Oil Extractor for Quick Oil Changes

MotorCity · 09-19-07, 08:04

Ok, while in the air last week I browsed the skymall catalogue and saw the following item.

Supposedly there is a tube that goes into the dipstick tube and it extracts the oil...

Check out the link below and tell me the issues you foresee (if any) with this method

Skymall - Oil Extractor

Coupe · 09-19-07, 08:14

I dont see how its useful

sspeer · 09-19-07, 08:18

How would you know you got all the oil? It would depend on if the end of the hose got to the lowest point of the case,y ou couldn't assume that just because it stopped

Don't you need to crawl under to chane the filter? well..for many cars.

BigJimZ28 · 09-19-07, 08:18

all the "crap in in the bottom of the pan
and I don't know if it will get it all out

there is a magnet on the drain that needs to get cleaned to remove the metal
stuck to it and keep it working good

I could see it for a boat or something like that but acar oil change is so easy why bother?

AL-53 · 09-19-07, 08:18

Justin..I use a oil extractor on the boat..and it works good..for a quick oil change.....but I do not think it gets all the gunk out like a drain does....I still do a drain on the boat twice during the summer...and its hard getting to it....lol....be surprised how much gunk sits in the sump that should be removed by a drain...

for me its just as easy driving up on the ramps and drop the plug on the cars and let it flow and have every thing removed...the extractor does not get all the oil out....but most of it...but any sediment still remains...

thats my take on them...good for a quick change...but not a thourgh one

Al

BigJimZ28 · 09-19-07, 08:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by sspeer

Don't you need to crawl under to chane the filter?

very good point

BlueZero · 09-19-07, 09:04

I thought about getting a smaller one for the lawn mower.

Accumulator · 09-19-07, 11:54

The MIA (and sorely missed) Bill D. used on on his Audi and thought it worked well. On some cars oil changes are a lot more work than on others, and R&Ring the filter (as the only under-car part of the job) can be a lot easier than draining the oil into a pan and then transferring it to some other container (if your pan doesn't transport well. Some vehicles have the oil filter up top where you can simply reach down and unscrew it too- bet it'd work great on my RX-7.

Yeah, I have one, but no, I've never used it for oil changes yet (good for siphoning other liquids though). FWIW the ad-copy from Griot's claims they were tested and get more oil out of some vehicles than draining it the normal way

ZoranC · 09-19-07, 12:26

Both methods of oil changing (draining vs. extraction) have pros and cons. Problem with draining is that you do not get all the sludge and remnants of old oil in the system out. Problem with extraction is that ... well ... you get more sludge but not all remnants of the old oil in the system out. In either case you do not want all remnants of the old oil in the system out as you do not have a way of completely priming the system with new oil before you crank the car up.

I feel combination of both methods together with quick run of clean cheap oil in between once in a while is the best way to clean the system. What I mean is when you are ready for oil change you extract oil and sludge using vacuum and fill with inexpensive oil that you run on for a day. That dilutes rest of old oil and dirt in the system. Next day you drain that and put in your regular oil. I feel that way you got more out.

If I was doing this as sole method I would not do it without relocation of oil filter.

BTW, this one seems to be based on Mityvac unit. Mityvac also has ones that work off air compressor. Should be much more efficient extraction.

EDIT: Even if one decides to solely drain it is good to have one of these units. Once in a while you have a need to make longer trip on short notice and it is usually when you do not have time to change oil by draining (or some of us do not have a place to change oil) but your oil does need change. Quickly extracting majority of oil and replacing it with fresh one gives you a band aid with decent safety margin (assuming your oil filter is not on it's last legs).

JohnZ3MC · 09-19-07, 01:03

That looks very similar to the one I use and I find it works extremely well for my situation.
My summer driver has minimal road clearance and I just can't climb under at all. Jacking and supporting 4 corners takes quite a while and my filter is top front, not underneath.
Sludge doesn't seem to be a problem, I change oil more often than recommended (it's so easy now) and when I check the oil after a few days, it still looks pristine, which tells me there's not a ton of old gunk to mix with the new oil.
If your situation is similar to mine, get one and maybe alternate if you're not sure. Pump once, drain next.
-John C.

ZoranC · 09-19-07, 03:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnZ3MC

Sludge doesn't seem to be a problem ...

Sludge can be very engine specific, as owners of some Toyotas have experienced.

Dylan06SS · 09-19-07, 04:20

I could see it being useful in pumping out the majority of the oil before you pull the plug... thats always a mess so if you could avoid having to drain the entire thing thru the plug I guess it has a use, but like other have said its not going to get all the oil out unless the tube hits th lowest point of the pan, then theres still the sludge towards the bottom.