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oil change mess

brian257

Well Known Member
I have on my planes always accepted the fact that changing the oil filter results in a mess with oil dripping on the floor and the firewall and I have compensated with oil dry on the floor and washing down the firewall and back of the engine with gas after it is done. Now I am starting to do more oil changes for others and I am getting paid and working on expensive planes in hangers with floors you can eat off of so I need to do it without the mess.

I have seen various devices to punch holes in the filter and drain them before removing, bib arrangements to catch the oil so it doesn't drip everywhere, and other methods. Can any of you comment on what would be best for me to buy to do filter changes without the mess that works on RVs and also a wide variety of other certified and experimental planes?
 
plastic bag

Lots of tips on this site in other threads. I find a giant ziplock bag to work very well.
 
One thing that helps keep the mess to a minimum is the Form-A-Funnel Flexible Draining Tool. Comes in various sizes. Works great.


And these oil filter bibs work fairly well:


The form a funnel is the bomb. Get the longer version and you can make it drain well clear of every part of your airplane into a bucket. Works for either the standard rear facing oil filter adapter or the 90* adapter.

Ed Holyoke
 
I use the oil filter drain device sold by Vans (TOOL FILTER DRAIN). It is an aluminum tray with a string that can be used to hold it in place. There is a hose that attaches to the back to run into a pan or bucket. It is a little tricky to get in place with the rear prop governor, but I can swap out a filter without spilling a drop.

Also, because no plan is perfect I put down a large plastic sheet (goes to both wheels and and at least 3 feet in length). Most of the time I don't spill anything, but when I do it isn't an issue.
 
Large zip-loc sandwich bag from your local supermarket. Pull it over the filter and unscrew it inside the bag.

It takes some practice, but the location the oil spews from is pretty obvious and predictable, and you should be able to finish up with the filter sitting in a puddle of oil at the bottom of the bag, and no leakage anywhere else.

Be careful with puncturing the bag on the lockwire lugs as you twist, a hole kinda ruins outcome :)

Once the inside of the bag has oil all over it, it'll try to stick to the filter case as you twist it. Just be patient and make sure the bag stays aligned and it'll all work out fine.

- mark
 
I made this tool about 25 years ago, took me maybe all of 30 minutes to make it from scrap aluminum and it has been used ever since, on my plane and others. I never spill a single drop of oil when removing the oil filter.

oil1.JPG


Here is an end view:

oil2.JPG


One end nestles up under the oil filter, the other end hangs out to the side and holds a plastic cup that the oil drains into.

Here is the detailed view of the end that nestles under the oil filter:

oil3.JPG


Takes just a coupe of seconds to slide it in from the right hand side:

oil4.JPG


oil5.JPG


Now unscrew the oil filter a couple of turns, just enough to get the oil to run out into the "V" groove and drain down into the plastic cup. You can see the oil running down the slide.

oil6.JPG


Right into the cup.

oil7.JPG



Wait a little bit, then unscrew the filter a little more, to increase the flow as needed. In about 10 minutes you are all done. Unscrew the filter the rest of the way, wipe the lip as you go. And it's out. Remove the slide and cup and you're done.
 
Someone makes (made?) a tool which is basically a fitting mounted on a hose clamp (not the Tempest one), which has a length of PCV tubing attached. One punches a small hole in the filter with the tool that came with it, straps on that fitting, and loosens the filter 180 degrees. I make another small hole in the side that is now up. Then I let it drain overnight. The next day the filter will come off without a drop spilled. Not sure if this tool is still in production - a quick search was unproductive.

For the oil screen, I have a similar "chute" to one pictured earlier made from thin aluminum. This catches most, but taking the screen out without a mess it a bit tough.
 
Use one quart plastic milk bottle on RV4

I lay a one quart plastic milk bottle on its side with the plastic handle down and cut the top half off tapering down away from the handle side. Leave cap on. Cut so the tapered corner still has a small edge. Stick it in sideways and it fits nicely under the spin-on filter at the front of the filter. Back the filter out a couple turns and let the oil drip for a couple minutes until the residual oil is gone. Spin off the filter and turn it up as you remove it. Usually only a drop or two hit the floor.
 
just pack a bunch of absorbent material under the filter and let it rip. takes about 5 seconds to remove after unscrewed. :D
 
I made this tool about 25 years ago, took me maybe all of 30 minutes to make it from scrap aluminum and it has been used ever since, on my plane and others. I never spill a single drop of oil when removing the oil filter.

oil1.JPG


Here is an end view:

oil2.JPG


One end nestles up under the oil filter, the other end hangs out to the side and holds a plastic cup that the oil drains into.

Here is the detailed view of the end that nestles under the oil filter:

oil3.JPG


Takes just a coupe of seconds to slide it in from the right hand side:

oil4.JPG


oil5.JPG


Now unscrew the oil filter a couple of turns, just enough to get the oil to run out into the "V" groove and drain down into the plastic cup. You can see the oil running down the slide.

oil6.JPG


Right into the cup.

oil7.JPG



Wait a little bit, then unscrew the filter a little more, to increase the flow as needed. In about 10 minutes you are all done. Unscrew the filter the rest of the way, wipe the lip as you go. And it's out. Remove the slide and cup and you're done.

Same as what we have been doing on all our aircraft for decades. Works very well.
We have a couple of different custom made channels for specific aircraft.
 
Lots of great ideas here! I made a little tray from .025 AL that fits under the oil filter. I glued an AN hose fitting into the end opposite from the filter with a hose attached going down. But it's still somewhat fussy to get in and out, most of these ideas look better.

At one point I bought one of those Tempest devices that Aircraft Spruce sells -- barely got into trying to use it before it became apparent that it wouldn't work in the confined space of my engine compartment. It also came with a clear hose that was completely compromised (permanently kinked) from the way it was packaged. So, 34 bucks down the drain there.
 
Lots of great ideas here! I made a little tray from .025 AL that fits under the oil filter. I glued an AN hose fitting into the end opposite from the filter with a hose attached going down. But it's still somewhat fussy to get in and out, most of these ideas look better.

At one point I bought one of those Tempest devices that Aircraft Spruce sells -- barely got into trying to use it before it became apparent that it wouldn't work in the confined space of my engine compartment. It also came with a clear hose that was completely compromised (permanently kinked) from the way it was packaged. So, 34 bucks down the drain there.

That tube can be replaced for under $2 at any ACE hardware store.
 
+1 for the Form-a-funnel, that is the only foolproof way I have been able to do it on the -10 (and I've tried all the other ways).

Well, foolproof if you secure the container the oil runs into well enough. Figured that one out the hard way, too.

Though I have to say Dave's metal contraption above looks very interesting - probably easier to get in place. May have to try that.
 
That tube can be replaced for under $2 at any ACE hardware store.
Thanks - the tube thing was merely annoying but the main thing is there are better and cheaper ways as this thread has shown.

EDIT: PS. For sale, tempest oil filter drain tool repackaged but never used, $20 plus shipping PM me :D
 
Last edited:
using alu BBQ foil containers...

Position below the filter, unscrew filter, let oil fill the container, finger tighten filter, guide between obstacle maze, empty, repeat and now leave filter in container, continue standard maintenance inspection.

Good things about those BBQ accessories: available in most place, even some fuel stations stock them, cheap, different sizes available, malleable, recyclable or just use it for your next piece of dead animal since it’s now preoiled :D
 
I thought I would out smart the mess by installing a remote Airwolf filter on my fire wall facing up. Well, the hoses come in from the top and as soon as I unscrew and break the seal, oil come gushing out draining the hoses. Tried bag, form-afunnel, poking a hole to drain filter, poke hole through case and filter media to drain inside of filter but still got a mess. Issue always is the long screw thread length to get filter off and takes too much time that allows oil to siphon out. (Why is that so long?) Best I can do is all the above at once and I can now typically get through my oil change with minimal oil cleanup.
 
Oil mess

I watched an experienced A&P slide a 3/4” aluminum angle under the filter and have it extend beyond the cowl and over a bucket. Loosen the filter until the oil begins to come out the bottom and let it slowly flow down the angle until it stops . May take 10 -20 minutes.
 
I use some aluminum foil to catch and make a path for the oil to drain from the filter to a container that I safety-wire to the engine mount. This is on my C180. Different engine but the same situation.


Then I use a #1 Phillips screwdriver and a small 8 oz. hammer to poke a hole in the filter. Unscrew the filter just enough to let air in and orient the drain hole down, and when it's empty, remove the container and the aluminum foil.

It takes very little if any wiping to clean things up afterwards.

By the way, thanks, Philip, for the info on the Airwolf remote filter. I was planning to install one on my RV-3B project. I'll have to rethink that installation now.

Dave
 
By the way, thanks, Philip, for the info on the Airwolf remote filter. I was planning to install one on my RV-3B project. I'll have to rethink that installation now.
Dave

I've got an ADC remote filter mount but with the filter oriented down. It's located low on the firewall and makes changing the filter a piece of cake. It wasn't cheap but after 16 years of changing filters I would've paid a good bit more.
 
We just use a gallon ziploc bag tucked up under there. Just spin it off without a care. We don't use anything else, and never loose a drop.
 
We just use a gallon ziploc bag tucked up under there. Just spin it off without a care. We don't use anything else, and never loose a drop.

This is what I do. Though, yesterday I didn't wait long enough and the engine was too hot and melted the plastic bag. First time I made a mess. Consider yourself warned;)

Larry
 
Someone makes (made?) a tool which is basically a fitting mounted on a hose clamp (not the Tempest one), which has a length of PCV tubing attached. One punches a small hole in the filter with the tool that came with it, straps on that fitting, and loosens the filter 180 degrees. I make another small hole in the side that is now up. Then I let it drain overnight. The next day the filter will come off without a drop spilled. Not sure if this tool is still in production - a quick search was unproductive.

For the oil screen, I have a similar "chute" to one pictured earlier made from thin aluminum. This catches most, but taking the screen out without a mess it a bit tough.

I bought one of those tools but it was too difficult to use due to clearance issues. A 1 gallon ziplock has worked OK, but I’ve had the best luck with punching a hole in the top of the filter with a nail and taking a (long) lunch break. The remaining oil is so little, a shop paper towel catches it all.
 
I do the same as Dave above. After trying multiple products, I found a modified L-channel piece of aluminum and a little patients letting it drip into a bucket is the cleanest and easiest method to change oil. Never spills a drop, nothing on my hands. It just takes a little longer.

David
 
Dave,
Those are really great pictures! Do you use Smug Mug? If so, what size do you use to post?
Thanks!
SteveL
 
Dave,
Those are really great pictures! Do you use Smug Mug? If so, what size do you use to post?
Thanks!
SteveL

I purchase a web hosting plan thru an ISP and I host the images there. I always resize the images for VAF to either 960 or 1024 pixels wide per Doug Reeve's recommendation.

Dave
 
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