I got this off a diesel forum years ago but I just got around to trying it today. Stick a shop vac in the oil filler cap and when you pull the drain plug, the oil won't come out until you turn the vac off. When the oil is really hot, it certainly makes a safer and cleaner way to drain the oil.
Oil Change Technique
- Thread starter johnd
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LOL. That's so crazy, it just might work. I hope the oil wouldn't get sucked into the shop vac, though.
Weird, and I don't see any purpose. I always drain the oil hot and I always get some on my fingers. Is that bad for me?
rpn, I was wondering the same thing, seems on all the mechanic shows on tv, the people doing the work are wearing what looks like latex gloves. Is that just to stay clean or for health reasons?
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I have a Wookie who'll do my oil changes for me.
Supposedly used oil is bad, but I don't see how bad it could be when I see people at mechanic shops with their hands covered in oil all day. I don't think it should be any concern for the average car owner as these people who handle used automotive fluids all day seem to be just fine. This vacuum cleaner idea seems to be because of the hot oil but I would rather not risk gumming up my vacuum over hot fluid and the hose wouldn't seal over the small fill hole on cars i've changed oil with, if somebody drained extremely hot oil and this vacuum method failed they would burn themselves, and I don't see how it would be possible to get the filter off without getting oil all over the hands in the first place. Removing the filter has always been the messiest part of an oil change in my experience.
Kestas
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This seems overly complicated. The drain plug is still hot.
I believe my system is easier. I let the drain plug fall in the pan with the hot oil. When most of the oil is drained out, I put a smaller container (old plastic oil container with the top cut off) to catch the drips while I deal with the drain oil, plug, and oil filter. The only thing extra this requires is the presence of an old used container in your oil change kit.
I believe my system is easier. I let the drain plug fall in the pan with the hot oil. When most of the oil is drained out, I put a smaller container (old plastic oil container with the top cut off) to catch the drips while I deal with the drain oil, plug, and oil filter. The only thing extra this requires is the presence of an old used container in your oil change kit.
This oil change valve has been listed many times on this board, but maybe someone hasn't seen it yet:
Oil Drain Valve - Fumoto
Using this valve makes oil changes fun.
I've used these for several years, on all my vehicles. Better than sliced bread.....
Oil Drain Valve - Fumoto
Using this valve makes oil changes fun.
I've used these for several years, on all my vehicles. Better than sliced bread.....
It always amazes me to read follow-up posts on something like this. You'd think I was giving advice on how to make an atomic bomb. Incidentally, the oil cannot go into the vacuum because all you are doing is reducing the pressure over the oil in the pan, the oil doesn't actually go anywhere. Think about it, ever try to siphon gas with the hose above the liquid? The acutal reason I tried it was that I was changing the element in my bypass filter whose return is below oil pan level. This kept the oil from running out of the pan while I was changing the element. Having done it once, I'll probably never do it any other way. It's easy and in my case the shop vac and the oil pan live next to each other.
Harvey mentioned latex gloves. I've used them for years when I work on my cars, and I work on them quite a bit. I did pads/rotors/fluid flush on my daily driver just this past Sunday and went through a bunch of gloves.
After the first couple of times you won't even realize you have them on, until you take them off and see what you've saved in cleanup hassle. My wife gets them by the box at Wally World.
I was introduced to them by a very serious home mechanic, who has the best home shop I've seen - lift, full air system, welders, metal fab equipment, etc. I says to myself "self, the gloves sure don't make him no girly-man, maybe I'll give 'em a try".
BTW, not the reason I use gloves, but used motor oil has been identified as a known carcinogen. I've even stopped drinking it over ice with a twist of lime.
After the first couple of times you won't even realize you have them on, until you take them off and see what you've saved in cleanup hassle. My wife gets them by the box at Wally World.
I was introduced to them by a very serious home mechanic, who has the best home shop I've seen - lift, full air system, welders, metal fab equipment, etc. I says to myself "self, the gloves sure don't make him no girly-man, maybe I'll give 'em a try".
BTW, not the reason I use gloves, but used motor oil has been identified as a known carcinogen. I've even stopped drinking it over ice with a twist of lime.
lone ranger, that was the first time I've seen that valve, I still don't think it would be as much fun as seeing my 19 year old son do the oil changes. That makes oil changes fun.
I think you all mean NITRILE gloves as opposed to Latex. Nitrile gloves are blue colored. I was under the impression that petroleum products will disolve latex. We go through boxes of the Nitrile gloves like water at our shop. Saves alot of hassle when you are working on a car. Especially nice when you are doing a very dirty job like brakes or CV boots. Nice to not have grease under your fingernails for 3 days after working on your car.
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Latex gloves work fine and will not spontaneously dissolve on contact with oil. Likely you'll rip them on a sharp tool or something before the latex tears due to chemical breakdown. And neither you or the car will get pregnant anyway, I can assure you that.
Disposable latex gloves are about $5-8 for a box of hundred. Polyurethane gloves are a bit more but are not as form-fitting and less elastic, which makes them more prone to getting snagged.
For a easy job like an oil change I wear disposable latex gloves, for something that requires more muscle I wear mechanic's gloves over latex gloves. That way the latex gloves are better protected.
Disposable latex gloves are about $5-8 for a box of hundred. Polyurethane gloves are a bit more but are not as form-fitting and less elastic, which makes them more prone to getting snagged.
For a easy job like an oil change I wear disposable latex gloves, for something that requires more muscle I wear mechanic's gloves over latex gloves. That way the latex gloves are better protected.
Oil doesn't seem to bother them at all. Brake cleaner (speaking of nasty toxic stuff), which I use to clean almost everything, makes 'em disappear real fast, though.
Ha ha, Harvey install a Fumoto valve and get your son a pair of Nitrile gloves, and tell him how much fun it is to change oil while staying clean......
It worked for Tom Sawyer with the picket fence.....
The old timers used to say that about the pesticides they handled all day long. They're all dead now.
On a more serious note, used oil probably only causes cancer in California. That's why I will never visit there. Everything causes cancer in California according to all the labels I read.
Hmmm...how can the oil stay in the pan? If the pressure is reduced in the engine why doesn't ambient pressure rush in through the removed drain hole and bubble up past the oil, thus spilling it? Doesn't make sense.
I wear gloves anytime I work, both for cleanliness and to avoid toxicity. Used motor oil IS bad stuff. There are loads of bad things involved with automotive repair and just because mechanics bath in them doesn't mean it's a wise thing to do. Not to mention toxic hepatitis can be asymptomatic. Btw, even clean latex gloves will make some folks sick.
I wear gloves anytime I work, both for cleanliness and to avoid toxicity. Used motor oil IS bad stuff. There are loads of bad things involved with automotive repair and just because mechanics bath in them doesn't mean it's a wise thing to do. Not to mention toxic hepatitis can be asymptomatic. Btw, even clean latex gloves will make some folks sick.
"I believe my system is easier. I let the drain plug fall in the pan with the hot oil. When most of the oil is drained out, I put a smaller container (old plastic oil container with the top cut off) to catch the drips while I deal with the drain oil, plug, and oil filter. The only thing extra this requires is the presence of an old used container in your oil change kit."
Just put a peice of cut-out diamond plate grating or very thick screen over the top of the oil pan.. Let the plug fall, and it will be stopped by the screen. Oil keeps going past into the pan.
Simple, easy, and clean.
Just put a peice of cut-out diamond plate grating or very thick screen over the top of the oil pan.. Let the plug fall, and it will be stopped by the screen. Oil keeps going past into the pan.
Simple, easy, and clean.
I've got one of those black oil drain pans with a smallish hole in the center for draining into (it allows you to set the filter on the top of it for draining it too). Problem is, sometimes the drain plug makes its way into that hole, severely restricting its flow- not pleasant! So I keep a strong neodymium magnet handy for plucking it out.
Also, those nitrile gloves are pretty handy too (no pun intended). Good thing they call them 'nitrile' instead of 'cyanide' though!!!
Also, those nitrile gloves are pretty handy too (no pun intended). Good thing they call them 'nitrile' instead of 'cyanide' though!!!
Good idea to use a magnet to retrieve the drain plug. Truthfully, I do same thing with a steel drain plug and it saves a lot of hassle. I use one of those mechanics magnets on a long handle.
Question - one of my cars has an aluminum drain plug. I used to have a great aluminum magnet, I got it from Harbor Freight years ago, but lent it to someone a while back and never got it back. I've got a brass magnet that really comes in handy sometimes, but I miss having a good aluminum magnet.
Anyone know where I can get one?
Thanks!
Question - one of my cars has an aluminum drain plug. I used to have a great aluminum magnet, I got it from Harbor Freight years ago, but lent it to someone a while back and never got it back. I've got a brass magnet that really comes in handy sometimes, but I miss having a good aluminum magnet.
Anyone know where I can get one?
Thanks!
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