What do you do with the left over1/2 quart?

I save it for my next OCI. With 130k on the clock, I can imagine in the near future I'll need it to top off when I start burning oil.

 

So far, in my area, the best price on 0W-20 synthetic is Toyota's own house brand at the friendly Toyota dealer. At least it was the last time I ran around comparison-shopping, which I haven't repeated recently as long as the Toyota stuff stays pretty affordable.

It comes in quarts, so I just save the ½ and keep the bottle in back next to the spare tire, in case I need to top off before the next change. After the next change I have a full quart to stash in back until the next change, when I buy one quart less, and use ½ of the stashed quart.

-Chap

 

The oil weight is probably different. (10W-30?)

 

I've got a rogues gallery of left over bottles, engine oil (a couple of weights right now) various transmission fluids, and some left over rear differential.

Just keep them on hand, use them first next time around. If it's very unlikely there'll be a next time, then yeah: dump it in with drained oil for recycling.

Brake fluid: just keep it around for a week, to fine tune level if needed. Then recycle: brake fluid doesn't keep well.

FWIW, I buy my main oil weight (0W20) in a bulk container, from dealership. I do store leftovers in old litre oil bottles though.

 

i syphon out the extra 1/2 quart they add at the oil change and bring it back for a refund.

 

Not to change lanes here but I've always been curious (read: skeptical) about that.

According to the Googles:

Search Results:
How long does open brake fluid last?
As soon as this air tight seal is broken it will start absorbing moisture from the environment and the boiling point will begin to drop. Castrol recommends that DOT fluid in previously opened containers should be discarded after 12 months.

While this is probably good advice, brake fluid typically comes in a plastic container with a tight fitting lid.
The Brake fluid reservoir on a car is......a plastic container with a tight fitting lid.

Why does the fluid seem to last so much longer in a container that is in a much harsher environment than one sitting idle on a shelf in your garage??? Note that the advice about the longevity of brake fluid comes from people who make their living..................selling brake fluid.

YMMV
And.....BTW no disrespect intended to the poster, whose automotive advice has always been rock solid.

OIL...
I always buy the oil in the 5 quart jugs, but all 3 of my personal vehicles have 6q sumps....so I have the opposite problem. I always have to buy a 1q bottle that I keep any left over oil in.
For Priuses, I would keep the 1/2q for top-off oil, since the manual states that oil should be checked and topped off every 1000 miles or monthly.

I'd be a little careful about putting 0wanything in a lawnmower.
If you cut enough grass, you'll know why.
If not then it probably will not matter much.
My lawn equipment (Exmark 46", TroyBilt 42", 2 Craftsman push mowers) all seem to want HD-30.

I've used left over synthetic as a bar lube for my chain saw before, although IIRC the Chainsaw Manufacturers Guild recommends 5w30.

Prius owners seem to be worried about petrol efficiency.
It seems to me that the best thing to do with a 1/2q of engine oil would be to save it in an environmentally safe manner and use it during the next oil change. In 90,000 miles more or less you'll have enough oil for a really cheap oil change.

Again.....YMMV.

 

The only time I possibly have left over brake fluid around is directly after doing a brake fluid change. I might fine tune the level in the next day or too, with the aim of restoring it it to precisely the same as pre fluid change.

But that's it. I never "top up" brake fluid in the reservoir; just let it fall as pads wear, and rise with advent of new pads.

So unused fluid will sit for years. I have kept it, in past, and noticed the plastic of the bottle hardened, starting at the fluid level.

Bottom line, it's not going to be needed for years, and suspect condition, so I recycle it.

Motor oil I mainly get bulk, in a 2.5 US quart container, get whatever amount I need. Also, no left over containers to recycle.

 

In Canada, mine's charging $4.50 per litre for bulk, $5.91 for bottled (litres). That's 0W20 synthetic.

If you're there getting the filter and drain bolt washer, hey. Also, getting bulk: no bottles needing recycling (tough to do btw), or to the dump.

 

Is there any "expiration date" on bottle of motor oil? Do they "expire" quicker in open bottle? How about manufactured or bottled date? Do we really know how long it has sat on the shelf of warehouse or store before we buy them? I have not been doing oil change on my car for ages, but I have plenty of half used bottle of motor oil on my garage shelf from God knows when. I would not use them on my Prius for they are conventional 5w-30 or 10w-30, but have been keep using them for my various small engines with no ill effect. I recently decided start doing Pri maintenance DIY, and purchased a case (12 qt) of Toyota 0W20. Do I have to use up whole case within a year?

 

I like to buy oil for just the foreseeable short term. Our Prius gets 0W20 oil changes every 6 months, and our sons Civic works out about the same. So I buy 8 litres in bulk, occasionally 9. When using bottles I always finish off partial bottles first. A graduated pitcher helps.

You'll be ok with those bottled litres: 2~3 years is not long.

 

drink it, obviously.

 

If I may also interject, brake fluid does not keep well. It will last longer than a week, but the truth is for most folks, left-overs will just sit on the shelf until the next do-it-your-self project comes up...usually years later. I am a big advocate for for preventative brake maintenance, but I don't get off on rebuilding or replacing calipers, wheel cylinders or masters if all I have to do is clean, lube, adjust and flush every 20,000-30,000 miles. DOT3/DOT4 is not a magical lifetime fluid and neither is antifreeze...I don't care what "Distributor" prints their name on the bottle.

 

Excellent point, and truth be told when I bother to replace brake fluid I usually buy new since it's cheap enough.
I've always thought that it was a little curious that it goes bad more quickly in the bottle than it does in a reservoir....

Usually when my brake fluid starts looking like my morning coffee, I'll think about replacing it and I do buy new fluid.....HOWEVER....(comma!!!) this simple maintenance is often more expensive than it needs to be if you pay it done - or - there is a potential for it not to be done correctly.
So.......for the driver who trades out their car every 100,000 miles there's almost no point in doing it or having it done.
I mean.....if you're spending the money keeping yourself in new cars, then one of the few worthwhile benefits would be to JUST do exactly what it says on the schedule of maintenance and not worry about the rest...

YMMV....

 

Toyo Canada says every 3 years or 48K kms now, for brake fluid.

 

Mobil says use the oil within 5 years of purchase to retain their engine warranty. Before I understood exactly what it meant, I stocked up on the AutoZone 5 qt specials with filter. Now I just try to buy before a change, as well as use up my old stock, several different oils for different cars.

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

ETC(SS) your point is well taken...as it applies to those that live with perpetual car payments.

 

Duh, what's brake fluid, uh what's oil, antifreeze, uh never heard of it!! Somebody told me that cars have "smart plugs" or was it "squart flugs"!!
I don't know what all you grease monkeys are talkin' about (or is it "aboot"?? ).
Me, I just make payments for 3 years and change the oil and filter every 10,000 miles at dealership. The Michelins last 100,000 miles. At 100,000 miles, I start over, with clean fingernails, no bumped knuckles, clean garage floor, no more jack stands, no floor jack, no impact tools, no air compressor. Last time I did all that nonsense was when I serviced my three 1969 Alfa Romeos. I would service fuel injection pump, change both fuel filters, 7 quarts of Castrol GTX and element oil filter, check tire pressures, checked my DOT 5 brake fluid level, checked antifreeze level, windshield washer level, changed disc brake pads every 60k miles, points, plugs, points, rotor & distributor cap every 12k miles. Air filter every 25k.
These cars were the most fun to drive, EVER! No more. Divorce stopped all that nonsense with the consequent sale of all three of my babies, the Milano Verde having been sold to an attorney a year or so prior!!
Now I regale in the boring comfort of my new Advanced and smile at the young girls while playing my guitar!


.

 

To each their own, but I turn a wrench for a living. Besides, I have other "paid for" toys to lift the skirts.