[Rehaan]

This is what 99% of bottles look like - SYMMETRICAL:


So why on earth are engine oil bottles such asymmetrical freaks?


Because... there's a correct way to hold the bottle.

And like most 'strange' things in the auto industry, there's actually an engineering reason behind this.



The reason? Having a symmetrical bottle increases the chances of the fluid blocking the entire mouth of the bottle whilst it's being poured.

This blockage results in 'glugging' where air forces itself in through the opening every so often (making that glug-glug sound).

Good bottle design = good air-flow = no glugging = good pour:


Why did they bother to do this with oil bottles? Well, glugging causes an uneven flow, which can result in splashes. Oil isn't exactly something you want having splashing all over the place (for cleanliness & environmental/law reasons too) - hence the bottle design!

If you ever need a hint the next time you're pouring oil. Look at the bottle. They often have an illustration to help you out:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxnDvtuKZZE

Credit to this Reddit thread for pointing this out!

[Rehaan]

Bonus:

So you're probably thinking... Hey Rehaan, thanks for this cool tip that has pretty much zero practical value in my day-to-day life.

Correct? ... Wrong!

Luckily for you, there are other containers that that follow the same principle.

Chances are you're pouring them wrong and causing glugs to overshoot the glass every time you pour (with the "hey, I'm in a hurry to get to work!" excuse).

Well, now's your chance to impress your family and friends...

image source

[condor]

Thanks, Rehaan !

I have read this about the fruit juice cartons, but had not thought about it for engine oil.

One tip:
Follow this method till most of the oil has been poured out. Then switch it the "wrong"way to get the last few drops of oil too (without having to turn the bottle upside down).

[centaur]

I too had seen this for Fruit juice cartons but never linked it to engine Oil cans though I did change I way I pour cooking oil from the larger cans to the smaller ones

[SmartCat]

Joey would have done better if the milk container was designed properly!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFvEdxKZTZU

[karan561]

Thanks for this interesting thread Rehaan

Seems i was doing it wrong all this while

[moralfibre]

In my defence, I only bought 5 liter oil cans.

But, on my maiden visit to the US in 2008 I was wondering why the milk cans were so off center from the handle. I guess the joke was on me.



Thanks for a wonderful thread.

[saket77]

Thanks for this wonderful and interesting information. This is called engineering where simple solutions like this make so much of difference.
I'm sure I'm using the 'Tropicana' fruit drink tip to impress family some time soon. To improvise on this, I think I will try it on 'Real' juice.

Thanks!!

[Moto_Hill]

Seeing this thread, I quickly searched for the image I took during an oil change recently.

In between right and wrong?

[d_himan]

Thanks Rehaan... I'm absolutely embarrassed to admit that all these years I had no clue. The tropicana example is especially mortifying. I always glug and spill...The good news is ladies of the house had no idea too.

[shankar.balan]

Such a good tip indeed.

In the 70's and 80's when we lived on the estates, sometimes we needed to carry 20 litre cans of Petrol from the Factory pumps to the house to fill up a full tank in the car, so that we could take an alternative route out without having to pass the factory.
The petrol then, used to come to the house in 2-3 large 20 litre jerry cans.
We used to pour the petrol into the car's tank using a funnel, but on account of the weight of the jerry cans and (maybe even this air inflow/ petrol outflow thingy) the cans used to be held flat and the actual act of pouring used to happen into the funnel from the side of the jerry can's mouth.
If one tried to pour the more conventional way, I guess the can would have been too heavy and the surface area available to hold the can itself would have been way too less.
But I do remember the petrol never sloshed about and nor was there any glug-glug sound.

[Rehaan]

Originally Posted by karan561

Seems i was doing it wrong all this while

This just seems like the more natural way! In fact several oil companies also show the bottle being used the wrong way in their advertisements...

Originally Posted by saket77

I'm sure I'm using the 'Tropicana' fruit drink tip to impress family some time soon. To improvise on this, I think I will try it on 'Real' juice.

Man, I thought of you last night when i splashed Real pineapple juice all over my shirt. Unfortunately, their carton isn't designed to favour this method - since the opening is still rather centered.

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

But I do remember the petrol never sloshed about and nor was there any glug-glug sound.

Probably because it wasn't being tilted enough for the liquid to block the opening entirely.

Check this out too:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrVd...ature=youtu.be

[gopzdoc]

Originally Posted by d_himan

Thanks Rehaan... I'm absolutely embarrassed to admit that all these years I had no clue. The tropicana example is especially mortifying. I always glug and spill...The good news is ladies of the house had no idea too.

Lucky for you the Lady (ladies) of the house had no idea, otherwise you would never had heard the end of it!

Nice thread on the observation though!

[TheMariner]

Here's another in the embarrassed category.
I even went to the length of puncturing one end of the juice carton to avoid spillage. Needless to say, most of the time I spilled more making the hole.

Sometimes, i used to complain why these can don't have an air hole like those given in 208l drums. Now, i know better.

Time to impress the missus.

[Mortis]

I too pour liquids from their vessels sideways to avoid the glugging and spurting. I use jerrycans to store fresh water for my aquarium before the weekly water change and have always poured it in holding the can sideways. I do this for juice boxes as well.

Pouring the 'correct' way will only work if the neck has a taper on the broader side, with juices boxes and similar rectangular packs, it just wont flow out as well pouring it the 'correct' way and you will have to use a steeper angle and it will also drip down the side when you slow down or stop pouring.