So I'd like to treat myself to a nice oil drain pan. Ive been using the cheap stuff all of my life and I'd like to finally upgrade.

I'd started with my Dads old bucket that we'd used for a decade+ (like a half height version of a home depot 5 gal with some bailing wire on the handle to tie off to something so you don't knock it over by accident). Then moved to the cheapest traditional black saucer they had. Tried to upgrade to one with the large 10" screw on cap top / mesh lid and loved it - until it split down the seam mid change and dumped oil all over my floor.

Now I'm back to a cheapo black saucer (this time in a triangle shape which was supposed to make it easier to pour). My complaints are:
-Capacity. It holds 6 quarts, but that's literally to the brim. Its un-movable with 5 quarts without sloshing some out. So I always end up stopping the drain halfway to dump it. Would love something with some kind of wheels.
-Typical black hole if you drop anything. You're digging it out from the mess.
-Its already warped. Given my last one split (granted a different design), I'm not thrilled to see visible plastic damage already. I don't do my changes hot, but I do sometimes do them warm. This is the main reason I want to replace it before it breaks.
-Its messy to pour. Doesnt form a nice single stream unless you're going fast (which I can't do when its full as the funnel can't keep up).
-Opening size. Given its only a 6 quart, its small. Its fine on cars with a straight shot drain, but if any oil leaks on any other component (drips from the filter hole, etc), thats going on the floor.


I'm looking for an upgrade and was curious what you all liked for non-lift oil changes? There's a million options out there and its hard to sift through the reviews.

I did really like this one:



But I hate seeing all of the reviews about the pump leaking. Id be furious to spend that kind of money and have leaks.

My only hard requirement is holding 7 quarts min (and I mean actually holding it in a usable way - not like a tremor in Japan will cause it to trickle over).

 

Well, it looks like youre wanting something a little more fancy but heres mine..

(GOOD LORD I cant get this picture to upload for the life of me!) GOT IT!




It has withstood years of abuse and still seals where it should. I bought it as a temporary solution when we moved into our house about 7 yrs ago but its worked so well that I havnt had a need to upgrade.

 

My dad had those small drain pains. Flimsy plastic, the pour spout that is easy to make a mess with and not to mention BARELY holds 4.5-5 quarts of oil (the amount used in most cars). UGH! And I have used ones that are totally enclosed and you can put a cap on it. I hate those because I find the people I know that have them neglect to empty them after an oil change and you cannot see how close you are to capacity (just in case you did not realize how much fluid an engine had to drain). They do have advantages, but not a fan.

At some point (might have been before I got my own home), I bought my own drain pan from AutoZone. I bet I have had this thing 20 years. Mine is bright yellow, but looks like the one in the AutoZone link below (except I don't know why it has a vent cap near the handle). I also toss in an Amazon link to a similar pan. It claims to be 5 GALLON capacity, no way mine is a 5 gallon capacity. I am going to guess mine is 2-2.5 gallon. But this has been great. I have used it for oil, trans fluid and coolant. I went to the garage and measured, from outer edge to outer edge, it has an 18 inch diameter. It is RARE if I cannot remove both an oil drain plug AND filter without this catching oil. Great for coolant too because of the wide catch. Plus the edge curl to the inside (so your inside diameter is reduced a little). That curl allows a little bit of sloshing without coming out of the pan. With just the oil from one car in it, I can lift it holding the spout and the handle. The cap is not the best sealing cap in the world, but it's not important, I don't know that I ever had fluid in it that was resting on the cap, except residue from draining the pain. Some people might wipe the inside down after each use, I don't (so there is always a little oil that settles in a bottom ring of the pan, no biggie). Very good to use. Never felt I needed to look for a better one.

https://www.autozone.com/shop-and-ga...gal/134895_0_0

 

I use the same one as wht02monte does. Holds 12 quarts very well, if you max it to the 16 like they say it does leak. It's got a good size and stands up on its butt without taking up much floor space. All of the other ones that lay flat, just take up so much room to me.

 

Thanks for the feedback, it looks like that would fit the bill perfectly.

Have you done a trans fluid change with it (on a pan without a drain plug? Just curious how the size works out for situations like that.

Im not too worried about forgetting to empty every time. My big worry is leaks. It seems like so many of these closed ones have a drain plug midway through the depth. Would drive me nuts to have it dribbling out of the cap while Im waiting for everything to drain. I like to be able to work on other stuff while letting it take some time to empty.

I like the idea of the curl at the top and that seems like a nice size. I see what you mean about thr cap seal not being a worry given how high it is.

I'll have to check one out at a store. Every tried a trans fluid change with no drain plug? 18" sounds like it would be plenty to span the edge of the pan as it dribbles out.

 

Just so you know, the cap on the drain pan does not leak while I am working (as I have never filled the drain pan to the spout to test it). The "leak" I get is after I dump the fluid into a jug for disposal and put the cap back on. I guess if I wipe the cap and spout there might now be a leak lol. All I know, what I have used has worked great. Chibi and Wht02 had some good points about standing up on end. I typically store mine under a certain car I will not discuss that has not moved in about 20 years. But, I could wall hang it and really test if that spout has a leak or not.

As I mentioned, this thing has served well to keep my messes to a minimum. And a trans pan is one of the most ANNOYING tests!

 

Thanks, I appreciate the input!

I'm the same way with storage of them. Unfortunately almost every car I have has a leak somewhere so I've got those big shallow rectangle pans under most of them. I keep this stored under the worst offender (ok ok, its the monte, lol) so it doesn't make so much of a mess in the shallow pan.

 

I have a standard round drain pan that holds around 3 gallons. Can't remember the brand, but around $20 at the parts store. It has a breather and smaller 1 1/2 holes to drain into with a small screen to prevent loosing drain plug. Also had a space that holds the filter to drain. Best part is it's spout that makes it easy to pour into a 5 gallon oil bucket or can just bring to the recycler. I've had it for probably 20 year's and wouldn't replace it for anything.

 

I believe I used to use one that was sealed (so you could take your used out to the parts store for disposal in the drain pan) and it had a spot to help drain the filter. I think of was my step-brother's and this would have meant is over 20 years ago that I used it. The filter spot was definitely nice. These days, I spin the filter off, hold it to drain a couple seconds, then flip around, shove in the box the new filter came in and then toss in the trash can.

One thing is obvious, we tend to find what is simplicity and it works for each of us. If it didn't, we wouldn't have kept it for 20ish years lol!

 

[QUOTE

One thing is obvious, we tend to find what is simplicity and it works for each of us. If it didn't, we wouldn't have kept it for 20ish years lol![/QUOTE]

It's very similar to this on at advanced auto.https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/...B&gclsrc=aw.ds