Is overfilling an engine with oil ethical?

When I have some extra oil to get rid of (quarts not gallons) I have put an extra 2 or 3 quarts in the engine of the next car out
I wouldn't do it on a normal basis

If you have alot of oil to get rid of, Consider checking with some local repair shops that heat with used oil.
If you have 55 gallon drums filled with it, they will purchase
Smaller supplies they will take for free

Honestly in my opinion, I dont think so. My Dad owns his own shop as well as his uncle and he has a waste oil burne. So whenever i come across waste oil i just run it over to my dads shop.

I wouldnt feel comfortable taking it to my yard just by the fact of getting that extra dollar. It would make me feel as if i cheated them in a way... and by the possibilty of them not knowing and shredding it or whatever and having the oil spill all over the place or bad dispoasl of it. Just my .02 cents

Originally Posted by Mick

I'm hoping to start a discussion not a snipe-fest. Let's stipulate that a yard does not require oil to be drained. Would you consider overfilling an engine with used oil as unethical? Any other practices that would fall under "unethical"? If you are a yard owner/employee, please specify that. If you disagree with a poster, please state your reasoning.

My gut reaction when I read this was that it was shady, but looking at it a bit more, you're actually adding to the scrap yards bottom line. Used motor oil is a commodity worth over $1.00 per gallon (in bulk). In Ontario, the government also will reimburse licensed collectors from the eco tax they levy on all new oil sales. Dirt or water would definitely be offside.

I would have to think that, in this day and age, if a yard takes vehicles with oil in them, it HAS to be because they have the equipment to remove the oil and expect to do so. I doubt anyone can take a car full of fluids and just smash the heck out of it, spraying anti freeze and oil all over the ground. Instant EPA superfund, anyone?

Further, as suggested by Otto, the oil is a saleable commodity, so by adding oil you are not financially harming the yard.

So my vote is that adding oil is OK, but might be easier to just pour it in a drum and sell it yourself. Or USE IT yourself, for shop heat or clean it up and use it in a diesel pickup. Using it yourself is where you start to make the real money by avoiding buying heating fuel or diesel.

If you have to sell it, then you need to do the math for your area as oil is about 8 lbs per gallon and you need to calculate if metal is priced more than oil.

My 2 cents Canadian!

Jon.

Originally Posted by BRASSCATCHER

I also never understood when a few people here have stated they add metal in the cars they scrap with the ok of their yard. I thought that yards buy autos according to the curb weigh of the vehicle which can be found on the door sticker?

Most yards pay by weight, scale your trailer and truck on the way in and on the way out
Difference is the weight of the vehicle

The door sticker does NOT have the curb weight of the car
That weight on the door sticker is the most your car should weigh loaded with passengers and stuff

I think if they take them with fluid then it is ok to fill up the fluids. I wonder how much liquid weight there could be? If you had extra or old fluids I could see topping off. Fill up raidator, battery, break fluid, transmission fluid, windshield washer, oil, gas tank (with old gas).

I dont scrap vehicles but I cant see where you would really benifit by it. you do get rid of the extra fluids but most shred scales are in 20 pound increments. you would have to be at the highend of the next 20 # increment for it to push you over.

I do not do many cars maybe 2-5yr just whats in somebodys junk i am cleanning up, but check for buyers near you. i do a lot of mowers and things and for mixed oil I get 50cents a gallon, I am sure its lower but I do not want to haul this or gas to higher paying places in 55gal barrels in the back of my truck just waiting to go wrong lol lol. also save the old gas in these as well and treat it a bit and sell along with older crappy mowers that run I do not sell a lot of gas though its just a nice selling point when I offer 1-5gal of gas with a mower.

I'm of the same mind as BC. If the yard allows you to leave the oil in, then..I'll leave the oil in, an toss in a couple quarts. I don't do cars, but if did an the yard allowed it, then I would. Water, sand, whatever..no. That would be eff'ing with them, an not cool. Afterall if their equipped to remove it, an their selling it...it's more money in their pocket. Key being...they allow it. If they don't then I wouldn't. simple as that. I also wouldn't fill a car with plastic or other non-metal crap, if they didn't take said crap.

Just me. YMMV.

Sirscrapalot - Attack the post, not the poster.

Originally Posted by JohnC4X4

Most yards pay by weight, scale your trailer and truck on the way in and on the way out
Difference is the weight of the vehicle

The door sticker does NOT have the curb weight of the car
That weight on the door sticker is the most your car should weigh loaded with passengers and stuff

List of Different Types of Vehicle Weight
When you're comparing vehicle weights, it's very important to understand the different ways weight is measured. The chart below can help you understand which measurement you want to use when comparing vehicles or deciding on how much cargo your vehicle can carry.

•Gross vehicle weight (GVW) - This weight includes all your cargo, extra added equipment, and passengers aboard.
•Curb weight - This is the weight of your vehicle with all fluids and components but without the drivers, passengers, and cargo.
•Payload - The payload is the weight including passengers, equipment, cargo, and anything being towed.
•Gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) - This is the maximum total weight of your vehicle, passengers, and cargo in order for you to avoid damaging the vehicle or compromising your safety.
•Gross combined weight - This weight includes the vehicle and a trailer, if you are pulling one. The gross combined weight should be determined while the trailer is attached to the vehicle.
•Maximum loaded trailer weight - This amount is much like the gross combined weight, however, it includes a fully loaded trailer.
•Gross axle weight - The gross axle weight is the amount of weight that is supported by each axle, both front and rear.
•Gross axle weight rating - The gross axle weight rating is the total weight each axle is capable of hauling.

That's how I bust my main seal in front of salvo auto parts. It was costly. Not smart. I'm banned from changing my own oil. Over 20 plus years.

Don't think anyone is saying do it for the extra money burly. It's the fact of it being allowed or not for me. I can sit on the old oil an hope I get enough to eventually sell, or put it in the car an let the yard profit quicker then I will off the oil...IF THEY ALLOW IT. I don't care about the extra money on that. I'D be happy just cause they allow it an make more on it. If I ever do a car I'll be sure to ask them thanks to this topic. Then again I try not to take a lot of non-metal in when I visit the yard. Ha ha!

Good topic. For those of us learning about scrapping vehicles.

Sirscrapalot - Easter is on 4/20 this year...I see a huge spike in chocolate bunnies and peeps. Ha!