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EZ-DRAIN - Emptying (horizontal) Oil Filter
- Thread starter HFS
- Start date
I just got one of these from HFS yesterday, and really look forward to trying it out - but unfortunately, I fairly recently changed oil on both of our airplanes with horizontal filters, so it’ll be at least a few months before I get to use it in anger....but I’ll report back when I do!
Paul
Paul
Soooo...if its a taildragger, and all the wheels are on the ground, the back of the oil filter ) on a horizontal filter mount) is going to be measurably lower than the engine end. Punching a hole at the low end and draining from there should keep the oil from flowing uphill, I’d think.
Nose draggers - ya’ll can argue this out among yourselves!
(My nose dragger doesn’t have a Lycoming...)
BH1166
Well Known Member
US Tool
Here is link to their filter drain tool. Bummed they require a $100 minimum order.
https://www.ustool.com/tp433-oil-change-accessories-p-3991.html
Here is link to their filter drain tool. Bummed they require a $100 minimum order.
https://www.ustool.com/tp433-oil-change-accessories-p-3991.html
Last edited:
EZ-DRAIN Followup
I didn't mean to "plagiarize" the name - it's just what came to me at the time (25+ years ago).
For my particular situation - first a -4 and then an HR II (both with horizontal filter locations), there isn't much room underneath the filter (because of the rudder "shelf" on the FW) for any draining device - so that's the reason for the 90* elbow. It allows a direction change for the drain tube in the least distance - in my Rocket there is about 3/4" between the underside of the filter and the top of the FW recess, not much room to fit an adequate drainage device.
My idea was just to show a simple MYO solution to a problem that plagues us "horizontal" folks.
Even if they were available back then, both of the links shown above would not clear under my filter when it is rotated down for the drain "cycle".
Total parts cost is about $3.00 - most expensive is the hose clamp (and you might already have one laying around somewhere) @ $1.75, the O-ring is $.25, and the vinyl tubing is around a buck. YMMV of course - but these numbers will be close.
HFS
I didn't mean to "plagiarize" the name - it's just what came to me at the time (25+ years ago).
For my particular situation - first a -4 and then an HR II (both with horizontal filter locations), there isn't much room underneath the filter (because of the rudder "shelf" on the FW) for any draining device - so that's the reason for the 90* elbow. It allows a direction change for the drain tube in the least distance - in my Rocket there is about 3/4" between the underside of the filter and the top of the FW recess, not much room to fit an adequate drainage device.
My idea was just to show a simple MYO solution to a problem that plagues us "horizontal" folks.
Even if they were available back then, both of the links shown above would not clear under my filter when it is rotated down for the drain "cycle".
Total parts cost is about $3.00 - most expensive is the hose clamp (and you might already have one laying around somewhere) @ $1.75, the O-ring is $.25, and the vinyl tubing is around a buck. YMMV of course - but these numbers will be close.
HFS
Mike S
Senior Curmudgeon
Reading the instructions, it feels like drilling holes in the filter would contaminate the filter element with metallic chips.
For folks who have done this - do the drill chips confound your visual inspection of the filter element after removing the filter and cutting it open?
For folks who have done this - do the drill chips confound your visual inspection of the filter element after removing the filter and cutting it open?
No it has not for the last 20-years I have been doing it. It is easy to identify what you just drilled out.
rzbill
Well Known Member
A piece of 1" aluminum angle works for me. It just happens that my firewall stuff facilitates securely laying the angle such that it forms a descending trough from under the oil filter/engine joint all the way out to my drain pan sitting on a roll-around cart. Crack the filter open a couple of turns and go do something else while it drains. At the end, I stand the angle up against the wall so it finishes draining into the pan for a couple of days.
What is @this thing”?
If you want to keep it simple, I've found that if you pack the area under the filter with towels or rags and spin the filter off as fast as you can, almost all of the oil gets contained. To each his own, but cleaning up what little oil drips off is easier than the alternative to me.
One more for form-a-funnel. I've been using one for the last 3 years and really like it. I think I got the idea here on some former post.
It REALLY is ingenious! Best thing is, when you're done, just wipe it down and its ready for the next time. And the length allows you to drain the oil away from the engine and you don't have to fuss with getting the shape right each time. Just put a pan up on a stool, insert half-pipe under the edge of the filter/engine lip, unscrew the filter and let it run.
+1. Super useful gadgets.
I have always placed a plastic bag under/around the filter, then remove it and all the oil goes in the bag. Simple and cheap.
I haven't experienced very much success with this method ........ always seems to make a mess, sometimes larger than other times. But it's what I use until I can find another method. I'll probably try the form-a-funnel method next time.
Time to start pulling the nose wheel up on a block of wood when I do oil changes!Soooo...if its a taildragger, and all the wheels are on the ground, the back of the oil filter ) on a horizontal filter mount) is going to be measurably lower than the engine end. Punching a hole at the low end and draining from there should keep the oil from flowing uphill, I’d think.
Nose draggers - ya’ll can argue this out among yourselves!
The form-a-funnel is the one technique that’s allowed me to achieve zero mess. Gravity is the key. The oil “wants” to drain from a single spot where the filter unscrews, and every other technique I’ve used ends up multiplying those spots.
Yeah, I tried the bag once. I'd have been better off just letting it drain straight out the hole onto the engine and floor.
