Extractor for Oil change

[cadfaeltex]

I have a Motive Power Extractor I got for general automotive purposes and wasn't planning to use it for oil changes. However, not that I think about it, it seems like it would be easier than a traditional. No jacking up and no messy drain plug shooting out. I've read in comments on youtube (now there's a reliable source) that it won't get the gunk out as well as traditional draining.

Are there any major drawbacks to using an extractor (or something like a mityvac) for doing oil changes?

TIA,
Tony

 

[disturban]

I dont see how you could extract oil from the pan, if you stick a tube in the fill hole you will not be able to drop the tube all the way down into the pan.

Just drain it VIA the drain plug, it is the fastest, best and easiest way and I can do it without spilling a drop so IMO the cleanest way as well.

The extractor would be a good way to drain transmission fluid though!

 

[Steve S]

What gunk is in your oil? If you change the oil on a regular basis the extractor will work .

 

[johnachak]

I use an extractor for the chevy and the ford when the change is due and the weather is bad (snow, ice, etc.). I just make sure the next change I use the plug and let it drain completely. The Caddy has some type of restriction preventing the tube from getting to the bottom of the pan. Thechevy is great because the filter is on the top of the engine.

 

[JHZR2]

I have the liquivac from tractor supply company. Works great for all kind of lubricant changes...

 

[cadfaeltex]

Originally Posted By: disturban
I dont see how you could extract oil from the pan, if you stick a tube in the fill hole you will not be able to drop the tube all the way down into the pan.

Just drain it VIA the drain plug, it is the fastest, best and easiest way and I can do it without spilling a drop so IMO the cleanest way as well.

The extractor would be a good way to drain transmission fluid though!


Mine (and the other's I've seen) have a long harder plastic tube that is designed to go all the way down to the pan. Sounds like a mixture of extractor and traditional oil changes would be doable.

 

[HTSS_TR]

Some engines are design to use fluid extractor to do oil change, most Mercedes, Audi, previous BMW ... are some of those.

I use Mityvac 7201 to do oil change of my E430, I check the oil level with dipstick the day before to know how much I will extract the next day, I always siphoned all what I measured the day before. Since the bottom of the dipstick tube is at/near the bottom of the oil pan, fluid extractor did a good job of siphon used oil via dipstick tube.

Someone in Mercedes forum tried both ways, first siphoned oil with fluid extractor then open the drain plug and no oil came out of the oil pan, next time he tried to drain oil via drain plug first then used fluid extractor, this time it siphoned several ounces.

But fluid extractor does not do good job with Honda S2000, it siphoned about 4.3-4.6 quarts out of 5 quarts, and about 4.5-4.8 quarts out of 5.2 quarts for LS400. Because oil dipstick tube of these cars are not designed to siphon old oil out with fluid extractor, it's very hard to insert the extract tube to the bottom of the oil pan. You need to try Motive Power Extractor then open the drain plug to see how much oil drain out.

The reason I do oil change with fluid extractor is the cartridge oil filter is on top of the engine, I can do oil and filter change standing up and get it done in less than 30 minutes without a drop of oil on the car or garage.

Picture of E430 engine is below. Lower left corner is oil dipstick, lower right corner is cartridge oil filter holder and above it is the oil fill cap.

 

[johnachak]

Thats just like my daughters chevy cobalt. The filter on top is sweet. The Caddy has it too but the extractor doesnt work on it.

 

[johnachak]

Actually, since the filters are on the top. I do filter changes midway during the synthetic OCI's.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: disturban
I dont see how you could extract oil from the pan, if you stick a tube in the fill hole you will not be able to drop the tube all the way down into the pan.

Come to my garage - I'll show you how. Some engines are designed in a way that will allow you to suck out every bit of oil via the dipstick tube. Others aren't.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: cadfaeltex
I've read in comments on youtube (now there's a reliable source) that it won't get the gunk out as well as traditional draining.

Gunk? If you have a clean engine, there won't be any gunk. Most of that crud should be trapped by your oil filter anyway. Get the oil nice and warm, and then extracting it via dipstick tube won't be a problem. However, some oil pans aren't very oil extractor friendly, so as was previously mentioned, you need to experiment to find out. Or read up on your car/engine specific forums to see what luck others have had with this method in your particular application. Extraction works great on both our 530i and C300, and the oil filters are easily accessible from the top, too. It did not work too well on our old Jetta 2.0.

 

[newtoncd8]

Originally Posted By: disturban
I dont see how you could extract oil from the pan, if you stick a tube in the fill hole you will not be able to drop the tube all the way down into the pan.

Just drain it VIA the drain plug, it is the fastest, best and easiest way and I can do it without spilling a drop so IMO the cleanest way as well.


On my old A4, I used an oil extractor every other oil change. I used the extractor and then put a Fumoto valve on. When I removed the drain plug, very little oil came out. At least on the A4, the oil extractor works great. I haven't tried it on the RX330 since I have a Fumoto valve on it.

 

[FZ1]

The extractor is great with my lawnmower. Don't have to tip the mower and wait for the oil to drain.

 

[glum]

Fluid evacuators are wonderful. I don't understand--at ALL--the statement that evacuators won't get "all the gunk out". If you have something in your pan that won't fit through the tube of my Mityvac 7201, you have serious issues.

I use my 7201 for ATF, PSF, and of course for oil changes, unless I have to lift the vehicle anyway to get at the oil filter. In those cases, I use a Fumoto Quick Valve. I even use the 7201 to evac the coolant from overflow tanks. I've used the 7201 for brake fluid, but that didn't go so well for me.

Another check mark in the column for fluid evacuators is that if it makes changing your fluids more pleasant and just plain easier, not to mention cleaner, you're more likely to do it, and do it more often.

 

[LoneRanger]

I use a cheapo Pela 6000 pump-up type. However, after it starts sucking air I still pull the pan plug and add'l oil exits, but not a lot. One thing it helps is no deluge of oil spurting when you pull the pan plug-- the left over oil the extractor misses just drains out in a more laid back fashion... less squirt effect which means less mess.

 

[cadfaeltex]

Tried it last night on the Jaguar. Got 7 qts out of the 8.5 but it was hard to tell because the warm oil pulled the side of the extractor so I ended up putting the fresh oil in on top of the old qt. Was going to do a short OCI this time anyway but now I am sure I will.

 

[CTownIntegra]

I just purchased a MV7201 and love it.

I used it this weekend on quite a few vehicles prior to changing the ATF filter.

2007 Crown Vic and 2001 Mustang
Removed roughly 4.3-4.5 quarts of the 5. The leftover came out when I pulled the filter out and a tiny amount left in the pan.

1999 F-150
Removed all the fluid except the hump in the pan on the E40D trans.

2001 Toyota Tacoma Pre-Runner
Pan only held about 2 quarts. I pulled roughly 1.8 out.

1990 Chevrolet with a 700R4.
Pulled 4 quarts. Was still one quart in pan. I didn't fish the tube around though thinking I had already gotten it all.

And Friday I will use it for the following oil changes.

2006 Mazda 6 V6 with Castrol Syntec 5w20. Which it has been on since the first oil change.
2008 Honda Civic EX with Mobil Super Syn 5w20. Been on Synpower and Mobil1 previously.
2000 Honda Civic EX with Valvoline Nextgen Maxlife 5w30. Previously on G-Oil 5w30.
2001 Ford Mustang with Nextgen 5w20. Previously on whatever my dad had on it many moons ago prior to sitting.

I will pull the plugs on each to see how much is left over.

Overall there is ZERO mess using the extractor and wish I would have invested in one years ago. Just to prevent fluid from spilling when dropping the ATF pan was worth it.

I do need to make some sort of way to hang the hoses from my wall to drain the residual fluid into a pan. Maybe one day when I make my empty bottle drain I will add a hose attachment to it.

 

[glum]

Originally Posted By: CTownIntegra
I do need to make some sort of way to hang the hoses from my wall to drain the residual fluid into a pan. Maybe one day when I make my empty bottle drain I will add a hose attachment to it.

I bought some vacuum caps to seal the ends of the various hoses of my 7201. I throw the dipstick tubes on a hook in my garage and not a drop leaks anywhere. I also keep a cap on the main tube of the 7201 (that cap I had to buy separately).

 

[CTownIntegra]

Originally Posted By: glum
Originally Posted By: CTownIntegra
I do need to make some sort of way to hang the hoses from my wall to drain the residual fluid into a pan. Maybe one day when I make my empty bottle drain I will add a hose attachment to it.

I bought some vacuum caps to seal the ends of the various hoses of my 7201. I throw the dipstick tubes on a hook in my garage and not a drop leaks anywhere. I also keep a cap on the main tube of the 7201 (that cap I had to buy separately).



You sir, are a genius.

Do you keep your main large hose connected or remove it each time?

After removing mine about 5 times the quick connect no longer wants to release. Give, it never really needed to come off had I had vacuum caps.

 

[glum]

Originally Posted By: CTownIntegra
You sir, are a genius.

Shhhh! Don't let it get around. I usually go incognito as a moron.

Originally Posted By: CTownIntegra
Do you keep your main large hose connected or remove it each time?

The tube connected to the top of the 7201? I believe it's not designed to be removed. That fitting it seats in has "teeth" that grab it and form a seal. I've had to replace that fitting (due to a leak) but I've never removed the tube from it. When I'm done with the 7201, I remove the dipstick tube from the main tube, cap the dipstick tube on both ends, then put one cap on the end of the main tube and sling it around the body of the 7201 in a neatish fashion.