--- title: How Do I Choose an Oil Drain? description: The efficiency of your oil drain depends on the capabilities of your shop. Here are the best scenarios for self-evacuating and pump-assist oil drains. image: https://blog.johndow.com/hubfs/Untitled%20design%20(1).png --- [![Johndow](https://blog.johndow.com/hs-fs/hubfs/johndow-industries-logo.png?width=431&height=136&name=johndow-industries-logo.png "Johndow")](https://johndow.com/) ☰ - [SERVICE EQUIPMENT](https://johndow.com/service-equipment) - [OIL & FLUID HANDLING SHOWROOM](https://johndow.com/oil-fluid-showroom/) - [FUEL HANDLING SHOWROOM](https://johndow.com/fuel-handling-showroom/) - [SHOP EQUIPMENT SHOWROOM](https://johndow.com/shop-equipment-showroom/) - [VIEW ALL SERVICE EQUIPMENT](https://johndow.com/product-category/service-equipment/) - [FIND A DISTRIBUTOR](https://johndow.com/service-equipment/find-a-distributor/) - [EUROVENT](https://johndow.com/eurovent-exhaust-extraction) - [PRODUCT SHOWROOM](https://johndow.com/eurovent-showroom/) - [VIEW EUROVENT PRODUCTS](https://johndow.com/product-category/eurovent-exhaust-extraction/) - [QUOTING PROCESS](https://johndow.com/eurovent-exhaust-extraction/eurovent-quoting-process/) - [CONTRACTOR RESOURCES](https://johndow.com/eurovent-exhaust-extraction/contractor-resources/) - [FIND A DISTRIBUTOR](https://johndow.com/eurovent-exhaust-extraction/find-a-distributor/) - [EV/Hybrid Safety](https://johndow.com/product-category/ev-products/) - [VIEW ALL EV/HYBRID SAFETY EQUIPMENT](https://johndow.com/product-category/ev-products/) - [FIND A DISTRIBUTOR](https://johndow.com/ev-hybrid-distributor/) - [SERVICE PARTS](https://johndow.com/service-parts/) - [DYNAMIC SHOWROOM](https://johndow.com/dynamic-showroom/) - [SERVICE PARTS CATALOG](https://johndow.com/product-category/dynamic-service-parts/) - [AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE PARTS ASSORTMENTS](https://johndow.com/service-parts/dynamic-service-parts-assortments-catalog/) - [APPLICATION SEARCH](https://johndow.com/service-parts/application-search/) - [APPLICATION & BUYERS GUIDES](https://johndow.com/service-parts/application-guide/) - [FIND A DISTRIBUTOR](https://johndow.com/tpms/find-a-distributor/) - [TPMS](https://johndow.com/tpms/) - [TPMS CATALOG](https://johndow.com/product-category/tpms/) - [TPMS TRAINING](https://johndow.com/tpms/tpms-training/) - [Application SEARCH](https://johndow.com/tpms/application-search/) - [Application GUIDE](https://johndow.com/tpms/application-guide/) - [Find A DISTRIBUTOR](https://johndow.com/tpms/find-a-distributor/) - [LEARNING HUB](https://johndow.com/learning-hub/) - [ABOUT US](https://johndow.com/#) - [WHO WE ARE](https://johndow.com/who-we-are/) - [OUR CORE PRINCIPLES](https://johndow.com/core-principles/) - [JDI BLOG](https://blog.johndow.com/jdi_blog/) - [JDI NEWS](https://johndow.com/category/news-events/) - [SDS SHEETS](https://johndow.com/sds-sheets/) - [CAREERS](https://info.johndow.com/jobs) - [CONTACT US](https://johndow.com/contact-us/) ![](https://blog.johndow.com/hubfs/raw_assets/public/Johndow_August2021/images/loupe.png) - [Who We Are](https://johndow.com/who-we-are/) - [Our Core Principles](https://johndow.com/core-principles/) - [JDI NEWS](https://johndow.com/category/news-events/) - [SDS SHEETS](https://johndow.com/sds-sheets/) - [Careers](https://info.johndow.com/jobs) - [Contact Us](https://johndow.com/contact-us/) ![](https://blog.johndow.com/hubfs/Untitled%20design%20(1).png) # How Do I Choose an Oil Drain? February 9, 2022 When you’re shopping for an oil drain, you should take a minute to ask yourself a few questions: 1. *How many oil changes are done in your shop daily?* This will determine how big your oil drain needs to be. 2. *How do you store waste oil, and do you have a suction pump?* This will lead you to the best oil drain style: [self-evacuating](https://www.johndow.com/product/25-gallon-heavy-duty-self-evacuating-oil-drain/) or pump-assist. 3. *Do you work with expensive vehicles?* This will help figure out whether to go with a poly or steel oil drain (You could damage cars with a steel version). ## What’s the Best Scenario for a Pump-Assist Oil Drain? You can make the most out of a pump-assist oil drain if you have a waste oil tank with a suction pump already in your shop. This type of drain lets you hook up a suction hose directly to a full oil drain and transfer oil from the drain to the waste oil tank. Shop air usually runs the suction pump.  Pump-assist oil drains vary in size from 8 gallons for a smaller shop with a couple of bays to around 30 gallons for a high-volume operation with multiple bays. ## What’s the Ideal Situation for a Self-Evacuating Oil Drain? A [self-evacuating oil drain](https://www.johndow.com/product/18-gallon-self-evacuating-portable-oil-drain/) would be more efficient if your shop doesn’t use a suction pump. This drain uses shop air to pressurize the oil drain when it’s full of used oil to *push* the oil out of the drain and into a waste oil tank or 55-gallon drum.  ![Screen Shot 2022-02-24 at 4.22.53 PM](https://blog.johndow.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Screen%20Shot%202022-02-24%20at%204.22.53%20PM.png?width=302&name=Screen%20Shot%202022-02-24%20at%204.22.53%20PM.png) Self-evacuating oil drains require a lower initial investment and fewer pieces of equipment. Various sizes are available to meet your shop’s needs. ## The Bottom Line If you already have a waste oil tank with a suction pump in your shop, a pump-assist oil drain would be the best route. If you don’t have a suction pump, a self-evacuating oil drain will serve you better. We offer an extensive line of oil drains. Take a look [here!](https://www.johndow.com/products/oil-drains/) [Back to all Blog entries >>](https://blog.johndow.com/jdi_blog) CATEGORIES: [Service Parts](https://blog.johndow.com/jdi_blog/tag/service-parts) ### CATEGORIES - [Service Parts](https://blog.johndow.com/jdi_blog/tag/service-parts) - [TPMS](https://blog.johndow.com/jdi_blog/tag/tpms) - [Fuel Handling](https://blog.johndow.com/jdi_blog/tag/fuel-handling) - [Shop Equipment](https://blog.johndow.com/jdi_blog/tag/shop-equipment) - [Used Oil & Fluid Handling](https://blog.johndow.com/jdi_blog/tag/used-oil-fluid-handling) - [Automotive Aftermarket](https://blog.johndow.com/jdi_blog/tag/automotive-aftermarket) - [Exhaust Extraction](https://blog.johndow.com/jdi_blog/tag/exhaust-extraction) - [Work Lights](https://blog.johndow.com/jdi_blog/tag/work-lights) - [ev](https://blog.johndow.com/jdi_blog/tag/ev) ### HAVE A QUESTION? Our experts can help. 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