Harbor Freight Pittsburgh Oil Drain Pan Review

[cn90]

OK,

I have to admit this is not my favorite topic: reviewing oil drain pan.
If you change your oil using vacuum pump in your tuxedo, no need to read further.

Anyway, my 10-year-old 8-quart el cheapo plastic oil pan just cracked at the bottom, creating a mess on my driveway. I was draining hot oil (oil temp maybe around 80C or so), so the hot oil was probably the last straw for the old pan.
My suggestion is: avoid draining hot oil. Wait about 1h after a drive for the oil to cool down, maybe 50C (warm to touch), then it is better.

Searching the web, many people are unhappy with Flotool thin plastic that breaks in 1 week! Blitz (see photo) has leak at the cap.
So I searched a bit further and found people are happy with Harbor Freight Pittsburgh Oil Drain Pan!!!

Stopped by HF, it was on sales for $5.99 (regular $9.48).

1. The Blitz, if you want to use it, my suggestion is to buy a radiator hose elbow with I.D. 35mm (1-3/8 inch). Advance Auto has it for $8. Put it on, zip tie it and set it up as a "snorkel".






2. The HF Plastic Oil Pan is actually very nice. The thickness is 3mm (unheard of these days!).
Made in Taiwan. There is a shelf for oil filter (Yes, I love this feature).






3. One-gallon test and two-gallon test to show you the levels:






4. Surprise: the bottom has 6 re-enforcing ribs! Nice design:






5. Price is cheap. Overall, very very happy (not easy to make me happy...lol...):










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[TECN1K]

Man I love HF for stuff like this.

What are you doing with your used oil? That seems like it could get messy pouring it back into wherever the new stuff came from. Personally, I use a 5 gallon pail from Home Depot, with a lid - and drop it off at Advance Auto once or twice a year.

[cn90]

I poured used oil into 1-gallon container (empty milk jugs or empty 5-quart oil jug).
I take it to local auto parts stores or oil change place like Valvoline. They take it back for free.
I think there is value in old oil, apparently it is used for something else...

[Ricky Bobby]

^I drop mine off at the gas station where there is an indy mechanics shop, they recycle the used oil every week (which is what happens to all old oil for the most part to make some synthetics I believe) - The oil pan looks nice, price is right as well

I stopped using Blitz oil containers years ago, cheap Chinese junk. This I bought 3 years ago, its more expensive but very compact to get under my motorcycle, and has a nice seal and non leaking cap and is easy to transport the old oil into containers with -



http://www.amazon.com/Lumax-LX-1632-...=oil+drain+pan

[SlickGT1]

I have 3 of the previous versions without the filter ledge. Now I'm pissed. I want the filter ledge. Just feel bad about throwing out something that is working fine. Good review.

[motordavid]

I have one of HF's previous versions also, minus the filter ledge. Mine is decades old and still holds the 8 qts from the X, and slides under 2 of my 3 scoots for their oil changes. No cracks, no problem...

That new design is nice, and I don't get how they can sell it for 6 bucks.

At our Mtn home I schlep gallon milk jugs of used oil down the mtn to our local dump, as I go there once a week anyway, and they have a big plastic tote for collecting used oil.

Good info post, imo, cn90!
GL, mD

[cn90]

Update,

This pan is amazing, much better than many pans you see at local auto parts store.
This pan is THICK, you have to be very strong to fold it in half (I can't, but maybe Arnold Schwarzenegger can!).
The other pans at local auto parts store: they are flimsy, sometimes folding in 1/2 when dealing with hot oil!

- Pouring: go slow and the spout design won't disappoint you, not a single drip leaking!

- Transport oil to recycling places (auto parts stores, or my local oil change place): in order to avoid an Exxon Valdez disaster in the car:
1. I poured old oil into empty milk jug containers. Make sure the lid is tight.
2. I cleaned this Pierburgh pan and place the old oil jugs in the pan. Then packed with some cardboard to stabilize the jugs.
You might want to place them inside a black garbage bag.
3. Drive slowly, around 30 mph max, avoid hard braking or hard cornering.
Avoid running errands, just drop the oil at the recycling place ASAP, this way you can drive faster...lol.

[AV8R4AA]

I have the smaller drain pan.
Works well, but when you go to pour out the oil, it doesn't
pour well. It drains okay if you go super slow.
I bought a Walmart whopper grey open top drain pan,
Holds the 9 quarts of X5 oil.

I reuse the 5 quart jugs to recycle the oil.