Oil change question -- Putting the oil IN???

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C

cstovall

Member
Joined
Jun 17, 2016
Posts
8
Location
Monument, CO
I've had the oil changed the last few years, but this year decided to DIY.  Lots of room underneath, so draining and changing filter were easy.  But almost no room up top and ended up making a big mess.  I was using the 5 quart Mobil 1 jug thru a funnel and hose.  Had to hold the jug in front of windshield.  Won't do it that way again.  My worst case plan will be to transfer a quart at a time to a quart jug and fill it that way -- all 6 quarts.

BUT -- I'm betting someone has figured out a way to pump (hand or power) from the 5 quart jug up to the oil filler tube? Anyone???  Thanks in advance.

BTW - the 5 quart bottles cost about what 3 of the 1 quart jugs cost at Walmart -- $23 for 5 qts or $7 for 1 qt.
 
Buy the cheapest quart of oil you can find, pour it into an old milk jug or something and use it in your mower, or oil can, or even give it to your neighbor.  :) After that, simply funnel your oil into the qt. bottle and put your oil in that way. Been doing that way for years.  :))  Works fine and doesn't take that much more time.
 
Yeah, that will be my plan if I don't come up with something I like better.  Thanks. 

I guess I'm just an inveterate tinkerer, always trying to find a better way.  I used to laugh at my dad for working all day on an idea to save 5 minutes....  Now, i've become him!
 
I have been changing my oil on motorhomes for the last 10 years and I just use the funnel & hose.  PIA.  I fasten the funnel and hose to something pretty high so I am 2-3 feet above the fill tube.  Then take a ladder so I can easily hold the 5 quart container and slowly pour the oil or transmission fluid in.  Transmission fluid is the worse since it goes down the dipstick tube. 

On the RV's I have had I had to use the funnel and hose even with quarts.  The fill tube is in tight space where I can't pour in the fill tube with a quart. 

 
I use a ladder as well.  And zip tie a funnel to the ladder.  I use one of those flexible ones most of the time.

Having spilled transmission fluid more than once I'm with you on that.  I have a special funnel for that now.
 
If you watch Costco and Sams put Mobil 1 on sale 6 quarts for $26.99 which makes it about the same price as the 5 quart jug from Walmart. If you get one of these  http://www.autozone.com/shop-and-garage-tools/funnel/flotool-measu-funnel/139278_0_0 funnel and just use the blue and black part it screws on the Mobil 1 quart bottles. After you turn it up in the fill tube you twist the blue part and it open up and releases the oil. Twist it closed and take it out and you won't spill a drop.
 
dabrooks said:
If you watch Costco and Sams put Mobil 1 on sale 6 quarts for $26.99 which makes it about the same price as the 5 quart jug from Walmart. If you get one of these  http://www.autozone.com/shop-and-garage-tools/funnel/flotool-measu-funnel/139278_0_0 funnel and just use the blue and black part it screws on the Mobil 1 quart bottles. After you turn it up in the fill tube you twist the blue part and it open up and releases the oil. Twist it closed and take it out and you won't spill a drop.
Click to expand...

I like that!  The Costco deal is for 6 individual quarts, so no need to pour the 5 quart jug into quart bottles.  By screwing each 1 qt to the FloTool and using the on/off feature, should be pretty fool proof.  Thanks so much. 
 
Then save one of the empty quart bottles for your next oil change ... in case the individual bottles aren't on sale then.
 
You may want to consider a Mityvac 7201.  Amazon typically has these for around $100. The bonus is that you can use them to change your car oil too as most newer vehicles can be drained topside in that manner. And in the winter time, no need to crawl down below on cold concrete. There are less expensive options of course, but this has a nice long hose extension, perfect for motorhomes where there is some distance between your container and fill point.
 
oldwasichu said:
You may want to consider a Mityvac 7201.  Amazon typically has these for around $100. The bonus is that you can use them to change your car oil too as most newer vehicles can be drained topside in that manner. And in the winter time, no need to crawl down below on cold concrete. There are less expensive options of course, but this has a nice long hose extension, perfect for motorhomes where there is some distance between your container and fill point.
Click to expand...

Thanks!  I used to use one on my Jetta TDI.  Not sure how I'd use it tho.  The one I had sucked the used oil out of the motor and into a container.  For my current purposes, I want to pump the oil out of the jug and into the motor. 

I just came across this: https://www.grainger.com/product/DAYTON-Polypropylene-Battery-Operated-38Y794 . I may run down the the local Grainger's and see if it might work.

I'm in Colorado and my rig is in storage from mid/late October thru at least March, so no working during winter.  :)

 
You can also reverse it to pump oil out of the Mityvac and into your RV. I do this exact process to get rid of used oil from changing my TDI and into gallon jugs without spilling a drop.
 
oldwasichu said:
You can also reverse it to pump oil out of the Mityvac and into your RV. I do this exact process to get rid of used oil from changing my TDI and into gallon jugs without spilling a drop.
Click to expand...

Wow.  Good to know.  So you don't pump up a vacuum to suck out the old - rather you just pump fresh oil out.  You just fill the reservior with your new oil?  Does it function pretty effectively?  Reasonable number of strokes?  Do you need to do anything to "reverse" it?  Thanks much.
 
I have a 6' step ladder that by design has a hole approx. 2" in diameter in the top step.  The funnel with hose fits in the hole which hold the funnel in place for easy pouring oil.  I sized my funnel and hose the largest that would fit in the oil fill tube.
 
Mine has a selector valve on the side which can change it from a fluid evacuator to a pump dispenser. If yours has that feature, then it is a dual purpose device. Check your model number and download the owner's manual on line if you are not sure. But the selector is labeled as such. So you might be able to look at it and tell.
 
I have a funnel or two as well.. When I was in Georgia for 3 years with a blown engine I had to add gasoline to the gas tank (The filler tube is UNDER the bed slide out) so I used a laddar and siphon from the Five Gallon Can to the RV. worked great.. BUT It was NOT the standard siphon you find at Joe's hardware or Auto Zone.. it was a marine squeze bulb (Used to prime the pump on outboard motors) and a much larger line.. Still took a LONG time to move 5 gallons but I only did one a day.
 
Every coach we've had has needed a different funnel arrangement for transfer, so I've accumulated quite a few different shaped funnels over the years, plus some hoses adapted to fit. And also used a ladder.  Kept swearing that I would buy a pump one day, but never did since its only a once/year chore.

Lots of manual and powered oil transfer pumps available. Here's a few:

https://www.walmart.com/ip/ALEKO-12V-5A-DC-Motor-Fuel-Oil-Diesel-Extractor-Scavenge-Suction-Transfer-Pump/47403650

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_nr_n_3?fst=as%3Aoff&rh=n%3A15707731%2Ck%3Aoil+transfer+pumps&keywords=oil+transfer+pumps&ie=UTF8&qid=1501852838&rnid=2941120011

 
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