The Real Beverly Hillbilly story

Oil of L.A. - UNEVEN TERRAIN | VBS.TV: "Twenty billion barrels of oil sit beneath Los Angeles. Hidden in plain sight, thousands of wells pump day and night all over the city covered by hollow office buildings, camouflaged next to high schools, and concealed behind shopping malls."

What to know when getting an oil change

How does a seemingly inexpensive trip to the oil/lube service end up costing so much?: "'Some places make you think bad things are going to happen if you don't do what you're telling you need, and a lot of times, that's not true,' Milano says. We decided to take our undercover cameras into three different oil change establishments - Tire Kingdom in Pinellas Park, Texaco Xpress Lube in St. Petersburg and Jiffy Lube in South Tampa.

We want to reiterate, the only under the hood maintenance recommended by our original mechanic was an oil change.

At Tire Kingdom in Pinellas Park located at 6201 Park Boulevard, they not only recommended an oil change, but a tire alignment for $75.00 and a fuel injection treatment for $99.98, with an additional $11.99 for labor costs. Instead, we opted for just an oil change for $22.46. When we said, 'no', the pressure tactics ended. We were not cajoled into accepting additional work on the car.

Our next stop in the investigation was Texaco Xpress Lube on 4846 4th Street North in St. Petersburg.

When we arrived at Texaco Xpress Lube, we were told that the oil level in the car was low, even though it had just been changed half an hour before. As I sat in the waiting room, two different salesmen were sent in to offer additional services to my vehicle, services that our original mechanic said we did not need.

I was told, 'You need a special kind of oil. If you don't use it, you will run the risk of doing severe damage. ' The salesman then shook his head, even grimacing as he mentioned what could happen to my car.

I was then told I needed a power steering treatment and fuel injection services. In total, I was told that the services would cost $130.00, but they said they would 'knock off $20.00 if you have the services done today.'

I declined the additional services."

Paper industry tests out intrusion & oil condition system

Paper industry tests out intrusion & oil condition system: "IntelliStick Inc. recently completed a multi-month pilot program to evaluate its industrial intrusion and oil condition system in the challenging environment of paper mills. The case study reports that IntelliStick reliably detects water intrusion and effectively monitors oil condition and temperature in real time using a single sensor. The program was conducted in conjunction with the Energy, Engineering and Maintenance Task Force of the Recycled Paperboard Technical Association.



The program evaluated several mill installations and data for several months earlier this year, and included the application of five IntelliStick instruments in three mills in the Southwest, Midwest and Southeast United States. The instruments were installed on a variety of mill equipment including bearing lubrication systems, pulper gearbox and generator engines.



A designated representative at each test site provided data to the manufacturer along with their insights related to installations, operations and product design and performance. The system detected potentially damaging water in oil on a number of occasions during the trial. IntelliStick provides the important advantage of real-time immediacy so that preventative action can be taken.



“This evaluation shows that the IntelliStick system is a cost-effective and easily installed means for paper mill maintenance engineers and supervisors to obtain condition-based information in real time. IntelliStick helps protect expensive mission-critical equipment while assuring maximum up-time and productivity,” said Daniel Edney, PhD, director of engineering at IntelliStick.



A copy of the case study report, entitled “Intrusion Detection & Oil Condition Monitoring: A Paper Industry Pilot Program”, is available on request. Contact IntelliStick Sales at 888-812-5988, ext 221, or by e-mail at sales@intellistick.com.



About Intellistick

IntelliStick is a real-time electronic intrusion and oil condition monitor for oil management and maintenance in industrial manufacturing and plant process operations, as well as in diesel and gasoline vehicles, heavy equipment, trucks. IntelliStick products are based on a patented technology developed military and use a single sensor to continuously monitor oil wear package depletion, oil and detect intrusion.



About RPTA

The Recycled Paperboard Technical Association (RPTA) is a nonprofit association that brings together the expertise of more than 100 paper mills worldwide that manufacture products from at least 90 percent recovered fiber. RPTA is dedicated to the improvement of the recycled paperboard industry"

What Happens When You Don’t Change Your Oil For 60,000 Miles

I always wondered about this but was afraid to try!: "Know the recommended service intervals in your car handbook? This pulled pork BBQ-like sludge is what happens when you don't follow them. More mistreated BMW 328Ci schadenfreude below."

The Practical Handbook of Machinery Lubrication

The Practical Handbook of Machinery Lubrication: "Synthetic Oil Case Study
A Canadian company engaged in the operation of several compressors experienced a problem where high temperatures caused the compressor oil to oxidize. The oxidized oil formed carbon deposits in the discharge pipes, which in turn created several discharge pipe hot spots. Conditions became such that a severe explosion occurred and a catastrophic failure resulted. Compressor oil oxidation problems have been eliminated through the use of a diester-type synthetic compressor lubricant designed to resist high temperatures and deposit formation."

Car Owners Say Routine Oil Changes Reduce Costly Repairs; Mechanics Agree

Car Owners Say Routine Oil Changes Reduce Costly Repairs; Mechanics Agree: "SEATTLE, Dec. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Washington drivers know the key step in preventing costly auto repairs, but they may be overlooking other crucial maintenance to prevent long-term engine damage, according to a PEMCO Insurance poll released today.

More than half of the drivers polled (53 percent) correctly identified regularly changing the engine oil and filter as the No. 1 way to avoid expensive vehicle repairs. Respondents chose oil changes as the single most important maintenance action over other routine practices such as regular tune-ups, changing air filters, and servicing the vehicle's transmission."