Date: Thu, 21 Jul 2011 09:23:56 -0500
Reply-To: mcneely4@COX.NET
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Dave Mcneely <mcneely4@COX.NET>
Subject: Re: Strategy for low-mess oil drain.
In-Reply-To: <1311256362.18706.37.camel@TheJackUbuntuNetbook>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
---- Rocket J Squirrel <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
> Siphons are one of my favorite ways to move fluids because I like any
> method that requires no fancy gear and no power. Has anyone tried
> siphoning engine oil outta that dipstick hole?
"No fancy gear"? I'd definitely use some sort of pump, something like a pipette pump writ large, or one of those pumps aquarists use to clean fish tanks (can get rubber bulb versions). Ah, in the volumes we are talking about --- Tada! Turkey baster. The times I've tried to initiate a siphon by mouth, I've often ended up with a mouth full of whatever. Aquarium water, not so bad. Oil, that would be real bad.
mcneely
>
> -- RJS
>
> On Wed, 2011-07-20 at 21:09 -0700, Karl Wolz wrote:
>
> > Can you go to Home Depot and get a length of 1/8" (or whatever fits) tubing,
> > shove it down the dipstick hole, and siphon out a pint or so?
> >
> > Karl Wolz
> >
> >
> >
> > |-----Original Message-----
> > |From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com]
> > |On Behalf Of Rocket J Squirrel
> > |Sent: Wednesday, July 20, 2011 8:31 PM
> > |To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> > |Subject: Strategy for low-mess oil drain.
> > |
> > |(Number 287 In A Continuing Series Of Knucklehead Questions)
> > |
> > |I used to change the oil in my aircooled every 1,500 miles. I
> > |got so I didn't make much of a mess. Unscrewed the drain plug,
> > |let it drop onto the screen on the used oil catcher, and sat
> > |back until the drool of oil tapered off to drips.
> > |
> > |So after hearing that my oil is likely to run cooler if the
> > |oil level is between the halfway mark and the "fill" mark on
> > |the dipstick (mine's halfway between the halfway mark and the
> > |"full" mark) I'd like to drain a bit of the oil.
> > |
> > |But my former strategy won't work here: I have to cram that
> > |plug back in after dropping only a pint or so.
> > |
> > |Do I have to bite the bullet and just reach into the stream
> > |and hope to get the plug started before too darn much oil has
> > |sluiced down my sleeve, or is there a smarter way?
> > |
> > |Wait, wait -- I can just drain all the oil and then re-fill the thing.
> > |Duh.
> > |
> > |
> > |--
> > |Rocky J Squirrel (Jack Elliott)
> > |'84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana")
> > |'74 Westrailia: (Ladybug Trailer company, San Juan Capistrano,
> > |Calif.) Bend, OR KG6RCR
> > |-----
> > |No virus found in this message.
> > |Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
> > |Version: 10.0.1390 / Virus Database: 1518/3777 - Release Date:
> > |07/20/11
> >
--
David McNeely
| 
