How do you guys clean your oil extractor? Do you disassemble it after each use, degrease, let it dry, and lube any seals with silicone grease? Do you run soapy water through it and let air-dry or what? I may get an extractor but if cleaning the extractor is more of a hassle than a conventional oil change I'll pass.
Cleaning the oil extractor
- Thread starter vavavroom
- Start date
They do not typically require cleaning unless you spill oil all over the outside somehow. I've had mine for not quite a decade and have never cleaned it or had to repair it in any way except for an o-ring on the spout.
I honestly can't remember anything like that when I got mine. I probably didn't read the manual if it came with one, though. Mine doesn't seem to have been hurt it by leaving oil residue in it.
dnewton3
Staff member
I think most folks use mineral oil, as any residual won't affect the next collection for a UOA.
I clean mine by dumping it out and refilling with used oil 
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I have an oil extractor oil extractor.
Where would you dump that mess? Especially in Felonifornia? All of my oil recycling places prohibit solvents of any kind in the used oil dump tanks. Again, can't think of a reason to clean it out since it only collects used oil. Nearly 30 years old and it still sucks
.I used to clean my Pela type oil extractor by washing out with white spirit and then soapy water, all of which is a bit of a nuisance. So I relegated it to plumbing duties and bought an electric extractor pump which I discharge straight into the waste oil container. That reduces cleaning up considerably as all I do is run a little clean oil through the pump and leave it at that.
I have never cleaned my MityVac.
I pour whatever oil in it into my waste oil container for recycle. I don't use it for UOA's. The seals stay lubricated by the used oil, transmission fluid, brake fluid, power steering fluid. Whatever was in there last.
Same here: never bothered to clean it, just dump the old oil into empty containers from past oil changes and take it to AZ for recycling. My vacuum extractor holds 7L and I've had it for years, although I should probably invest in a 10L one at some point.
Manuals are for sassies.
So how do you clean your oil extractor oil extractor?
Do you then go get yet another oil extractor for your oil extractor oil extractor?
Where dos it end? Oh the humanity!
I borrow the neighbors, whom I secretly dislikeSo how do you clean your oil extractor oil extractor?
Do you then go get yet another oil extractor for your oil extractor oil extractor?
Where dos it end? Oh the humanity!
Mine got a little of brake clean through it today. I had to use the small suction tube to get oil out from around the spark plugs in son's Forte. The spark plug tube seals were leaking and had the 2 of them had a lot of oil in them. Vacuumed that out, brake clean, vacuum, brake clean and then finally some paper towels.
Any oil left in the bottom of tubes will be a thread lubricant if I ever change plugs again. It got NGK Ruthenium about 45k miles ago.
Any oil left in the bottom of tubes will be a thread lubricant if I ever change plugs again. It got NGK Ruthenium about 45k miles ago.
Never cleaned mine, and I have it since 2006-2007. I don’t suck out fresh oil with it, why would I clean it, only to get it dirty again with old oil?
Do you guys have your extractors on display or something?
Do you guys have your extractors on display or something?
Don't clean mine. Never will.
If I had to clean it after every use, I would never use it.
If I had to clean it after every use, I would never use it.
I spray brake cleaner in it and swish it around. It keeps the crud from building up in the bottom
Don
Don
JHZR2
Staff member
I don’t know what type of extractor you’re looking at.
I used to have a topsider. The pump somehow would get oily and it ruined the seals. Lasted for years but the seals went bad.
My current plastic one has no real way for oil to get to the seals, and thus has worked for nearly 20 years. I don’t use it for full sump changes, but it works well enough for smaller jobs.
I used to have a topsider. The pump somehow would get oily and it ruined the seals. Lasted for years but the seals went bad.
My current plastic one has no real way for oil to get to the seals, and thus has worked for nearly 20 years. I don’t use it for full sump changes, but it works well enough for smaller jobs.
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