gmcjetpilot
Well Known Member
OK don't bash me... OK bash me. But I am curious if anyone has considered it or done an oil change on their LYC with an oil extractor. I use one all the time on my cars. I can change my oil on my VW in under 15 mins, not get dirty or have to lay on the ground or get hot oil on my had.
CAR - The old fashion way, get car jacks out and jack car, take out a dozen + bolts to remove aero belly pan, wrestle pan out from under car, get oil catch pan in position, pull the drain plug letting it blurb into open catch pan, wait, carefully slide catch pan out trying not to slosh, put drain plug back and torque (use new washer), wrestle aero pan back under car and try to align it and install dozen bolts, crawl out from under car, lower car, put jacks away.... change oil filter (which is on top). Add oil to crankcase. That takes about hour and more tools and monkey motions.
CAR Continued - The easy way with extractor, forget jacks and no need to remove belly aero pan and associated hex drive tool. I pull dipstick and put extractor hose in, goes to very bottom of pan, can hear and feel it. Since plug is in front corner of oil pan, I park in a way oil pools in front corner. (*Read below on difference in amount drained between methods). I pump the extractor to suck oil out. It takes about 4-5 minutes to pull all oil out. In the mean time, I change the oil filter which is upfront on top cartridge type (not spin on). By the time I change the filter the oil pan is drained, as the extractor is slurping up the last bit. I remove the extractor hose, put in dipstick. From the fill port over valves, I pour in the exact amount of oil needed. Start, look for leaks. Check for level. I am done in 15 minutes and never had to get on ground or get jacks out. ALSO the oil is in a sealed container of extractor not an open pan. I can take it to Auto-Parts-R-US and dump oil with no spill.....
* What is the difference in oil removed drain plug vs extractor. On my VW Diesel it is a few ounces (2-3 oz max). However the oil filter housing has a pocket at bottom that does not drain. I use the extractor to get all the oil out of the filter housing. That is about 1 to 1.5 ounces. Not a big difference, but the drain plug does squeak out a few more ounces. Many car manufactures and dealers only recommend use of oil extractors now. I think in some cases (German of course) there is really little choice, you have to extract from the top.
NOW TO AIRPLANES.... OK I get it, this is not something you want to do all the time. TCM and Lyc recommend 50 hrs or every 3 to 4 months between oil changes. With most not flying that often 25 hours per 3/mo is not uncommon. Personally I change at 25 hrs to 35 hours. OK what if I go to 50 hrs for full meal deal oil and filter change, but at 25 hrs just swap oil out with extractor, with cowl on. Everytime I cut a filter open it's pretty. I can always do oil sample on oil I extract. Would be be accurate? Well I think most oil analysis folks ask you to not take the first bit of oil right.... I think extracting, will provide a decent sample?
What are the PROS and CONS of using an oil extractor?
One PRO is you can change the oil alone without removing the cowl.
Two CONS is with cowl on you can't change oil filter and can't do under cowl inspection.
What are you thoughts. Any place, justification, advantage of using an extractor on your Lyc vs drain plug. Most of the work is getting the cowl off and reinstalling it. Many GA planes allow you to drain oil and replace filter with cowl on. For me the biggest reason to remove cowl is inspecting under the cowl, regardless of oil change. RV's all you can see is a peekaboo around dipstick/filter door and cowl exit area... not much.
Thoughts?
CAR - The old fashion way, get car jacks out and jack car, take out a dozen + bolts to remove aero belly pan, wrestle pan out from under car, get oil catch pan in position, pull the drain plug letting it blurb into open catch pan, wait, carefully slide catch pan out trying not to slosh, put drain plug back and torque (use new washer), wrestle aero pan back under car and try to align it and install dozen bolts, crawl out from under car, lower car, put jacks away.... change oil filter (which is on top). Add oil to crankcase. That takes about hour and more tools and monkey motions.
CAR Continued - The easy way with extractor, forget jacks and no need to remove belly aero pan and associated hex drive tool. I pull dipstick and put extractor hose in, goes to very bottom of pan, can hear and feel it. Since plug is in front corner of oil pan, I park in a way oil pools in front corner. (*Read below on difference in amount drained between methods). I pump the extractor to suck oil out. It takes about 4-5 minutes to pull all oil out. In the mean time, I change the oil filter which is upfront on top cartridge type (not spin on). By the time I change the filter the oil pan is drained, as the extractor is slurping up the last bit. I remove the extractor hose, put in dipstick. From the fill port over valves, I pour in the exact amount of oil needed. Start, look for leaks. Check for level. I am done in 15 minutes and never had to get on ground or get jacks out. ALSO the oil is in a sealed container of extractor not an open pan. I can take it to Auto-Parts-R-US and dump oil with no spill.....
* What is the difference in oil removed drain plug vs extractor. On my VW Diesel it is a few ounces (2-3 oz max). However the oil filter housing has a pocket at bottom that does not drain. I use the extractor to get all the oil out of the filter housing. That is about 1 to 1.5 ounces. Not a big difference, but the drain plug does squeak out a few more ounces. Many car manufactures and dealers only recommend use of oil extractors now. I think in some cases (German of course) there is really little choice, you have to extract from the top.
NOW TO AIRPLANES.... OK I get it, this is not something you want to do all the time. TCM and Lyc recommend 50 hrs or every 3 to 4 months between oil changes. With most not flying that often 25 hours per 3/mo is not uncommon. Personally I change at 25 hrs to 35 hours. OK what if I go to 50 hrs for full meal deal oil and filter change, but at 25 hrs just swap oil out with extractor, with cowl on. Everytime I cut a filter open it's pretty. I can always do oil sample on oil I extract. Would be be accurate? Well I think most oil analysis folks ask you to not take the first bit of oil right.... I think extracting, will provide a decent sample?
What are the PROS and CONS of using an oil extractor?
One PRO is you can change the oil alone without removing the cowl.
Two CONS is with cowl on you can't change oil filter and can't do under cowl inspection.
What are you thoughts. Any place, justification, advantage of using an extractor on your Lyc vs drain plug. Most of the work is getting the cowl off and reinstalling it. Many GA planes allow you to drain oil and replace filter with cowl on. For me the biggest reason to remove cowl is inspecting under the cowl, regardless of oil change. RV's all you can see is a peekaboo around dipstick/filter door and cowl exit area... not much.
Thoughts?
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