Oil extractor pumps...
Discussion
Are the manual ones or the electronic ones better. I have recently bought a couple of older cars and would like to do simple maintenence myself. One of them is a VAG Tdi and I'm sure from memory the oil filter is accessible from the top of the engine so an extractor pump of some sort seems a no brainer. I have no garage or off street parking.
I have a VAG 3.0tdi (excellent engine BTW) and change the oil and filter every 5k miles.
I looked at all the expensive ones, Sealey et al, and just plumped for a cheapo pump up jobbie off Ebay which is probably the same anyway - cost around £50 and works a treat, it's all you need.
I can do an oil and filter change on the drive in around 15 minutes, top mounted filter helps. Get the proper Bosch filter and buy Millers VAG oil from Opies, they take around 7.5 litres so you need 10 litres but next change you only need to buy 5 litres.
Great insurance.
I looked at all the expensive ones, Sealey et al, and just plumped for a cheapo pump up jobbie off Ebay which is probably the same anyway - cost around £50 and works a treat, it's all you need.
I can do an oil and filter change on the drive in around 15 minutes, top mounted filter helps. Get the proper Bosch filter and buy Millers VAG oil from Opies, they take around 7.5 litres so you need 10 litres but next change you only need to buy 5 litres.
Great insurance.
I've had a Pela 6000 for years and don't see any need for an electric one, it's just adding complexity to a really simple job.
The Pela I have packs back neatly in its box when finished with and is easy to use.
Warm engine up a bit to thin the oil, assemble the pump and reservoir, stick tube down dip stick hole and give it about 10 easy pumps. 10 secs later and the filthy oil will start to flow. Go and put the kettle on and make a brew.
You'll probably need to give it another 10 pumps as the vacuum drops and it you have more than 5 litres to remove just pull the suction tube up a couple of inches, use the supplied spout (which pours nice and cleanly) to empty the reservoir and then suck the remainder out.
Took longer to type that than do it in reality.
Mine gets used for all sorts of things. Lawnmowers, cars, emptying fuel out of small machines tanks etc.
As long as the tube will fit down the dipstick hole then you are good. I've used it on various VW/Audi models from 1998 onwards without any issues.
The Pela I have packs back neatly in its box when finished with and is easy to use.
Warm engine up a bit to thin the oil, assemble the pump and reservoir, stick tube down dip stick hole and give it about 10 easy pumps. 10 secs later and the filthy oil will start to flow. Go and put the kettle on and make a brew.
You'll probably need to give it another 10 pumps as the vacuum drops and it you have more than 5 litres to remove just pull the suction tube up a couple of inches, use the supplied spout (which pours nice and cleanly) to empty the reservoir and then suck the remainder out.
Took longer to type that than do it in reality.
Mine gets used for all sorts of things. Lawnmowers, cars, emptying fuel out of small machines tanks etc.
As long as the tube will fit down the dipstick hole then you are good. I've used it on various VW/Audi models from 1998 onwards without any issues.
They're brilliant but I've been through three of them and find they only last a couple of years no matter which brand you buy, all vacuum pump ones for flexibility.
In fact I need to buy a new one now, my Sealey has stopped working, and I am considering trying an electric one but needed a battery nearby could be a chore at times.
ETA just bought this cheapy one on offer
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0DYHBVGDH?psc=1&s...
Larger capacity would be ideal, plenty of my cars have over 7 litres of oil or ATF, but stopping half way to empty it is no great chore and certainly better than rolling around and getting oil up your arm from a sump drain plug.
In fact I need to buy a new one now, my Sealey has stopped working, and I am considering trying an electric one but needed a battery nearby could be a chore at times.
ETA just bought this cheapy one on offer
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0DYHBVGDH?psc=1&s...
Larger capacity would be ideal, plenty of my cars have over 7 litres of oil or ATF, but stopping half way to empty it is no great chore and certainly better than rolling around and getting oil up your arm from a sump drain plug.
Edited by GeniusOfLove on Friday 24th July 10:25
GeniusOfLove said:
They're brilliant but I've been through three of them and find they only last a couple of years no matter which brand you buy, all vacuum pump ones for flexibility.
In fact I need to buy a new one now, my Sealey has stopped working, and I am considering trying an electric one but needed a battery nearby could be a chore at times.
ETA just bought this cheapy one on offer
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0DYHBVGDH?psc=1&s...
Larger capacity would be ideal, plenty of my cars have over 7 litres of oil or ATF, but stopping half way to empty it is no great chore and certainly better than rolling around and getting oil up your arm from a sump drain plug.
Thanks for this. I'll add one to end of month shopping list...In fact I need to buy a new one now, my Sealey has stopped working, and I am considering trying an electric one but needed a battery nearby could be a chore at times.
ETA just bought this cheapy one on offer
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0DYHBVGDH?psc=1&s...
Larger capacity would be ideal, plenty of my cars have over 7 litres of oil or ATF, but stopping half way to empty it is no great chore and certainly better than rolling around and getting oil up your arm from a sump drain plug.
Edited by GeniusOfLove on Friday 24th July 10:25
biggbn said:
GeniusOfLove said:
They're brilliant but I've been through three of them and find they only last a couple of years no matter which brand you buy, all vacuum pump ones for flexibility.
In fact I need to buy a new one now, my Sealey has stopped working, and I am considering trying an electric one but needed a battery nearby could be a chore at times.
ETA just bought this cheapy one on offer
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0DYHBVGDH?psc=1&s...
Larger capacity would be ideal, plenty of my cars have over 7 litres of oil or ATF, but stopping half way to empty it is no great chore and certainly better than rolling around and getting oil up your arm from a sump drain plug.
Thanks for this. I'll add one to end of month shopping list...In fact I need to buy a new one now, my Sealey has stopped working, and I am considering trying an electric one but needed a battery nearby could be a chore at times.
ETA just bought this cheapy one on offer
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0DYHBVGDH?psc=1&s...
Larger capacity would be ideal, plenty of my cars have over 7 litres of oil or ATF, but stopping half way to empty it is no great chore and certainly better than rolling around and getting oil up your arm from a sump drain plug.
Edited by GeniusOfLove on Friday 24th July 10:25
A point to note for the electric pumps ( I used one for a few years with great success) - there's a real risk that it will flatten your battery to the point of causing lots of bonny lights on the dashboard. The Jaguar that I had at the time took really badly to it!
I ended up using a spare battery.
I ended up using a spare battery.
I've got one but don't use it anymore. I found it took quite a while to suck it all out and I was always worried that it would have left a significant amount.
My current car the filter is accessed from the bottom anyway so barely any slower to drive onto the ramps and do it the old fashioned way.
Also gives a chance to have a quick inspection of the undercarriage, check for leaks and wear.
My current car the filter is accessed from the bottom anyway so barely any slower to drive onto the ramps and do it the old fashioned way.
Also gives a chance to have a quick inspection of the undercarriage, check for leaks and wear.
_Rodders_ said:
I've got one but don't use it anymore. I found it took quite a while to suck it all out and I was always worried that it would have left a significant amount.
My current car the filter is accessed from the bottom anyway so barely any slower to drive onto the ramps and do it the old fashioned way.
Also gives a chance to have a quick inspection of the undercarriage, check for leaks and wear.
A few times I've sucked a car off and then taken the plug out of it's bottom to see if anything dribbles out and it never has.My current car the filter is accessed from the bottom anyway so barely any slower to drive onto the ramps and do it the old fashioned way.
Also gives a chance to have a quick inspection of the undercarriage, check for leaks and wear.
Your comment about an underside inspection for leaks, ageing hoses etc is very valid though.
mikeyr said:
GeniusOfLove said:
A few times I've sucked a car off and then taken the plug out of it's bottom to see if anything dribbles out and it never has.
Trying to work out if this was intentional humour!Recently bought a cheap (ebay special) pump, air powered 6L - has hand pump and compressor fitting.
Took a while on a compressor, so wouldn't have enjoyed hand pumping it!
First use today and it extracts the (warm) oil OK but as I didn't get enough oil out, I took out the sump plug and drained a further 450ml that the pump couldn't reach.
I don't know if this is due to the odd shaped (pot-belly) sump on this car meaning the pipe wouldn't get right down there? Car is a 2014, 1.25L Fiesta but, given it only holds 4L, 450ml staying in seems too much to leave behind to me.
Will try again as I've got 2 more cars I'm planning to oil change, both of which have 'flatter' sumps so maybe drain more completely?
Took a while on a compressor, so wouldn't have enjoyed hand pumping it!
First use today and it extracts the (warm) oil OK but as I didn't get enough oil out, I took out the sump plug and drained a further 450ml that the pump couldn't reach.
I don't know if this is due to the odd shaped (pot-belly) sump on this car meaning the pipe wouldn't get right down there? Car is a 2014, 1.25L Fiesta but, given it only holds 4L, 450ml staying in seems too much to leave behind to me.
Will try again as I've got 2 more cars I'm planning to oil change, both of which have 'flatter' sumps so maybe drain more completely?
GeniusOfLove said:
That sounds unpleasant, taking the plug out of the bottom and getting a hot mess all over your hands.
Joking aside that is a pain, but reminds me why I need to check it's got the lot the first time I use an extractor on a new car.
Story of my life. Joking aside that is a pain, but reminds me why I need to check it's got the lot the first time I use an extractor on a new car.
But, luckily I had a quantity of 'O' rings in stock for the plug even though I wasn't expecting to need one.
It's not much of a deal on the Fiesta though as the filter needs to come out from underneath so needed access anyway.
Next I'll be doing my Son's Golf and my S4 which both have filters up top plus, the S4 has an undertray that is a PITA to remove. Though a couple of years ago I had the brainwave of cutting a hole in the tray and fitting a pivoting cover which looks/works great except that due to the way the oil drains, dribbles & glugs it part fills the undertray anyway, meaning I need to remove it to clean it so not really such a good idea.
As an aside the Audi sump plug/washer system is crap - the hole has a couple of indents at the edges - no idea why? but the ally washer struggles to seal into them and the plug then drips. I had 4 or 5 attempts last time I tried and it still leaked, meaning several oil transfer/changes until I discovered that a Fiesta sump plug is the same thread and fits perfectly and, importantly has a bigger head with a large 'O' ring which completely covers the indents and so seals perfectly plus, the whole Ford sump plug & 'O' ring only costs around the same as an Audi washer and the 'O' rings are dirt cheap if bought in quantity.
So I'm hoping the pump gets all the oil out but I'll be putting it up on some ramps first, just in case.
Further to the above Fiesta shenanigans, I used the pump on the S4 and did a lot better - extracted 6.5L (holds 7L) though I did need to switch to the thinner, more flexible tube to get around the sump for the last 0.5L or so, it does have a larger, flatter sump than the Fiesta though.
It then took a full 7L to fill it again so pretty much everything must have come out - filter was soaked plus the residue in containers/pipes etc. and any oil used/burnt/missing probably accounts for the the extra 0.5L?
And I certainly didn't miss removing the undertray and fiddling around with the sump plug under the car.
My verdict, a good addition to the workshop, also has a brake bleeding attachment though not tried that one yet.
It then took a full 7L to fill it again so pretty much everything must have come out - filter was soaked plus the residue in containers/pipes etc. and any oil used/burnt/missing probably accounts for the the extra 0.5L?
And I certainly didn't miss removing the undertray and fiddling around with the sump plug under the car.
My verdict, a good addition to the workshop, also has a brake bleeding attachment though not tried that one yet.
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