Oil Drain vs Extraction

Originally Posted by tbm5690
I see the convenience factor but don't see how this would be any quicker than pulling the drain bolt. With most vehicles you have to go under for the filter anyways, and at least for me I just drive up on the ramps and it's easy access. It also gives me a chance to do a look-over on the underside for leaks or other surprises that I might otherwise not be able to see.


Depends on the car.

With my lexus I've got to remove a bunch of aero panels to get to the drain plug.

I run 20K filters so Im only underneath the car once every year or so now with the Lexus and Ridgeline.

My view on maintenance is that the fewer tools and fasteners you need to do the job the better.

UD
 
I really like my extractor - I use it for lots of things: engine oil, brake fluid reservoir cleanout, differentials, and even vacuuming out the coolant overflow reservoir.

I've got an old 5-liter spherical shaped one but I ought to upgrade.

I highly recommend extractors, especially when you start getting less able to crawl under the car. In fact, I can do my Subaru complete oil change service from above the engine, including filter. I never have to go under the car.
 
Been using a Pela 6000 for 16 years. I use it every chance I can. Engine oil, PS fluid, lawn mower oil, etc.
 
I made his previous using just a plastic jug but this is more than genius. You may already have the tools in your disposal so it costs pennies.
 
Does it matter if some oil is left behind? There's always some left behind, in the head or some nook&cranny. Around here most people change oil long before it's somehow 100% used up and having turned into the consistency of Crisco.

On my departed TDi I did all the oil changes, and it was running just fine after >300k with oil extraction and 10k+ OCI's. That car was marvelous for oil changes, everything was topside. Easy-peasy. Wish all cars were that well designed (Toyota included). I would do topside on my vehicles if I could, but only one of them has a filter I could get to topside, so, they all get drained "conventionally".
 
Originally Posted by supton
Does it matter if some oil is left behind?


In any significant or measurable way- No

There always will be that 1 in 1000 time but beyond that, no
 
Any suggestions as to what kind of tubing I should buy to be able to extract with a hand pump I already have? Qualities the tubing must possess include the following:

1. Resistant to warm engine oil;
2. Flexible enough to go around 2 curves in dipstick tube;
3. Springy enough to be straight beyond the curves, so it won't curl, failing to reach all the way to the bottom;
4. Reliably will not break off in the engine;
5. Maximum outside diameter of about 7 mm;
6. Inside diameter as large as possible, consistent with #5 and being kink-resistant.

I have some polyethylene (?) tubing that might work, but am not confident it can be trusted not to break. The tubing that came with the (HF) pump, supposedly for this purpose, seems too thin and too prone to curl.

Thanks!
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted by CR94
Any suggestions as to what kind of tubing I should buy to be able to extract with a hand pump I already have? Qualities the tubing must possess include the following:

1. Resistant to warm engine oil;
2. Flexible enough to go around 2 curves in dipstick tube;
3. Springy enough to be straight beyond the curves, so it won't curl, failing to reach all the way to the bottom;
4. Reliably will not break off in the engine;
5. Maximum outside diameter of about 7 mm;
6. Inside diameter as large as possible, consistent with #5 and being kink-resistant.

I have some polyethylene (?) tubing that might work, but am not confident it can be trusted not to break. The tubing that came with the (HF) pump, supposedly for this purpose, seems too thin and too prone to curl.


Use this

https://www.mcmaster.com/tubing/pla...e-soft-plastic-tubing-for-air-and-water/

We use this on all sampling vampyres, flushing, draining and filtering applications- never an issue and strong enough to pull on when stuck
 
Originally Posted by ABN_CBT_ENGR
Originally Posted by CR94
Any suggestions as to what kind of tubing I should buy to be able to extract ...
I have some polyethylene (?) tubing that might work, but am not confident it can be trusted not to break. The tubing that came with the (HF) pump, supposedly for this purpose, seems too thin and too prone to curl.
Use this
https://www.mcmaster.com/tubing/pla...e-soft-plastic-tubing-for-air-and-water/ ...
Thanks, but the smallest size they list looks to be too fat to fit through the dipstick tube. OD
This scrap polyethylene(?) stuff I have is about ¼" (~6.3 mm) OD, and ⅛" (~3 mm) ID .
 
Originally Posted by CR94
Thanks, but the smallest size they list looks to be too fat to fit through the dipstick tube. OD
This scrap polyethylene(?) stuff I have is about ¼" (~6.3 mm) OD, and ⅛" (~3 mm) ID .


Not a prob

Use this

https://www.mcmaster.com/tubing/pla...w/soft-plastic-tubing-for-air-and-water/

This is what comes with the units, we just upgrade but we don't sample from fittings as small as you would need to get down a dip tube.
 
[Linked Image]


Don't think extracting is a hot idea especially with the dipstick on the far right... it's good if you put way too much oil in though
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted by supton
Does it matter if some oil is left behind? There's always some left behind, in the head or some nook&cranny. Around here most people change oil long before it's somehow 100% used up and having turned into the consistency of Crisco.

On my departed TDi I did all the oil changes, and it was running just fine after >300k with oil extraction and 10k+ OCI's. That car was marvelous for oil changes, everything was topside. Easy-peasy. Wish all cars were that well designed (Toyota included). I would do topside on my vehicles if I could, but only one of them has a filter I could get to topside, so, they all get drained "conventionally".

Unless the filter is mounted upside down topside I think the design is better under the vehicle helping to keep the filter completely full between starts. I myself like to get as much out as possible and will even poor in a half quart to flush out any old oil left in the pan. If I was to use the vacuum method I would definitely buy a extra quart to add and extract. Is this a waste? Sure is but I'm willing to pay being it gives me that warm and fuzzy feeling I get when I can barely read the dipstick.
I Do only get to change each vehicle 1 to 2 times max per year being I can't drive them all at the same time plus work is less than 4 miles away.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted by R1jake
Originally Posted by supton
Does it matter if some oil is left behind? There's always some left behind, in the head or some nook&cranny. Around here most people change oil long before it's somehow 100% used up and having turned into the consistency of Crisco.

On my departed TDi I did all the oil changes, and it was running just fine after >300k with oil extraction and 10k+ OCI's. That car was marvelous for oil changes, everything was topside. Easy-peasy. Wish all cars were that well designed (Toyota included). I would do topside on my vehicles if I could, but only one of them has a filter I could get to topside, so, they all get drained "conventionally".

Unless the filter is mounted upside down topside I think the design is better under the vehicle helping to keep the filter completely full between starts. I myself like to get as much out as possible and will even poor in a half quart to flush out any old oil left in the pan. If I was to use the vacuum method I would definitely buy a extra quart to add and extract. Is this a waste? Sure is but I'm willing to pay being it gives me that warm and fuzzy feeling I get when I can barely read the dipstick.
I Do only get to change each vehicle 1 to 2 times max per year being I can't drive them all at the same time plus work is less than 4 miles away.

You would have hated that car--oil went pitch black within a few miles. Perfectly normal for that car too.
 
I used both methods. In the winter months I use the extraction method hooked up to my air compressor. Summer I tend to drain and fill. Mercedes dealerships here all use extraction.
 
'With my lexus I've got to remove a bunch of aero panels to get to the drain plug.

I run 20K filters so Im only underneath the car once every year or so now with the Lexus and Ridgeline.

My view on maintenance is that the fewer tools and fasteners you need to do the job the better.

UD'

+1
 
Originally Posted by Pelican
Extraction is great and the MityVac a great tool, however not all oil pans are designed to allow for a complete extraction.
Those that are have the lowest point where the tube meets the pan and don't have hi & low spots. Still even in a not ideal situation one would extract 80-90% of the old oil.


https://images.app.goo.gl/bapZpgUZABzMUHHw5

Draining does not expell 100% of oil out of the pan.
 
the extraction tube was too large for my Honda 1.5 so I went to a good hardware store and found a brass tube that just fit in the ID then put that in a vice to crush it down matching the elongated dip stick hole, geez...needed to extract often on that engine to control the rising oil level due to dilution, I'd draw 1qt. then add .5qt. UOA's came back great even after 8k..my son now owns the car and continues the routine...very handy tool.
 
When I can consistently get all but a few ounces of the oil out by extraction, I am good to go with it. 2017 3.6L Pentastar is a stellar performer. 2007 5.0L GM (Volvo) marine can only be changed by extraction and is consistent at only getting 5 out of 5.5 quarts out. But since I only run 50 or so hours every year when the weather permits, I can live with it. 2018 5.0L Ford Coyote is terribly inconsistent, sometimes only yielding 7 quarts. Removing the dipstick tube (not just the dipstick) helps. Luckily it is an easy removal. But I still extract what I can then drain since I do not have a container big enough to catch almost 9 quarts and even if I did I wouldn't want to drain it all because of the mess it makes gushing onto the sway bar and other parts. (As a note to Ford owners, if you have the 2.7L Ecoboost forget about extraction. They have a check valve at the dipstick base that you cannot get a tube through or around.)
 
So I got to try my new Mity for the first time on my son's 2003 Toyota Matrix he inherited from his grandma after he got out from Army in 2015 where is spent 7 years.

He still had to crawl under to change the filter though. Total cost was around $22 for ST HM 5W-30 and Wix oil filter. The time to extract all the oil out was about 5-7 min. I guess. On my Golf it's going to be even easier because the oil filter is on top next to dipstick.

That Matrix has 318,000 miles on it and still looks and runs very good. The only recent repair that I know of was to replace LF wheel bearing.
 
Back
Top