The problem of disposal.

Generator maker sees used motor oil potential | Planetary Gear - CNET News: "There is a reason why the Phoenix Power Group is so keen on used oil.

The generator designer and manufacturer is a subsidiary of the Atlantic Systems Group, a Harrisonburg, Va.-based company that designs and builds automotive oil change and service stations. That's obviously a group of people who think a lot about used oil and its problem as a potential contaminate to our water supply. As it's been noted before in other articles on motor oil, the Environmental Protection Agency contends that dumping the waste oil from just one car's oil change into the ground can contaminate up to 1 million gallons of fresh water."

(BITOG)

Welcome: "Bob Is The Oil Guy (BITOG) began in May 2002 with a handful of participants and now our oil forums have over 28,000 registered members. And we have well-respected tribologists, chemists, and oil analysis professionals who regularly participate and contribute their knowledge and expertise.

Unlike most private motor oil web sites, Bob Is The Oil Guy is not about selling you something. It's about educating you so you can make informed decisions about the life blood of your engine: motor oil.

The tremendous popularity of this web site comes at a price and we are fortunate to have sponsors who purchase advertising space on our forums, as well as corporate advertisers. Many of our members make regular monetary contributions to help defray the costs of keeping this resource online. When you visit the forums you will see special avatars beside many members' names in their posts. These avatars identify these members as site supporters and show the level of their support. You will also see corporate banner ads and we encourage you to click on those ads and support our corporate advertisers."

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."

Engine cooktop inspires men to make road-trip movie.

A Culinary Adventure
"Earlier this year when Dan Dresser had his 1989 Toyota Camry in for an oil change, the mechanics noticed some unusual oil spills. They found cooking oil — rather than engine oil — spattered on the car’s motor.

Dresser wasn’t surprised. He’d chosen the car because, in addition to its good gas mileage, it was good for cooking.“I confess: I always look at the manifold to see if it’s good for cooking or not,” he said, noting that he’d driven a Toyota Celica to California about 10 years ago and made an apple pie, among other things, during the drive. “Toyotas that were made between 1987 and 1992, there’s something about the design of the exhaust manifold — it’s perfect for cooking.”

Dresser was searching for such a Toyota because he and Jason Wussow, who owns Beaner’s Central coffee shop, were driving to Taos, N.M., and wanted to turn their cross-country trip into a culinary adventure. Once they rebuilt the car — and christened it “Ellen” — Wussow and Dresser vowed that any hot meals would be cooked on the manifold of the Camry."

Choosing the Right Engine Oil

Choosing the Right Engine Oil: "If you want to own and properly maintain a vehicle, at some point you'll have to figure out what kind of oil your car takes. Whether you're at a service center being asked what kind of oil you want or at a parts store shopping for oil to top off the engine, you'll want to know what's recommended.

The owner's manual gives all the information necessary to put the right viscosity oil — 10W-30, 5W-30, etc. — into your car. Most will have a temperature chart showing which conditions are best for different viscosities. It's also common to see the recommended oil printed on the oil cap under the hood.

In the 2009 Chevrolet Traverse owner's manual, for example, Chevrolet recommends using 5W-30 in virtually all climates, except extreme cold. When temperatures drop below negative -20 degrees Fahrenheit, however, Chevrolet recommends either switching to synthetic 5W-30 oil or going to a 0W-30 viscosity to better handle the extreme temperature."

Why Oil Matters

What if I Don't Change My Oil?

If you're reading this article, you're probably not one to skip a few oil changes, but you might be wondering what might happen to your car's engine if you did. In short, it's not pretty.

One of the problems, according to Bachelder, is that there will begin to be build-up in the cooler parts of the engine, like the crankcase and around the camshafts and valves.

'You would get the carbon deposits, the sludge as you would call it, coming out' of the old oil, he said. 'To clean the engine would be relatively expensive because it would require taking parts off.'

'It can get to the point where it's so thick that it can't be pumped,' McDonald said. 'You can start to wear out your piston rings. Once those begin to wear it's not easy and not inexpensive to fix that problem.'

It can get worse. Bachelder says the pistons could eventually seize or the camshafts could be damaged. Getting a bill for either one of these repairs would make even a few high-quality oil changes look like pocket change. Regular oil changes, according to Szemenyei, are like 'really cheap insurance' for your engine

Oil Technology

Oil-Life Monitors:

You used to have to keep track of when to change your oil, but some newer cars with oil-life monitors will do it for you, letting you know when it's time to seek service.

'The manufacturer believes enough in those that they're putting the warranty behind them,' Bachelder said. 'It's a better gauge of what the oil has been exposed to than the three-month or 3,000-mile intervals.'

McDonald says oil-life monitors observe things like temperature and engine speed in order to calculate when the oil should be changed. He also adds that its calculations are based on the oil recommended for the engine. That means high-performance synthetic oil won't necessarily result in a longer service interval from the oil-life monitor even though the oil may be able to handle one.

Perhaps the monitor's most important benefit, however, is a simpler one.

'It helps remind people that their oil needs to be changed,' Szemenyei said."

Oil Maintenance 101

Oil Maintenance 101 - Cars.com: "The decision of whether or not to turn your own wrench basically comes down to how comfortable you feel underneath a car. You can typically save a few bucks by doing it yourself, but there are almost always deals and coupons that make the price difference negligible. Purchasing just oil and a filter can cost $20 at a parts store. A shop down the street with a $19.95 oil change saves you the additional hassle of putting your car up on jacks or ramps and getting dirty."

Intellistick FAQ- What is the best oil?

Intellistick FAQ: "What is the best oil?
This question is often asked. There are many factors to consider in determining the best oil such as cost, additives, regional conditions, driving habits, etc. The IntelliStick can help you determine which oil works best in your particular engine by allowing you to see when the additives deplete for any oil brand and how long the oil lasts prior to oxidation."

Diesel engine maintenance manuals free - .Pdf & Word Free Ebooks Download

Great resource! Obviously I can't verify all the contents but I did find some good random old manuals here.