I've never heard of this before

[Balog]

Reading a thread on another forum about oil changing and one guy mentioned he uses this. http://www.pelaproducts.com/description.htm

Seems like it wouldn't get all of the particulates that settle to the bottom of the pan as well as draining it would. Anyone have any experience with these?

[K Frame]

The counter to that is that you get the oil warmed up and moving through the system, and that puts the particulates into suspension where it can be easily removed with the suction.

I've seen a similar unit that uses an air compressor to do the pumping.

I've thought about getting one because I'm very limited in where I can change my oil (community regs) and the new Subaru's oil pain is a real pain in the ass to get to because of all the air dams.

[Marnoot]

I've thought about getting one of these before however I'd still have to put the car and van up on ramps to get at the oil filter, at which point it doesn't really save me any effort. I did put one of those oil drain valves (http://www.fumotousa.com/) on my minivan's oil pan though, which saves me a couple steps at least.

[French G.]

I thought everyone changed their oil hot.

[Balog]

I thought everyone changed their oil hot.

I do, which is why it'd be nice to not have to unscrew a drain plug and get the hot oil on my hands. :)

[K Frame]

I had one of the Fumoto valves on the old Subaru. It was really nice, but it could be a real pain at times because it could clog up with road dirt and would have to be flushed before you could operate it.

I don't think, with where the air dams are on the new Sub, that one of those valves would work.

[Tallpine]

I thought everyone changed their oil hot.

The oil in our car is probably pretty hot by the time we drive it to the shop in town.  

[Balog]

I've thought about getting one of these before however I'd still have to put the car and van up on ramps to get at the oil filter, at which point it doesn't really save me any effort. I did put one of those oil drain valves (http://www.fumotousa.com/) on my minivan's oil pan though, which saves me a couple steps at least.

I wonder if that's really much better than a standard locking ball valve?

[Marnoot]

Yeah, the valves' usefulness varies by the design of one's particular oil pan placement. So far I've had good luck with the one on my van not getting any grime in there, hopefully that continues to hold true.

The oil pumps certainly seem to be a cleaner arrangement as far as keeping any oil off hands and concrete (at least from the pan).

I wonder if that's really much better than a standard locking ball valve?

If they have locking ball valves that match your oil pan's bolt diameter and thread pitch, I'd guess it's pretty much the same thing.

[Balog]

I was thinking of using a close nipple, but that's a good point that the pan may use non-standard threads.

[vaskidmark]

Reading a thread on another forum about oil changing and one guy mentioned he uses this. http://www.pelaproducts.com/description.htm

Seems like it wouldn't get all of the particulates that settle to the bottom of the pan as well as draining it would. Anyone have any experience with these?

Seems that if it really, really sucks it could get anything left on the bottom.

But does it suck as much as a Dyson?

stay safe.

[Boomhauer]

Those are ok if you cant change the oil easily (marine engines being a very good example) but I will stick with changing my oil the old fashioned way since Im going up under there anyway to change the filter and grease everything

[230RN]

Datsun 240Z bought off a salvage lot for $201, "poor man's Jaguar," they called it.  First thing, change the oil.  Drain plug seized.

Had to use a squeeze-handled vacuum pump down the dipstick pipe.  Pain in the patootie.  "My, what a strong grip you have."  Hands cramped up.  

Found later oil drain plug was wrong thread, metric v English or vice-versa, don't know or care which, but previous wrecktician had forced it in and used two washers for sealing.

Chased threads with needle file.  All OK then.  Sorta.  Still needed two washers, but torque-in-and-out-able thereafter.

Finally got it all running right, especially after I overhauled the SU carbs, but man, was that a fun car to drive.  Had to watch the overheating, though.  Later models had a bigger radiator. Commuted to Denver with it for a year or so.  I was getting pretty dangerous with it.  There was one traffic light on Fox just before an overpass and I used to chirp into second gear just under the overpass to hear the echoes.

Then there was the serpentine curves on Wewatta Street by the railroad tracks with a 25 speed limit.

Ha!

Satisfied my Inner Andretti.

Terry

[Brad Johnson]

But does it suck as much as a Dyson?

Dyson's motto should be "We suck because we don't suck".

Brad

[Cliffh]

Datsun 240Z bought off a salvage lot for $201, "poor man's Jaguar," they called it.  First thing, change the oil.  Drain plug seized.

Had to use a squeeze-handled vacuum pump down the dipstick pipe.  Pain in the patootie.  "My, what a strong grip you have."  Hands cramped up. 

Found later oil drain plug was wrong thread, metric v English or vice-versa, don't know or care which, but previous wrecktician had forced it in and used two washers for sealing.

Chased threads with needle file.  All OK then.  Sorta.  Still needed two washers, but torque-in-and-out-able thereafter.

Finally got it all running right, especially after I overhauled the SU carbs, but man, was that a fun car to drive.  Had to watch the overheating, though.  Later models had a bigger radiator. Commuted to Denver with it for a year or so.  I was getting pretty dangerous with it.  There was one traffic light on Fox just before an overpass and I used to chirp into second gear just under the overpass to hear the echoes.

Then there was the serpentine curves on Wewatta Street by the railroad tracks with a 25 speed limit.

Ha!

Satisfied my Inner Andretti.

Terry

Top Sgt had one of those.  He too thought it was fast.  Offered to race him on a twisty road, his 240 against my '66 Nova.  He claimed he fouled a spark plug....

[230RN]

^
<off topic>

Well, it's not a "muscle car" in that sense, but it had gears, was pretty light, and that straight-6 engine was... I don't know, "magical."  Supposedly copied off the Mercedes straight-six.

There was one place in Denver in my commute home where there was a two-lane left turn which immediately merged into one lane after you made the turn.  You could tell when the guy next to you intended to beat you out to the single lane.

Sort of like a curved drag-race track.

I always surprised them.

Busted the linkage to the transmission power-shfting into third one day and even though it was a simple repair, the small amount of wisdom in my head overcame the large amount of testosterone between my legs and I decided to give it to my sons for parts --they both had Z-cars, too. 

I guess I finally grew up that day.  I'm glad I broke the car before it broke me.

</off topic>

Terry

[Cliffh]

Being in my second childhood, I'd like to have a 240Z.

[zahc]

We had a similar-looking, but metal, oil extractor that we used for changing oil on boats. They work...slowly. The key is to get them started and go do something else.

If the car has a drain plug, I would use it and not bother with the oil extractor.

I love when competing theories both sound reasonable, and the "hot vs cold oil change" is one my my favorites.