Oil Extractor in Dipstick Question

[keithw1975]

After getting a skid plate in the face and seeing how thoroughly these extractors drain the oil I bought one to try. I stuck the tube down the dipstick hole Ond turned on the compressor. It quickly drained 2.5 quarts and then sucked air. I tried rotating and feeling for a lower spot with the tube, but it was hitting a solid bottom and there wasn’t any way to go further.

Does anyone with experience using these on this engine know what I am doing wrong?

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[FirstFord]

I don't think you are doing anything wrong per se... I think you are merely a victim of the beast that exists with this method of oil extraction...

The "error" isn't necessarily in what you are doing, as much as it is in the assumption of the process. The position/location of the dipstick tube has no relevance to reaching the oil at it's lowest level, but at it's normal level. Speakimg rather generally, oil pans have sumps, splash trays, windage trays, etc., and the dipstick tube doesn't always give direct access to the bottom of the sump. It doesn't need to.

I'm stressing that I'm speaking generally, and not specifically to your engine. I have never used the suction method for changing the oil on any vehicle, but I have on many boats as it was the only option. You NEVER got ALL of the oil out (it isn't possible), but you would get most of it in most cases. Having said that, I'll also point out that marine engines may be based on car engines, but they are different - for one, they know that extracting the oil through the dipstick tube is the normal way to remove the oil, so there are provisions with access areas through any windage trays.

Ultimately, I think it may be just simply that you cannot access the lowest part of the sump through the dipstick tube.

 

[oneinch]

Well I'll be. This is a great supposition @FirstFord and dare I say most likely correct. Whoda thunk?

 

[Gros Ventre]

I tried using an extractor at my last oil change. I ran into the same thing. It could only pull out 2 qts. The tube ran into something preventing it from getting to the bottom of the sump.

 

[12Lariat21]

You are likely running into the the baffle pan, see image. If you could manage to get the tube into one of the drain back holes on the sides you may be able to get the rest of the oil, but I'm sure that is like pushing a string up hill...You could get an oil drain extension and route the line to somewhere more accessible for draining...or you'll just have to get good at removing the skid plates.

 

[hotrodmex]

Does anyone with experience using these on this engine know what I am doing wrong?

Did you try pulling it out a bit and resuming suction? I purchased an extractor for use on another car, but figured since I also had the Raptor plate I would try it out. I found that pushing it in as far as it would go is not the right way. I imagine the tube gets past things and then curves up. I had the same experience on my partners Subaru Outback (I got about 4.5 qts out of that sump, capacity is 4.8)

I was able to extract 5.5 L out of the sump after some trial and error. I have the tube marked to try and replicate next time. I can let you know in like 6 months if I can replicate (I barely drive).

 

[scott011422]

Same here. The sump isn't accessible from the dip stick location.

I'm in the process of building a fitting to replace the factory drain plug. Then running a hose up the side of the engine to some kind of mount. Then I can connect my vac extractor to this hose and suck directly out of the drain plug.

I ordered a metric marine remote oil drain kit that would have worked great, But I couldn't clock it to where i needed it. Most marine pans have the drain bolt on the bottom of the pan, so clocking isn't an issue. Being the powerboost is on the side, I need that hose pointed towards the front of the truck or on a light upward angle. The marine kit was more down and back when properly tightened.

I either need to make the same thing from scratch and not to put in the drain hose thread until I can install and torque the adaptor so I can mark where the hose needs to go. ( and hope that doesn't change much over the years)

Or come up with a banjo bolt type solution. Then Clocking can be wherever you want it at the expense of slower extract times. Also, you are now going to have 3 seals on the fitting. 1 face mount and 2 o-rings.

 

[Dale B]

I have been changing the oil in most of my cars by removing the oil via suction through the dipstick tube for over thirty years. I started with my 1992 Mercedies 500E. I have been changing oil since I worked in a service station during high school in 1965. For the first thirty years, I did it the usual way by removing the drain plug and removing the oil filter from below.

In 1992, I saw that the Mercedes dealers did the oil changes from under the hood and never removed the drain plug or belly pan. I had to see for myself whether the suction tube removed all of the oil, so the first oil change that I did, I suctioned the oil and then got under the car, removed the belly pan, and removed the drain plug. Just a few drops of oil exited the pan through the drain plug hole. I was satisfied and never removed the drain plug again. The engine was designed to do a complete oil and filter change from under the hood. The oil filter was a cartridge design that used O-rings rather than a flat gasket and could be changed without spilling a drop of oil and from above. The engine in that car was an M-119 aluminum, four-cam, 32 valve, V8.

My next two cars had the M-113 aluminum, V8. I checked on the first oil change of the M-113 and found that the suction tube removed all of the oil through the dip stick tube as well and I never had to remove the drain plug again. I also went through the same process with the same results on two BMW's.

Mercedes and BMW dealers stopped removing drain plugs to change oil over thirty years ago. They design the windage trays, oil pans, and oil filters to make basic service much easier. I don't have direct knowledge of other manufactures, but I am sure that others have done the same. Once you do oil changes without having to get under a vehicle, you will never want to go back.

I have a 2024 F-150, 5.0, 4x4 on order and am looking forward to having an aluminum, four-cam, 32 valve, V8 that is made in America. I had just hoped that after thirty years, Ford engineers had taken a hint from the rest of the world. My guess is that Ford engineers don't change their own oil. If they did, they would have fixed the problem rather than designing a gutter to keep the oil from the oil filter off the frame. I have included a picture of my 25-year-old SL500 to illustrate how a few commonsense changes can improve years of service. I am pointing to the dip stick tube. The oil filter and oil fill tube are the round objects to the right of the fan shroud. Imagine doing an oil change without hot oil on your hands or running down your elbow and not having to remove the skid plate to do it

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[scott011422]

I have been changing the oil in most of my cars by removing the oil via suction through the dipstick tube for over thirty years. I started with my 1992 Mercedies 500E. I have been changing oil since I worked in a service station during high school in 1965. For the first thirty years, I did it the usual way by removing the drain plug and removing the oil filter from below.

In 1992, I saw that the Mercedes dealers did the oil changes from under the hood and never removed the drain plug or belly pan. I had to see for myself whether the suction tube removed all of the oil, so the first oil change that I did, I suctioned the oil and then got under the car, removed the belly pan, and removed the drain plug. Just a few drops of oil exited the pan through the drain plug hole. I was satisfied and never removed the drain plug again. The engine was designed to do a complete oil and filter change from under the hood. The oil filter was a cartridge design that used O-rings rather than a flat gasket and could be changed without spilling a drop of oil and from above. The engine in that car was an M-119 aluminum, four-cam, 32 valve, V8.

My next two cars had the M-113 aluminum, V8. I checked on the first oil change of the M-113 and found that the suction tube removed all of the oil through the dip stick tube as well and I never had to remove the drain plug again. I also went through the same process with the same results on two BMW's.

Mercedes and BMW dealers stopped removing drain plugs to change oil over thirty years ago. They design the windage trays, oil pans, and oil filters to make basic service much easier. I don't have direct knowledge of other manufactures, but I am sure that others have done the same. Once you do oil changes without having to get under a vehicle, you will never want to go back.

I have a 2024 F-150, 5.0, 4x4 on order and am looking forward to having an aluminum, four-cam, 32 valve, V8 that is made in America. I had just hoped that after thirty years, Ford engineers had taken a hint from the rest of the world. My guess is that Ford engineers don't change their own oil. If they did, they would have fixed the problem rather than designing a gutter to keep the oil from the oil filter off the frame. I have included a picture of my 25-year-old SL500 to illustrate how a few commonsense changes can improve years of service. I am pointing to the dip stick tube. The oil filter and oil fill tube are the round objects to the right of the fan shroud. Imagine doing an oil change without hot oil on your hands or running down your elbow and not having to remove the skid plate to do it

.

Exactly! We are not talking huge design changes to either move the dipstick to the sump, or have another passage all together, just to suck out the oil.

The filter on the other hand, Is a much larger issue. There are so many issues with moving the filter that high above the oil level, The engine truly has to be designed from the ground up with that in mind. Design wise, Much simpler and due to lack of complicity, better, to just have the filter on the bottom.

And if you have to go under the vehicle to change the filter, Might as well drain the oil too.

In all honesty though, How hard would it be to put a little door, With a screw or two, to get to the oil drain without removing the whole belly pan???

 

[scott011422]

I have my oil vac system all figured out and will be installing it at my next oil change later this month. I'm using a M12 x 1.75 o-ring face spacer, that i'm going to machine a SAE-06 ORB port into. Then i'll use all AN-06 or -04 hardware to run up to the top of the engine somewhere. I'll prolly terminate that into the female end of a face sealing hydraulic quick connect. That will seal the hose with no tools needed.

All said and done I should be able to change the oil without even having to jack up the truck. This will prolly leave maybe .1 of an inch of oil in the sump. I'm ok with that. And being all AN-xx hardware, It makes it no problem what so ever if I ever want to pull the drain plug.

 

[keithw1975]

I ended up fiddling around with it more and using a smaller tube and fishing around repeatedly was able to pull out just over 5 quarts. With what was in the oil filter accounted for, it seems that at most 1/2 quart may have remained in the engine. When I filled the engine back up it took just over 5.5 quarts. Considering I use Pure Platinum Plus full synthetic and change it every 5,000 miles, I feel like that isn‘t going to be an issue. I am planning to do a drain through the plug every 3 or 4 times.

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