oil sucker-upper pump

[Mr Livered]

I would like to ask about pumps for extracting oil upwards from the top of the engine, rather than downwards through the sump plug.

 

I only have space in my barn for one car to be raised on axle stands and worked on properly, so I use that space for servicing etc.

 

Now the Minx is occupying that space, being welded, so servicing of other cars needs to take place on the ground.

 

So how do I go about servicing the Saab? Normally I'd jack it up onto axle stands and drain the oil into a big tub. Whilst that is difficult to achieve, I'm wondering whether one of those pumps that extract the manky old oil through the dipstick tube might be a cunning plan. It would allow me to leave the car on the ground.

 

So the questions are: does anyone know whether these are a good idea or not, and what about a source for them (the ones I've seen have bewn a bit steep, at approaching a ton)?

[Timewaster]

I've never thought these were a good idea. Surely you want to get all the crud out from the very bottom of the sump?

 

You could try a boat chandler as I believe they are popular with boatists who can't access the sump bung.

[Vince70]

I have the pela 6000 pump and it works great...which after reading reviews etc seemed a good compromise between quality and cost..It pays for itself in no time if you have a car with an undertray..

 

But you have make sure you get the engine nice and warm before draining the oil (not hot) and don't stick the tube to far down the dipstick tube as you will have trouble getting all of the oil out. Plus the tube.

 

A lot of people who use them make a mark on the tube so that they know the sweet spot for draining the oil out..

 

I found the best place to order one was Mailspeed Marine.

[skattrd]

My local garage has one that connects to the air compressor and sucks the oil out. I've used it on gearboxes without sump plugs and on a couple of other occasions. It's handy for a quick and relatively clean oil change, but I still prefer to change oil the old fashioned way

[Mr Livered]

Yes, it's only for an interim oil change whilst my barn/workshop is blocked by immobile Hillman. I'm aware it might leave some gunk, but the next oil change will be done the traditional way. Cheers for the input and recommendations; I'll look into it

[eddyramrod]

My friend in Cyprus uses one of these regularly.  Oil changes are recommended at shorter intervals over there, because of sand contamination, so for a speedy solution, Andreas hooks the tank up to his compressor, feeds the tube down, and there y'go, job jobbed.  He did it many times on my fleet.

[Barry Cade]

I've got one,bought it when I had the Smart car as they have no sump plug... I use it a lot, especially for bleeding brakes, and priming diesel's when they have been drained. Everything, in fact, except changing oil...unless it's a VW with a dodgy sump thread. Was £15 off Ebay new and made for Lawnmowers- 4l capacity. Brilliant for bleeding MGF and X1/9 clutches.

[overrun]

Smart car. That's why I need to borrow my mates Pela 6000.

 

Did yours take 0w40, Tiff?

[Pillock]

I keep wanting to get one as I'm a bugger for stripping aluminium sump threads but I'm always put off by tales of leaving behind sludge and not pulling it all out. I guess for alternate services it'd be OK but I wouldn't use one all the time.

[overrun]

tails of leaving behind sludge and not pulling it all out.

 

EFA hurr hurr

[Vince70]

The thing is with most modern synthetic oils you don't get the sludge issues due to the cleaning agents in oils if you change them on a regular basis rather than long life servicing schedules...

 

Plus if you take your car into a garage for an oil change the chances are an oil pump will be used..

 

But then again I doubt if my pela pump would of dragged out the crap £3 a gallon 20/50 oil and grease/ sawdust mix that my cars were running 20 odd years ago.

[Bren]

I invested in the pela item when I could'nt undo the sump plug on my vectra - it had obviously been sucked out every service.

 

It is a bit slow, just means you can have a brew while you wait.

 

My father borrowed it for his diesel passat, as the oil filter  comes upwards there is no need to get under the car.

[Barry Cade]

Smart car. That's why I need to borrow my mates Pela 6000.

 

Did yours take 0w40, Tiff?

That's what it was supposed to take- It drunk the stuff so got 10w40. Bought with an iffy engine and repaired, ran great but hated the gearbox, so shifted it on.

[twosmoke300]

If it's a black di type Saab I would do my best to get it stinking hot and give it a proper oil change . They suffer from sludging so it makes sense to do it right.

I have sucked oil out of lots of cars in the past and its fine but just wary of doing it on a petrol saab

[Parky]

I have a Pela 6000 and found it excellent at doing 98 percent changes. It never seems to quite get all the oil out but I can now do an almost complete change on the daily In 20 minutes including oil filter.

 

Hot oil always sucks out more quickly than warm obviously but it's quick, clean, easy, and well worth the money IMHO.

[Mr Livered]

If it's a black di type Saab I would do my best to get it stinking hot and give it a proper oil change . They suffer from sludging so it makes sense to do it right.

I have sucked oil out of lots of cars in the past and its fine but just wary of doing it on a petrol saab

Nah, it's a proper Saab from well before the sludgey engines. Not that it guarantees there'll be no sludge or crud or crap or bits of goodness-knows-what in the oil, but there you go.

 

I bought a pump online yesterday, when I saw one for £45 which is about half the price of what I've seen elsewhere, and it has just arrived. I'll try it out tomorrow morning. It does look the part

 

 

Thanks very much to all for their input

[gordonbennet]

I had one of these on the Hilux, lean underneath pull and twist, drink tea whilst the oil drains into bowl, lean under click it back shut, job done.

 

http://www.quickvalve.co.uk/

 

Don't know if i'm allowed to post lnks, if not i've just tried (without success) to post a link for Fumoto oil drain valve.

[scooters]

very handy tools - I also have a pela one and also a compressed air one. 

Interim oil changes but not full ones

 

can also be used for priming pumpz

[Junkman]

The oil got into my engine the old fashioned way, hence it will be released the old fashioned way, i.e. via the drain plug.

It will never be done with my car being jacked up at the front, because this can potentially lead to a fair amount of the old oil remaining in the engine/sump.

I have not quite reached the age yet when I am going to pay someone to do this for me, while I'm watching him to make sure whether he is doing it correctly, but I find this concept more and more appealing. However, I already have reached the age, where I'm waiting in the club until he's done.

[Pillock]

I had one of these on the Hilux, lean underneath pull and twist, drink tea whilst the oil drains into bowl, lean under click it back shut, job done.

 

http://www.quickvalve.co.uk/

 

Don't know if i'm allowed to post lnks, if not i've just tried (without success) to post a link for Fumoto oil drain valve.

 

That looks quite interesting. I'd be interested to see one of these - doesn't look like it protrudes too far below the sump so ain't gonna get knocked off, and will fit behind an undertray. Manufacturers seem to like them. Wonder how likely it is the valve will "let go" and just dump the oil everywhere? I think that would be my concern.

[Bobthebeard]

Is all this just trying to solve a problem that isn't a problem? Sump plugs aren't exactly difficult (usually) to fathom out and undo surely?

[Pillock]

Blame moderns with steel plugs and aluminium sumps. I didn't service my Leon for 25k because I knew the next time I touched the sump plug it wouldn't seal, they rip out the threads so easily. And then you've got to deal with the undertray on an increasing amount of cars.

 

You're meant to use a new plug (£4) and washer (£1) for each service on VAG stuff so actually, if you go with a quick-release valve at £20, it's paid for itself by the fifth service. 

 

I'm very tempted by the valve, also found a different design: http://www.stahlbus.com/products/en/oil-drain-valve/index.php

[Mr Livered]

Is all this just trying to solve a problem that isn't a problem? Sump plugs aren't exactly difficult (usually) to fathom out and undo surely?

Just for an interim oil change. I change my shite's oil a lot, especially the Saab's, because those who are 'in the know' about these engines, and in particular the turbos, seem to say that mega-frequent changes (like every 3000 miles) is of genuine benefit. Therefore, I change the oil maybe 2 or 3 times for each time I do a proper service.

 

I want to change the Saab's oil because it's due, but also the other day I boiled the coolant when I was stuck in traffic and the switch for the electric fan failed. I always like to change the oil after overheating incidents. However, I only have one place in the barn where I can raise the car on axle stands, get underneath the car and do it properly.

 

With this pump, if all goes well, I'll be able to change the oil and filter quite quickly, on the street, without bothering to lift the car at all.

 

Edit: or were you talking about the valves that replace the sump plug? If so then you might be right, although it does seem pretty nifty and avoids the risk of stripping threads, as Pillock says, which I have done before.

[Bobthebeard]

Blame moderns with steel plugs and aluminium sumps. I didn't service my Leon for 25k because I knew the next time I touched the sump plug it wouldn't seal, they rip out the threads so easily. And then you've got to deal with the undertray on an increasing amount of cars.

 

You're meant to use a new plug (£4) and washer (£1) for each service on VAG stuff so actually, if you go with a quick-release valve at £20, it's paid for itself by the fifth service. 

 

I'm very tempted by the valve, also found a different design: http://www.stahlbus.com/products/en/oil-drain-valve/index.php

Man maths? If the quick release valve actually goes wrong and dumps the oil meanwhile......

[Pillock]

It pays for itself ON the fourth service, so you're in credit by the fifth one which is where you want to be

 

And yeah, if it lets go that's a few quid* more when you find yourself using air for lubrication at 70mph. Hence I'm hunting around for a few ideas of how reliable these are.... Jap manufacturers seem to like them and they're tested airtight to 1000psi.

[Junkman]

Is all this just trying to solve a problem that isn't a problem? Sump plugs aren't exactly difficult (usually) to fathom out and undo surely?

 

I experienced quite a few rounded off ones that were a right old bitch to undo.

Why some people tighten them up as if they hold the car together is beyond me.

[Vince70]

Is all this just trying to solve a problem that isn't a problem? Sump plugs aren't exactly difficult (usually) to fathom out and undo surely?

It's not just the sump plug it's also the under-tray that always seems a mission on modern motors to remove especially if you only have a crappy jack and a wonky drive.

[gordonbennet]

That looks quite interesting. I'd be interested to see one of these - doesn't look like it protrudes too far below the sump so ain't gonna get knocked off, and will fit behind an undertray. Manufacturers seem to like them. Wonder how likely it is the valve will "let go" and just dump the oil everywhere? I think that would be my concern.

 

Very well made, Japanese i believe.

 

Never leaked a drop, you could slip a Jubilee clip on it for peace of mind.

 

Best bit was not having the usual messy job of removing the sump plug and trying not to get oil everywhere...and not dropping the sodding plug in the drain bowl, which is where mine usually ends up and at least a cupful of oil up me sleeve.