I have 14 cans they are all full do i drain the oil or leave them full? I won't to put some in my wayne 60-s pump for display. What is the best way do drain without running them i was going to poke a hole in the bottom?

if there not leaking I'd leave them full..

IMO,with the weather changes you folks have, unless you have them always in a temp controlled room? I would empty them, by either drilling a couple holes in the bottom or using an oil can opener with spout...

A couple of years ago I had a few older cans start to sweat and leak because of hot and cold temps and we don't have near the changes you folks have...

I still have a couple full cans, that "snap, crackle and popped" the other day because of the 80 degree heat in my uninsulated garage....

I am going to try Dave's suggestion of how he cleans out his cans....

(Plus if a can does get dropped, an empty can will be okay... a full can will .......)

Thanks for the replys. Is there a value diffence? full or empty. Thanks scott

Not really. There are very few collectors that will pay more for a full can, there are a Few but Not many. I would drain.

No difference in value if drained from the bottom. Cans punctured or drained from top loose value.

We are can collectors, not oil collectors.

I'm one of those collectors that only collects full quarts. I have over 500 differnt cans and store them in my unheated garage. In the last ten years I've only had a couple start to leak. If you drain them than you lose out on a small portion of potential buyers. Why not leave them full if they don't leak and drain only if the buyer requests?

Cans drained from the top do not lose Value.......... I have never heard any way say Oh No that can is Drained from the Top other you.

If they are composite/cardboard cans I would drain them. I have a few full ones in my collection; if they start leaking I will drain them. Value wise? I would think it would be same since we collect cans, not the oil.

Jason, yes; you have called me out on this before and I chose to not reply.

However, this time I'll try and explain....maybe not convince you. Simply, because you have been draining your cans from the top. Now, you don't want to accept that maybe you should have opened them from the bottom.

Picture this, you are at an auction and 2 identical near mint Polly oil cans come up for bids in separate lots. One is opened from the top (small drain holes) and the other one has been drained from the bottom.

The one drained from bottom will fetch more money, guaranteed...simply because it has more display value.

I eventually want to display complete islands amongst my cars. All complete with 2 gas pumps, air meter, station lighters, windshield service boxes and oil can racks.

Look at the attached pictures of the racks, if the cans were drained from top the display would loose some credibility in that it's quite apparent that the cans are empty. Don't we all go to great lengths to be as accurate or correct with our displays as we can? So why overlook this very obvious detail?

You opened your cans from the top because you didn't want them dripping oil on the shelves. None of these are dripping oil.....just a little more effort to let them drip drain and then rinse them out with brake kleen.

Now, at the very least you understand where I am coming from with this. If not, then we will continue to hold differing opinions and still respect each others right to do so. We just won't be draining oil cans for each other.

I always drain mine from the bottom, two holes done with a screwdrivers and that's perfect, but what about grease can ? I always empty them for the weight of the can and removing grease like pennzoil is a long and nasty job

I always empty out the grease cans and then wipe them down (on the inside) with brake kleen as well to remove the residual grease.

I find that if you don't empty grease cans the grease some how weeps out of the bottom seam and causes the litho/paint to discolor and in some cases to lift.

So Dave what you are saying is as a "Decorator" you don't want holes in the tops of your cans. I have no problem with that for a decorator.

As to your Polly quart comparison. First find a Auction that has 2 near Mint ones and 2nd the people that buy this caliber of can rarely display them in a oil can rack. And I Will gaurentee that they would both bring the same no matter what end they were drained from.

I own 300 plus quart cans and have probably Sold another 300 cans since I have been collecting strictly quarts. I follow auction results very closely. And some of my best cans have been top drained either by 2 small holes or from a Spout and I am not talking Valvoline and Quaker State cans...............

Jason, Read you post and give your head a shake. Does it hurt to be nice? What's your problem? I've seen pictures of your collection. I think you need to eat some humble pie.

What makes you think my collection is inferior to yours or that you are in any way better than me?

I know for a fact, I have a lot more tied up in this hobby.

My post was level headed, no need to be a ***** and call me a decorator. By the way, I can afford to buy 12 Polly cans and fill a rack....$1500.00 a can x 12 is only $18,000. Even at $2000.00 a can. $24,000, I can buy that tonight. Maybe you are talking to that caliber of people!

Hard to believe the two of you are getting this much mileage out of how to drain an oil can for Christ's sake.... go figure.
Maybe it's time to break out the "can police" possibly they would know how to handle this situation.
Is there a chance that maybe both of you are wrong at least as far as accuracy and credibility go. If you are striving for both accuracy and credibility you can't go wrong with a full can. So by displaying cans that you had emptied..... wouldn't that make both of you decorators?
Hey..... I'm just having fun with you guys..... time for both of you to take a chill pill and keep on having fun with the hobby.
But then again picture a full Gilmore can vs. an empty one on eBay.... I'm thinking the full one brings more $$$