Date:         Thu, 21 Jul 2011 15:35:28 +0000
Reply-To:     J Stewart <fonman4277@COMCAST.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         J Stewart <fonman4277@COMCAST.NET>
Subject:      Re: Strategy for low-mess oil drain.
In-Reply-To:  <1311261186.18706.50.camel@TheJackUbuntuNetbook>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8

Back in my power boating days, someone gave me a topside oil changer. Basically it was a metal gas can with a long thin hose that you would insert down the dipstick tube, and a pump handle. You'd pump the handle XX times to create vacuum in the can then release the pinch clip on the hose and it would suck the oil out. I think I used it one time. Drawback was it would'nt pull any sludge from the bottom of the oil pan, so I opted to remove the drain plug and drain the oil the traditional way, even tho it was a royal PITA to get to. Jeff



Jeff Stewart


----- Original Message -----


Turkey baster! Brilliant! Like I said -- no fancy gear!

I wonder if the oil is heavy enough to sufficiently overcome the
constriction of the small-diameter hose to siphon itself out. It's
certainly slippery stuff.


On Thu, 2011-07-21 at 09:23 -0500, mcneely4@cox.net wrote:
> ---- 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