Cleaned Sport Air Filter - What to Do with the Oil? | Posts 16+

Julian wrote:

So, you dissolve 50ml of Car.Sup.Plu oil with a little bit of 125ml of CRC brake cleaner. What does this realization bring you?

For example, your "filter oil" might not actually be intended for that purpose. I'm not familiar with the Caramba SuperPlus product, but I assume it's a rust remover.

Of the rust removers I'm familiar with, the largest volume evaporates within approximately 1 hour, leaving only a thin layer – let's say, roughly 20% by volume – in the sprayed area, essentially creating a thin film of rust remover.

"So, you would then dilute approximately 10 ml of 'net' filter oil with more than 10 times the amount of brake cleaner and (dispose of it) somewhere, because, according to Matthias, the oil cannot be dissolved."

I suspect that the diluted oil has accumulated around the edge of your filter (or in its folds, if it has any).


Back in the days of my Peugeot 205 GTI, the foam filter housings had to be treated with an oil spray, which left a significantly larger residue in the filter and created an almost sticky coating.
I doubt that stuff would be "completely removed" with brake cleaner.

Hi,

'Go watch someone at a workshop do an oil change. When they're finished, they spray half of the engine block from underneath with brake cleaner to degrease it. And where does that liquid go? Into the collection tank for used oil. And they also empty the removed fuel filters into that same tank.'
So, the thing about adding solvents and other substances, nobody really takes seriously.
The only danger is that dangerous fumes can form from brake cleaner and fuel residue. Didn't a collection tank for used oil explode somewhere last year for inexplicable reasons? I don't think it's that inexplicable...

Does anyone actually have reliable information about what happens to the collected used oil?
It's likely that it's only solidified with sawdust and then sold as fuel to Turkish brickworks, as has often been reported in the past.

It is and remains a dirty business.

Greetings.
Eike.

PS: In a neighboring municipality, there's an agricultural machinery repair shop that has equipped its oil heating system with a self-built oil burner that runs on used oil. Whenever the chimney sweep needs to come, they temporarily switch back to using regular heating oil... without any explanation.

matthiasTDI96 wrote:

Since brake cleaner usually consists of naphtha and a small amount of butane as a propellant, it has a comparable effect to gasoline (as I said, only roughly comparable). Therefore, brake cleaner dissolves oils that are found as residues on fabrics, but it cannot dissolve them. As a result, the oil is still present, just not where the brake cleaner was applied.

I once tried to reproduce Julian's observations under "laboratory conditions."

Attempt 1:
Approximately 0.5 cm³ of spray oil (Contact 8 was mixed with about 2 cm² of Caramba brake cleaner in an old, small deodorant cap. The mixture was then placed on a heater for about 15 hours.
The next morning, the cap contained approximately the original amount of oil, with the same viscous consistency as before. This indicates that no significant portion of the oil had evaporated along with the brake cleaner.

Attempt 2:
As mentioned above, but instead of letting the brake cleaner evaporate, I poured the mixture onto a newspaper.
It created a huge stain (about the size of two hands), and after the brake cleaner had evaporated, the former stain was only visible as a faint brown shadow, visually similar to a dried-up water stain.
Otherwise, the newspaper looked completely dry again. You can only smell the oil if you hold your nose directly over the newspaper.

I suspect that Julian's "disappeared" filter oil, Caramba Super Plus, is based on a similar deception, which is likely further amplified by the properties of the spray.
Excerpt from a description:

Conrad Online-Katalog wrote:

An indispensable rust remover, an excellent lubricant, a superior contact spray, a reliable corrosion protection, and a highly effective parts cleaner.

The "rust remover" and "parts cleaner" additives are likely to evaporate relatively quickly from the oil filter, which should result in less "old oil" being generated during filter cleaning compared to the amount initially sprayed onto the filter.

Basically, it's an elegant method to spread the disposal problem of the dark liquid onto a few newspapers with inconspicuous stains, which, for example, could disappear in the recycled paper.
(And I certainly don't want to imply that Julian has such intentions!)

@Eike

To chime in on the topic of used oil disposal:
Contaminants from solvents in used oil are undesirable for the recycling facility. However, this does not necessarily render the oil unusable. A mixture of gear oil, engine oil, and hydraulic oil generally poses no problems. However, bio-oils based on rapeseed should not be added.

More problematic is the addition of antifreeze (diethyleneglycol).

As is well known from problems with head gasket failures, diethyleneglycol makes engine oil 'acidic' and destroys its lubricating properties, which is also the reason for engine failure when coolant enters the engine oil in larger quantities. This is also the reason why you should NEVER use the same measuring cup to pour in oil that you previously used to pour in antifreeze. (Even if you have wiped it clean).

A significant portion of the collected waste oil is actually recycled into secondary refined products. What cannot be sold (because most car owners still prefer to use primary refined oils) is used in factories with high heat requirements and certified filtration systems. The waste disposal company we contracted with typically supplies cement factories with this material.

Even with the use of appropriate filtration systems, it is still possible to speak of an environmentally friendly disposal method in this case.

Best regards.
Oliver.

to be understood under 'laboratory conditions'.


2 equally sized plates (ceramic is recommended, as plastic might dissolve), the same amount (approximately one thumbful each) of CSP mixed with BREREI. Ensure all materials are at room temperature.

Lab space: Balcony, covered.

Environmental conditions: Temperatures -9 to -3°C, wind still, dry.

Initial situation
Distribute the same amount of CSP onto 2 plates.
right plate mixed with BREMREI
after approximately 18 hours, the plate was only very slightly damp.

Conclusion:

The Li tablets show almost the same amount of creatinine (measured by backfilling into a fingertip, not by weighing).

Attempt 1:
Approximately 0.5 cm³ of spray oil (Contact 8 diluted in about 2 cm² of Caramba brake cleaner, using an old small deodorant cap.

You may have used too little brake cleaner here, and 2cm² is not a volume measurement.
In addition, the heating element is a poor choice as a test point (enclosed space, toxic fumes, possible different reaction pathway due to energy input), and the lid of the container may have also acted as a reactant.

To the best of my understanding, the stains on the newspaper are caused by the release of the printing ink, although this has not yet been explicitly tested.

Short note.
The surface area of your containers is a crucial factor in your evaporation experiments.
The larger the surface area, the faster the evaporation rate.
Similarly, the type of brake cleaner used plays an important role. There are various qualities available, which differ significantly. You can notice the difference by reading the information on the can, by the smell, and also by the effect.
I used a standard brake cleaner (a common type) and one from LM. There was a noticeable difference between the two.
I definitely find the different results of your experiments interesting.
I think it's definitely also related to the temperature. Naturally, the evaporation rate should be higher when the heating is set to a higher temperature.

Julian wrote:

after approximately 18 hours, the plate was only very slightly damp. Conclusion: The Li tablets show almost the same amount of creatinine (measured by backfilling into a fingertip, not by weighing). Hm, amazing, completely different from what I have . Quote: Attempt 1: Approximately 0.5 cm³ of spray oil (Contact 8 diluted in about 2 cm² of Caramba brake cleaner, using an old small deodorant cap. You may have used too little brake cleaner here; 2cm² is also not a volume measurement.

Sorry, it should actually be cm³.

Quote:

The deoxygen cap

may also have served as a reactant.
While I can't completely rule it out, the structure and color of the cap remain unchanged.
Then, the plastic (if it had any effect at all) might have acted more as an anti-catalyst, in the sense of inhibiting the reaction.