2021 Pag Oil Buying Guide
Polyalklylene Glycol, usually known as pag oil, doesn’t get much attention but it’s a necessary part of your vehicle’s air conditioning system. Most newer model cars from 1996 and onward use it as a lubricant for their A/C. Similar to engine oil, pag oil has numbers that represent the viscosity. So you may see PAG 46 or PAG 150, for example.
Originally each car manufacturer required a different viscosity. You would put one number in a Ford and another number in a Chevy. Today the viscosity number is solely determined by the air compressor manufacturer. To make sure you get the right number for your vehicle, you can use a vin decoder.
Best Pag Oil Pan Features
If you’re about to do a little A/C tuneup on your ride, in addition to the pag oil you’ll need an oil drain pan. Oil drain pans come in many shapes and sizes, but there are a few basic features you’re going to want.
- Leak-proof design with heavy-duty caps and seals. As you can imagine, there’s nothing worse than oil running across your garage floor. Make sure your oil drain pan is sturdy and can take some rough-housing. It gets bonus points if it can be stored horizontally or vertically without leaking oil.
- Built-in spout. Transferring the used oil from the pan to whatever container it’s going to recycling in is a lot easier with a built-in spout. Otherwise, you will be using a funnel, and that’s just one more dirty, oily part to be sitting around your garage.
- Comfortable, molded handles. Oil can get heavy, especially if your drain pan has a 16 or 18-quart capacity. Make the job a little easier on yourself with convenient, comfortable handles.
- Large Opening. It’s much easier to catch all your pag oil if you’ve got a large opening at the top of the pan, say 8 inches or so. Without this, you are once again going to need a wide-mouth funnel to ensure all the oil ends up in the pan.
Be sure to check with your favorite car parts retailer to see all the options available to you. It’s important to weigh the pros and cons to get the one that best suits your way of doing the job.
How To Recycle Your Used Engine Oil
Your vehicle’s lubricating oils can be recycled. This includes pag oil and engine oil. It’s clearly better for the environment and the economy, too, as it reuses a finite resource. There are several places you can take your used oil for recycling, such as:
- Auto parts retailers that sell motor oil
- Many city recycling programs
- Service stations and mechanics shops
Some places require that you run your used oil through a filter before you bring it in. It’s always a good idea to call in advance and find out what the protocol is.
Before you purchase any pag oil or an oil drain pan, do your research. Make sure you have the right tools for the job. Check with your local auto parts retailer or go online.
