Draining Oil from the engine..

[belliswood]

I did an oil change using a plastic tube down the dip stick tube to remove the oil. However it will not get all the oil out and now with the new oil in it is dirty after 10 hours funning.

Does anyone know if there is any other way to drain the oil that will get all the used oil out and also make sure the debree in the pan will be removed also?

Does an oil change system drain thru the oil pan?

Would really like to be able to drain everything out when doing an oil change.

Thanks........

 

[JimG]

The permanent oil drain systems that I have seen connect to the pan drain plug. I used the vacuum pump down the dipstick method and my oil is still clean. Did you heat the engines up and allow drain-down time before sucking it out?

 

[rcknecht]

There is a device that connects to the oil pan plug for changing oil, but to install that you would have to pull your engines, and that does not make any sence. I use a Pella oil extractor through the dip stick, and it works well. You have to make sure the oil is warm, and I move the tube in and out to extract the maximum oil... I get most of it out...

 

[moparlvr4406]

engine needs to be at operating temp before draining
I have what JimG mentioned and just run my extension tube out the bilge plug while on the trailer
and let it gravity drain. it can be used from the top with a vacuum pump.
clean as a pin when done
the dipstick suckers don't get all of the oil OR the debris in the bottom of the pan

 

[Lazy Daze]

Through the dipstick tube method can work, and work quite well, but you need to 1) Make sure the oil is up to operating temp and 2) It's generally better to suck right through the dipstick tube itself, rather than a smaller diameter tube being inserted into the dipstick tube. It won't get as much out as through the drain plug but it gets most of it. Enough that it shouldn't turn dirty again right away. I suspect that for, whatever reason, you left more in the pan than you might think.

However, yes, if you use something like a Reverso, that would hook up to the drain plug and suck the oil out that way, thereby getting the last 10oz or so (just a guess on that amount). Running the oil up to temp suspends a lot of the crud (not all) in the oil so it gets sucked out. Even draining right through the oil plug won't really get "all" of the crud, if there is any. You can actually hook multiple engines to one machine. Another, less expensive option, is to install a long hose off the drain plug port. However, both of these options requires you to be able to actually get to the drain plug - which is quite often near impossible in boats. Not always, but a lot of the time.

 

[dpmulvey]

How much did you get out? If for the sake of argument you hold 7 quarts (224oz.) and you got out 6.5 quarts (208oz.) from the dip stick. In that case, 93% of the oil is new. As long as you change the filter, you'll be fine. Depending on the oil you are using, some darken quicker than others. That darkness is dirt suspended in the oil. It's doing it's job. I wouldn't worry about it as long as you are changing it every year or more if you are a heavy user.

You are never going to get all of it out no matter how hard or what method you try. There will always be oil in the lines, coolers, etc.......

Something I just learned last month is old oil is as bad as overused oil in terms of damage potential because of acidity breakdown and in boats, the potential to absorb water because of the enviroment and lack of use particularly in layup. I don't know how true the latter is but it sounds plausible. More studying!

 

[CV-23]

I've vaccumed sucked mine for years through the dip stick tube with a Tempo unit and my oil stays clean. It leaves less than a quart in the pan. Always warm the motor/oil first. I don't think you got enough out.....i can hear mine suck dry, Mike.

 

[skolbe]

Mine gets all but the last .5 quart out. There has been discussion in the past that the Mercruiser oil looks dirty as quickly as 10 hours. Leaving a small amount behind should not affect the color that quickly. You are always going to leave some behind. I have found engines like about 20 or so minutes of warming up, not the 10 minutes that is often suggested.

 

[Gunn]

I also use a Tempo unit also (great device) but use the adapter to screw it right to my oil dipstick tube (garden hose fitting I think). I gets nearly all of the oil out as my unit holds 5 quarts and it's almost full. When I refill, I end up using pretty much 5 quarts to re-fill.

I should also mention my engines have hoses that pull out of the drain plugs, and I crack those open too. But because the hoses are 2-3 feet long and no oil can circulate within them, at the end of the season the oil flows like 90W gear oil. It takes forever before decent relatively clean oil will begin to flow from them. My Tempo unit works better.

 

[Woody]

I use the drain plug hoses also. I warm it up, ice pick a hole in oil filter top, remove filler cap, run both hoses into a 5gal bucket, and let it drain for hrs, sometimes overnight...I still don't get everything out. 4 quarts new oil brings me just about right up to the full mark even though the manual states 4.5 with filter change.

 

[Woody]

I did an oil change using a plastic tube down the dip stick tube to remove the oil. However it will not get all the oil out and now with the new oil in it is dirty after 10 hours funning.

Does anyone know if there is any other way to drain the oil that will get all the used oil out and also make sure the debree in the pan will be removed also?

Does an oil change system drain thru the oil pan?

Would really like to be able to drain everything out when doing an oil change.

Thanks........

When is that last time the oil was changed? An engine can accumulate crud, not just in the oil pan. A dirty engine can turn fresh clean oil to dark quickly.

 

[Air O'Nautical]

I have always sucked it out the dipstick tube.

Depending on the engine your dipstick tube might draw directly from the oil drain plug.
My 1995 7.4L did and the new (1998-2000) mercuriser inboards are the same.
The oil dipstick is connected to a banjo bolt directly on the drain plug on the very bottom of the pan.

I only found out because, I removed the engines.

Mark.

 

[IanBat]

When is that last time the oil was changed? An engine can accumulate crud, not just in the oil pan. A dirty engine can turn fresh clean oil to dark quickly.

Above, and all the other comments are correct.

Now that you have put Len oil in it. Run the engines up to operating temp again S suggested by the other posts. Then redrain., change the oil, run them up and see if it is clean. If not repeat.

Possibilities are: engine oil wasnt warm enough,
Your not getting enough suction with the tube you are using, so check all connections on whatever the apparatus you have is. I use the electric pump model, it works well.
The tube wasnt all the way down to the bottom of the sump, so left oil in the pan. Ensure it is all the way down. It takes a good 10-15 minutes to drain each one of my 7.4L's
Apparatus stopped sucking, ensure you are maintaining vacuum.
Lastly, hasn't been serviced for a while, oil is thick and sludgy.

If the last, it can be a *****. Basically a few changes in a short period of time. Additives can be used in the oil to help. But be careful. I once serviced an engine that had not been serviced for over 5 years and was used on road construction every day. The air filter had been an oil bath filter, I say had been, it was solid, all I could do was throw the whole thing away and replace it with a Donaldson.

The tractor went out and worked for 4 hours, whereby it duly blew out every oil seal in the engine! 1 new engine later....


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[belliswood]

Thanks everyone for the information. I didnt check how much oil I got out of the engines when I drained them but I will do another oil change. I did let the engines run about 20 min in the slip before draining and I thought I let them set long enough to make sure they had drained to the pan but maybe I didnt.

I will check to see if the dip stick tube goes to a banjo connection when I go down next.

Again thank you all for you assistance..........

 

[Lazy Daze]

Once the oil gets nice and warm, it drains back down within just a few minutes. BUT, if you wait TOO long, it starts to cool down which makes it harder to suck up (but this is also dependent on the ambient temp) - especially through a little straw. Good luck.

 

[CliffA]

I didnt check how much oil I got out of the engines when I drained them but I will do another oil change.QUOTE]

you don't have to measure the amount of oil you removed....just keep track of how much fresh oil you put in to bring the oil level to normal range....the amount put in will be equal to the amount you drained out....

cliff

 

[Brite Idea]

Running the engine at the dock won't warm the oil enough. I always take the boat for a quick run and then the oil freely flows when I pump it out. The port engine always yields a half quart less than the starboard engine. The dipstick tube has a threaded fitting on top be sure to use the hose that screws onto that and not the skinny little straw that goes inside. Quick tip when the oil filter is hot so is the oil.
Rob

 

[JimFromMD]

Running the engine at the dock won't warm the oil enough. I always take the boat for a quick run and then the oil freely flows when I pump it out. The port engine always yields a half quart less than the starboard engine. The dipstick tube has a threaded fitting on top be sure to use the hose that screws onto that and not the skinny little straw that goes inside. Quick tip when the oil filter is hot so is the oil.
Rob

Ok so I have the jabsco bike pump looking deal. Comes with several straws to go down the dipstick. Where does one get the tube that screws onto the dipstick port?

 

[ZZ13]

Ok so I have the jabsco bike pump looking deal. Comes with several straws to go down the dipstick. Where does one get the tube that screws onto the dipstick port?

James, on our boat don't stick the straws down the dipstick. Just connect to the dipstick opening and use the dipstick tube as the pickup tube. It goes all the way to the bottom of the pan. I learned this the hard way. I have the vacuum out version and first time I tried it I put the straw in. I got about one ounce of oil out an hour (seemed that slow). Local mechanic was walking by and I explained my frustration to him. He then gave me the non-tube pointer (which I have since also read on here from Dennis/Lazy Daze). Now the oil sucks out in a minute or two.

Can't help you with your real question since I have a different pump.

 

[Lazy Daze]

A 3/8" ID hose (cheap at Home Depot) will fit snugly onto the dipstick tube. It's not always necessary, but you could snug it down tighter with a simple hose clamp. You might find (get lucky) that the included hose with your oil sucker is a 3/8" OD.