Draining the Oil Filter / How not to make a mess

[AlexPeterson]

Originally Posted by Ironflight

Question Alex....straight back filter, or angle adapter (sticking up at a 45 degree to the side, "mouth" down)? Just want to make sure we're not talking apples and oranges...

Paul

Straight back, tricycle gear.

[sf3543]

I have the same set up as Paul. The 45 degree adaptor, with a spacer, on a TD RV8.
The last time I changed oil, I did the following and the oil did drain out of the filter.
With a still warm engine, I punched a hole in the top rear of the oil filter. While draining the oil, I lifted the tail and left it in the up position for about an hour. Then put the tail back on the ground and let everything drain over night. The next day, I took off the filter, expecting a bunch of oil, but it was almost dry.
I was getting oil from the filter in previous oil changes, but I didn't use this sequence, so I don't know if this is a fluke, or not. At any rate, at least the filter is easy to get at.

[Ironflight]

Originally Posted by sf3543

I have the same set up as Paul. The 45 degree adaptor, with a spacer, on a TD RV8.
The last time I changed oil, I did the following and the oil did drain out of the filter.
With a still warm engine, I punched a hole in the top rear of the oil filter. While draining the oil, I lifted the tail and left it in the up position for about an hour. Then put the tail back on the ground and let everything drain over night. The next day, I took off the filter, expecting a bunch of oil, but it was almost dry.
I was getting oil from the filter in previous oil changes, but I didn't use this sequence, so I don't know if this is a fluke, or not. At any rate, at least the filter is easy to get at.

I had this exact same experience on one oil change, a few chanegs back Steve...it gave me hope that I was coming up with a clean system....Alas, when I repeated it the next time, the silly filter dumped all over again....

Paul

[Rolly9]

What's the trick to changing the oil w/out getting it all over everything?
Rolly Clark

[Geico266]

Originally Posted by Rolly9

What's the trick to changing the oil w/out getting it all over everything?
Rolly Clark

Rotate the plane 180 degrees. If that is alot of work or your hanger is not tall enough you can loosen the oil filter, place a plastic bag over it and take it off the rest of the way. Works for me, just take your time.

Draining oil out of the sump is easy. Just make a gutter out of something and wire it in place.

[N941WR]

Rolly,

Changing the oil is easy, you just gotta have the right helper.



The trick is to get the filter off. I do the same thing Larry does, use a bag, not tip the plane up on its nose.

[Chino Tom]

Ditto on the plastic bags. I use the the grocery store kind. Slide one handle over the filter after you have loosened it. I have about 5 years of oil change bags stored before they outlaw them here in the peoples republic of CA.

[N55CU]

Only relief on oil filter droppage is to drain it cold with no oil in the filter. But then the oil analysis people tell you that you have a high fuel content in the oil because you must not have warmed the oil properly! Smart guy's the analysis people! To save the mess when I remove the oil screen is to cut a water bottle at an angle and place it beneath the screen when I back it out and that catches about a whole bottle worth of oil.
Randy Utsey
RV-7
N55CU
Charlotte, N.C.

[rwhittier]

Originally Posted by Rolly9

What's the trick to changing the oil w/out getting it all over everything?
Rolly Clark

A long time ago with a 0-360-A4K I used to make a heck of a mess when changing oil filters. That darn horizontal filter mount was impossible get drained enough to not make a mess.

Then I found a kit that worked pretty good. It was a punch, a hose and a large hose clamp. The clamp had a nipple with an O Ring installed in it. Punch the hole in the top of the filter, put the clamp around it and put the nipple into the small hole you just punched into it. Install the drain hose and rotate the filter half way so the hole is on the bottom side. Then go home and let the oil drain from the filter. What little oil was left was easy to contain with a shop rag.

ACS sells a better version than the one I described here

[Joe Hine]

To prevent the mess from the oil filter, I made a "V" shaped piece of aluminum scrap, long enough to go from the bottom of the filter to the side of the aircraft, I loosen the filter just enough for the oil to start leaking out. It hits the aluminum and is directed to the side where it drips into a bucket. Don't get a drop on the firewall. There is even a handy hose under the filter to rest it on so I don't have to hold it.

The channel is about two inches wide, and bent into a gentle "V". I think I got the idea in this site a couple of years ago

Cheers.

Joe Hine
RV4 C-FYTQ
Fredericton NB
Canada