Recommended: Mityvac7300

[santov]

Hi guys,

New poster, but long time lurker...

I wanted to tell you guys about my new wonder tool- my Mityvac 7300. I bought it to do oil changes on a friends boat, but since then I've used it to do change all fluids on all the cars.

To change power steering fluid I first drain and refill the reservoir, then disconnect the return line and shove the suction tube down the line (it's a snug fit with a tube inside a tube). Then lift up the front wheels and turn the wheel lock to lock. Magically all the fluid in the rack is sucked out. Be sure to top off the reservoir since now the rack is empty.

When it comes to brakes first drain the brake fluid reservoir, then filling up with fresh fluid, then using the pump to suction out old fluid out of all of each caliper. Beats the [censored] out of having my impatient wife pump the pedal for ever.

ATF jobs are way easier since you can drain most of the fluid first instead of having all the fluid slosh out when you drop the pan.

I always paid the dealer to do the ATF and power steering fluid changes, but now I'll be doing it myself and saving $110 - $180 a pop, plus doing it more often which is good for the vehicles. (The ATF at 18k miles looked so-so, but the magnet had lots of break-in debris.)

The cheapest place I could find online was Amazon, and I even had a Xmas gift cert to the pump only cost me $25!!

 

[Scotty1981]

Can we get a video or does anyone know where a video is already posted I know very little about working on cars but I would love to be able to do oil and ATF changes more easily. Those brake and PS fluid jobs sounds a bit complicated to me. Would still love to save the money for the ATF job, most shops want way more than I feel is worth it considering it isn't much different than changing the oil.

 

[santov]

First, different people have different definitions of a "flush". Some dealers will connect a machine that will cycle new oil in while suctioning old oil out, engine OFF. Other dealers will just drain and refill (and not actually flush anything, my Dodge dealer did this to me).

Hondas don't have a transmission pan (at least my 2007 Civic and 1998 Accord didn't). They just have a drain plug and a stubby dipstick/fill hole living in the engine bay.

A recommended DIY technique on Honda transmissions is to drain what you can (usually about 3qts) out, refill, then go for a 15 min drive. Repeat two more times (to drain and refill 9qts total). This makes no sense to me since you're diluting old fluid with new fluid and I don't have the paticience to lift the car 3. But I found this video- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsdPAadc9fY I tried it this way once, but it was tricky to pour fresh fluid in while watching for the old fluid to finish squirting out. Having my wife in the driver's seat to start and stop the car was a help, but still clumsy all together.
Here's what I do for all the Hondas in the family:
1. take out the drain plug and drain what ever comes out (about 3 qts, not much, but a start)
2. stick the Mityvac suction tube down the ATF return line and suction the radiator empty

3. use a blow gun and low pressure (about 30psi) and squirt a little compressed air to push out a little more fluid out of the torque converter.

I usually end up with 5qts in the catch pan, and a little over 2 in the Mityvac, so I felt comfortable refilling and calling it done. Before I'd go 60k miles per Honda suggestions, but since I have my own way I'm comfortable with I do it more often. And if I ever buy a new car I'm going to change the ATF after 3k miles to get the break-in metals out, ESPECIALLY a Honda since there's no filter.

My Jeep is completely another story since I first drain it through the fill tube (there is no drain plug in the pan), unscrew 10 bolts and drop a 7 inch pan, clean the magnet inside, replace the filter, and refill. Much more similar to a engine oil change, but way messier since the pan has to come off and cleaned out. The fluid was supposed to last 100k miles, but I was shocked at how much crud was on the magnet and the change of color in the fluid. It really sped up the lag time shifting from Reverse > Drive.

 

[demarpaint]

I want to get one just for swapping ATF. Jeep decided to stick a plug in the fill tube instead of a dipstick. I want something I can draw fluid out with, measure it, and replace with the same amount. I will be calibrating my own dipstick for the Jeep when I have some free time. This Mityvac might be the ticket for me!

 

[HTSS_TR]

The main job of a Mityvac fluid extractor is to change oil in most European engines, specially with cartridge oil filter mounted on top of the engine. It's so easy to change oil and filter without a drop of oil on engine or on garage floor. Changing oil in Asian and American engines is a little tricky, if you can feel when you insert the tube to the bottom of the oil pan, then you can extract 95% or more old oil, otherwise you may be able to extract less than 90%.

Using Mityvac to change PSF, ATF, Brake Fluid ... are the bonus and they are very easy and efficient too.

Changing brake fluid with Mityvac is much easier and faster than Motive Power Bleeder, without any air sucked back into the system.

It's true that the lowest price as of now is at Amazon, I had MV7201 for more than 6 years and still working great in doing oil change for 6-7 cars (my 3 cars and BIL 3-4 cars).

 

[santov]

Originally Posted By: demarpaint
I want to get one just for swapping ATF. Jeep decided to stick a plug in the fill tube instead of a dipstick. I want something I can draw fluid out with, measure it, and replace with the same amount. I will be calibrating my own dipstick for the Jeep when I have some free time.


FYI: I had planned on doing the same process for my Jeep, measuring what came out and putting the same amount back in. But I ended up buying a Mercedes dipstick from Ebay for $22. When I used it to measure before I got started I found out the dealer had GROSSLY overfilled the transmission. So I'm glad I didn't put the same amount back in. Also after you drain the transmission it only takes about 25 min to drop the pan and change the filters and clean the gunk off the magnet. Well worth the time. I can't see a reason (other then an extra 25 min) to NOT change the filter when you're already changing the fluid. Most Merc pans have a reusable rubber gasket so you don't have to mess with scraping and RTV gasket maker.

 

[scurvy]

I had one of these extractors for 4 years, and it was fantastic for all sorts of oil or fluid changes on the TDIs. Mine eventually had seal issues and started 'sneezing' oil out the vent, and when I moved I opted to leave it out in the recycling (empty, of course). I've heard the seals have been improved & I plan on purchasing a new one when I need to do an oil change next.

 

[jackkpts]

Can you explain in more detail how you use the Mityvac to bleed brakes? Is there something special you use to connect the hose to the brake nipple?

I have a Mityvac and love it for my BMW, Aprilia scooter, lawn equipment and my daughters Camry. It does not work well on my Hondas for oil or transmission fluid changes.