<VV> Used Engine Oil for Heating

[RoboMan91324@aol.com]

Hey Gang,

I don't know about you folks but foreign matter always seems to sneak into my 
oil container between changes.  Leaves, dirt, spiders (not Spyders), etc.  
This may be a minimal problem if the container is covered and/or plugged but 
that is where this train started isn't it?  The point is that sludge, dirt etc. 
that finds its way into your container will find its way into the filter for 
your furnace or into the spray ports in the combustion chamber.  If you dump 
your motor oil into your fuel tank, be sure it is clean or you will probably 
spend more maintaining/repairing your furnace than you save on fuel.  Because most 
of us don't get rid of more than a few gallons of motor oil in a heating 
season the main benefit of this kind of disposal is that we would avoid a trip to 
the recycler.  Is it worth it?

The heating systems that burned only motor oil that I have seen used the 
"surface combustion" method that Bob Marlow mentioned.  The last one I saw was 
about 25 years ago.  These were considered to be dangerous and smelly even in 
those days.  Of course, the "smelly" part means that they are heavy pollution 
contributors by today's standards.  The oil that burns on the surface isn't hot 
enough to burn up pollutants.  There may be a more modern technology that 
allows you to burn waste oil cleanly but I am not familiar with it.  You don't need 
the EPA on your butt.  JMHO

Doc
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In a message dated 02/16/04 2:29:57 PM Pacific Standard Time, 
virtualvairs-request@corvair.org writes:

> Message: 12
> From: "Harry Yarnell" <hyarnell1@earthlink.net>
> Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2004 17:02:25 -0500
> Subject: <VV> used engine oil
> 
> This thread on used engine oil has me intrigued. I heat my house with oil. I 
> would love to find a use for used engine oil, and adding it to the house oil 
> tank is tempting. Home heating oil is basically diesel fuel (oil); a lot 
> lighter than engine oil. But would adding a gallon of used engine oil to, say, a 
> half empty tank (137 gal.) of heating oil going to harm/clog
> anything? How do these 'waste oil' furnaces work? I can't believe that you 
> can ignite 100% engine oil in a furnace; do they blend in heating oil to work? 
> 
> Harry Yarnell
> perryman garage and orphanage
> perryman, MD
> hyarnell1@earthlink.net