The huge thread on oil extractor pumps

unkel

Apart from the E39, all cars I've changed the oil in had the filter underneath so I had to go down and dirty anyway

Undertrays are the invention of the devil!

Wibbs wrote: »

remove sump plug, let engine drain, then let the jack down so sump is level

Do you go under the car only supported by a jack? :eek:

I use steel ramps these days myself, find them very handy. But obviously the car is not completely level when you drain the oil. Solution: change oil often

Wibbs

unkel wrote: »

Do you go under the car only supported by a jack? :eek:

Jayzuz no U, paranoid I am, so axle stands and the wheels I've taken off under the sills and even then I keep praying to a god I doubt exists every time I'm under the car.

unkel

Wibbs wrote: »

Jayzuz no U, paranoid I am, so axle stands and the wheels I've taken off under the sills and even then I keep praying to a god I doubt exists every time I'm under the car.

I'm the same

If I wasn't an atheist, I'd be praying to God too

Do you bother getting the car off the axle stands and lowered down to get the car level (and get a little bit more oil out)? Only to have the car back on the stands to close up the sump (and fit the filter if applicable)?

Wibbs

Oh yea, if I'm changing the oil the usual way, I drop the car back down to level, sometimes even raise it on the side opposite the drain hole to try and get it all out(even then I find the sucker will pull some oil still remaining).

blastman

Just wondering, will these pull the oil from the filter as well, so you can get it off with minimal (or even no) leaking?

Wibbs

Never tried as I take the filter off first, but I doubt it, they're just sucking from whatever's in the sump.

v240gltse

hi

any one have any good/bad experience with the Alpin 72539 extractor as I seem to be getting lazier and lazier :D:D and I want to get myself a new extractor as my seely unit seems to have gone west

tia

brendan

darragh o meara

blastman wrote: »

Just wondering, will these pull the oil from the filter as well, so you can get it off with minimal (or even no) leaking?

Unfortunately there will always be some oil in the channels of the engine and the filter is one of those areas. In my Passat I usually suck all the oil out and then do the filter and whereas its not completely empty, its not majorly full either.

irish bloke

OSI wrote: »

Doubtful, as you don't have a dipstick :P

Huh??

I have the bonnet up on my E60 right now with the dip stick in my hand.

Am I missing something here or is that the auto box??

Blazer

irish bloke wrote: »

Huh??

I have the bonnet up on my E60 right now with the dip stick in my hand.

Am I missing something here or is that the auto box??

same for me..I have manual as well

rovoagho

Although some trannies do have dipsticks, they're talking about engine oil.

BMW started removing the dipstick during the E60 run, so some engines have them, some don't. If you don't have one, you get the level from iDrive.

Wibbs

*luddite* WT everlivin F is wrong with a bloody dipstick? Oh no. lets complicate things cos we can and charge you more for the silliness *luddite*

Ronnie Beck

Wibbs wrote: »

*luddite* WT everlivin F is wrong with a bloody dipstick? Oh no. lets complicate things cos we can and charge you more for the silliness *luddite*

The only thing wrong with them is that people don't know how to use them. With the new iphone generation i imagine the numbers will only increase.

irish bloke

Ronnie Beck wrote: »

The only thing wrong with them is that people don't know how to use them. With the new iphone generation i imagine the numbers will only increase.

Grandad, is that you Grandad??

JohnBoy26

Ronnie Beck wrote: »

The only thing wrong with them is that people don't know how to use them. With the new iphone generation i imagine the numbers will only increase.

Surely Apple will introduce an oil level checker app to account for that problem

ian87

rovoagho wrote: »

Although some trannies do have dipsticks, they're talking about engine oil.

BMW started removing the dipstick during the E60 run, so some engines have them, some don't. If you don't have one, you get the level from iDrive.

I have idrive and a dipstick in my e90. The level on the computer is often way out compared with stick. I'd be wary tbh

woody33

Is anyone here using an oil extractor pump instead of draining the sump? I've seen mechanics using them but it seems to me the sump method would be much better.

biko

Woody, I've added your question to a recent thread on these yokes with pro and con arguments.

woody33

Cool, thanks.

JohnBoy26

woody33 wrote: »

Is anyone here using an oil extractor pump instead of draining the sump? I've seen mechanics using them but it seems to me the sump method would be much better.

It's probably better but I can't see how it's ''much better''?

visual

JohnBoy26 wrote: »

It's probably better but I can't see how it's ''much better''?

Because it actually drains all the oil as designed. The drain plug can also be magnetise and metal filings can be cleaned off.

The only reason to use a pump is laziness. I'm aware garages are doing this to save time and you have to ask if they are bothering putting a car on the ramps if the filter can also be changed from the top. I would question how much of an inspection can be carried out without looking underneath.

lomb

Ive made 4 wooden ramps with a chainsaw, some planks and a pack of patio decking screws. Cost about 30 quid in timber and screws and good fun to make.
I drive the car up onto the ramps so its level and this way the undertrays come off in a few minutes anyway.
I also trust my life to these ramps whereas I wouldnt on the steel tube ones that could let go. Wood can hold boats and trains as strong in compression.
Better than the pump as the filter is usually under anyway. I use a 10 liter paint can for collecting the oil so can do a car without any spills.

http://www.ttforum.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?p=678572

enumbers

All garages have these but generally not for servicing. Normally used for drain out overfilled oil.coolant, brake fuild etc. Handy for bleeding diesels that haven't got lift pumps. Not any quicker than taking out the drain plug as the car is on the lift anyway.

Mech1

Great yokes for bleeding out diesel, bleeding brakes, removing fuel etc.

JohnBoy26

visual wrote: »

Because it actually drains all the oil as designed. The drain plug can also be magnetise and metal filings can be cleaned off.

But even draining the oil from the sump nut will not remove all of the oil from the sump, there will always be a drop left over no matter what method you use. As for your other point about magnetic sump nuts, very few cars are fitted with them so I don't know is that a very valid point.

visual wrote: »

The only reason to use a pump is laziness. I'm aware garages are doing this to save time and you have to ask if they are bothering putting a car on the ramps if the filter can also be changed from the top. I would question how much of an inspection can be carried out without looking underneath.

As has been said by other posters, garages use them for a host of different things. I don't get your point about using it to save time as I think draining from the sump plug usually takes less time to do.

visual

JohnBoy26 wrote: »

But even draining the oil from the sump nut will not remove all of the oil from the sump, there will always be a drop left over no matter what method you use. As for your other point about magnetic sump nuts, very few cars are fitted with them so I don't know is that a very valid point.


As has been said by other posters, garages use them for a host of different things. I don't get your point about using it to save time as I think draining from the sump plug usually takes less time to do.

Yes and garages always do the right thing and don't take short cuts.

corkgsxr

lomb wrote: »

Ive made 4 wooden ramps with a chainsaw, some planks and a pack of patio decking screws. Cost about 30 quid in timber and screws and good fun to make.
I drive the car up onto the ramps so its level and this way the undertrays come off in a few minutes anyway.
I also trust my life to these ramps whereas I wouldnt on the steel tube ones that could let go. Wood can hold boats and trains as strong in compression.
Better than the pump as the filter is usually under anyway. I use a 10 liter paint can for collecting the oil so can do a car without any spills.

http://www.ttforum.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?p=678572

If a steel one is made right its much better than wood. And lighter

For big boats they use steel frame and line the face with wood to prevent damage.

enumbers wrote: »

All garages have these but generally not for servicing. Normally used for drain out overfilled oil.coolant, brake fuild etc. Handy for bleeding diesels that haven't got lift pumps. Not any quicker than taking out the drain plug as the car is on the lift anyway.

As far as I know bmw use it for oil.

Might be just for the service at your home/work deal

Wibbs

visual wrote: »

Because it actually drains all the oil as designed. The drain plug can also be magnetise and metal filings can be cleaned off.

The only reason to use a pump is laziness.

As I said earlier: I've heard this so many times, but clearly it must depend on the model of engine and sump design, because on mine(Honda B18) it takes more out than the standard method and I've tested this a few times. How? Warm engine, remove sump plug, let engine drain, then let the jack down so sump is level, make a pot of tea, come back a half hour later, replace sump plug, then use the oil hoover and every time it pulls another eggcup or so out.

On the basis of my experience with my car I have no issue with using oil extractors. YMMV.

Plus I'd add that if people are doing their own oil changes and because of laziness put them on the long finger, I'd rather they use the oil extractor and replace the oil and filter more often. Even if it left quarter of a liter of old oil(and it doesn't) far better 3 changes like that to one "proper" way.

Yamanoto

I'm wondering whether an oil extractor would be suitable for use on the sludge-tastic Saab 9-5.

As the dipstick's affixed to the bottom of the oil filler cap itself (no separate dipstick ingress), is the tubing likely to have unimpeded access to the bottom of the sump?

Try using it on the new Audi's with no dipstick.

I used these pumps before and they didn't remove all the oil,always between 0.5-1.0l left.

It was handy to take as much as possible out as cleanly as possible though.

I used them on the old model caddy, new model, B6 A4 and B 5.5 passat. All with the same results, inc the Prius.