Safe to reuse engine oil?

Associate
Joined
28 Jan 2005
Posts
1,698
Location
Southport
Hello all,

My sump gasket has gone on my corsa so I have a new one to put on. But the problem is I only changed the oil about a month ago and used some magnetic stuff too which cost around £20. Now if I drain the oil into a container when I change the gasket is it safe to put back in and keep using it?

Thanks
 
Maybe, but I would be inclined just to buy new oil since it's pretty cheap anyway.

I mean what's it gonna cost you for a gallon, about a tenner?

That alone is worth saving the trouble farting about with oil cans and such, you are going to be pretty hacked off after getting that gasket off.
 
Last edited:
I wouldn't. When you drain the oil, it tends to bring out all the crud floating or resting in the bottom of the sump with it. So, if you pour it back in the top of the engine, that crud (various metallic shards, tiny bits of grit) has to make it's way down through the engine.

Could be nasty, so I wouldn't bother. No point re-using oil when it's relatively cheap to buy fresh :)
 
I wouldn’t do it myself, normally when you remove the sump you’ll end up with all the oil and all of the rubbish that has settled at the bottom of the sump, and personally I’d prefer to keep that from re-circulating around the oil system.
 
Last edited:
you can resue it fine.

take it out.....leave it sitting so all the crap goes to the bottom again then pour it in but leave the last little drop (where all the crap is)....it may need a slight topup though
 
its not going to go wrong though.

With the above method there will be no "bits" in the oil.

I also wouldnt do it........not worried about damaging the engine but since i was already doing it it would mean i wouldnt have to do it again so soon.
 
Theres no reason not to, if you have money to burn then dont bother I guess. Some things would be a false economy but I cant see a problem here. Make sure you change the washer on the sump plug for example and dont overtighten it (like one of the previous owners of my car did :( )
 
silversurfer said:
Theres no reason not to, if you have money to burn then dont bother I guess. Some things would be a false economy but I cant see a problem here. Make sure you change the washer on the sump plug for example and dont overtighten it (like one of the previous owners of my car did :( )

Whats the problems with over tightening the plug?
 
I'd probably reuse the oil but I'd leave it to stand and not pour in the last bit with all the sediment.
 
"all the sediment" would have been in the sump anyway, the filter is also there for a reason, plus the oil was only a month old.

if you want to just burn money, replace it, otherwise there is no good reason to dump your one month old oil
 
Re-use it. If there's crap in the bottom, then obviously stop before pouring that in :)

Would be a shame to waste all that oil for no real reason.
 
Back
Top Bottom