Clean and easy oil change technique...

[nuclearfusion]

This may be old ground but in case it isn't... there's a really slick and easy oil change technique that some may not know about.

The main part of this is a so-called "fluid extractor", basically a vacuum pump used to suck fluids such as oil, transmission fluid, etc. out of motors of all kinds (particularly useful in the boating world for inboard motors - this is where I first encountered one.) One of the first common units popularized for automotive use was called a Topsider.

Here's a photo and a link.



http://www.jerrybleach.com/pelapumps.html

There are many manufacturers and models, some are motorized, etc. The Pela 650 shown above is the one I have and use.

Anyway, here's the basic technique:

1. remove oil fill lid on valvecover & loosen oil filter cover slightly.
2. remove oil dipstick
3. insert fluid extractor nozzle down dipstick tube
4. pump extractor to create vacuum
5. wait for oil to be sucked out of oilpan
6. replace filter per usual, etc.
7. refill with new oil
8. replace oil lid
9. run engine, check levels
10. throw away the 2 paper towels you used for the whole process

This is the nice and clean, easy way to do an oil change. Civilized! No jack, stands, ramps, messy oil plugs and pans, oil drips in your garage, etc.

There are two caveats though (and they're not exactly trivial)

1. I'd recommend a magnetic drain plug in your car if using this technique (in fact they're probably a good idea anyway). I think I've seen a few sources for these if you want to buy them. I made my own by milling a recess in the end of a new drainplug and inserting a neodymium magnet.

2. There is a possibility that not all particles may be sucked out of the drainpan, so you could do a regular drain every 2nd or 3rd or etc. oil change for peace of mind.

My experience has been that I wind up removing just as much oil from the drainpan with this technique as I had with the typical drainpan technique so I'm pretty confident that there's minimal oil left behind and little or no leftover particles (they should be in the filter, or stuck to the drain plug in any case). Also I do a full drain every 2nd or 3rd oilchange just for good measure.

Anyway, that's it - a really nice, easy way to change oil, particularly good by way of it is clean, hassle-free and easy.

Enjoy!

Fusion