Catch dripping oil

[Tom]

Have you noticed that a lot of generators, even different brands, have their oil filter mounted horizontally? So, as you begin to remove the filter, oil starts dripping into an area where it's tough to remove. I use an OilSorb absorbent pad available at most marine stores and merely stuff it into the area beneath the filter.

I've been doing this for a number of years on RVs and boats. But I hadn't given it much thought until someone at an Onan seminar this week asked the Onan rep if/when they were ging to mount the filter vertically &/or if there would be a retrofit. The response was that Onan is redesigning the point of attachment of the filter but, since it will also involve some other structural changes, it won't be available as a retrofit.

My solution costs around $2.

 

[Steve CDN]

Tom,

Thanks for the great suggestion, as I have a number of oil changes to do in the next couple of weeks on the Honda Odyssey as well as my golf car, both of which have horizontally mounted oil filters.  I have used newspaper, along with trying stuff paper towels, and other innefective measures.

How are the Oil Sorb pads sold...as eaches or in pacjkages of multiples?  What is their original purpose?

I am so tired of wiping oil from down my arm and from my face with these horizontally mounted filters :'( :-[

 

[Ron]

What I do when changing a Horizontal mounted oil filter is after loosening the filter a bit to insure it can be easily removed I simply puncture the filter where it can drain without making the big mess.  Of course this is done after the crankcase is drained.  Toms solution also works very well.

 

[Tom]

Steve

The 2'x2' pads are sold singly. Two versions - $1 and $2 respectively - are available at West Marine. Get the $2 ones. They also work well to wipe oil from your hands or most surfaces - they just wick any oil or oily deposit up.

The same stuff is used in absorbent pillows that, when thrown in a wet, oily bilge, grab the oil and leave the water behind.

BTW "OilSorb" may or may not be the correct name, but it's descriptive.

 

[John From Detroit]

Most auto stores carry "oil change pans" which are large pans, often with a "Lip" to control splashing and a spout so you can pour into a recovery can,  Designed to catch the draining oil when you change, or dripping oil in the case of the filter.  Some of these can have quite large top openings

 

[Tom]

John,

I couldn't get one of those oil drip pans into the area where the oil filter sits on either of my generators. The oil would make a big mess before reaching a drain pan.

 

[John From Detroit]

I couldn't get one of those oil drip pans into the area where the oil filter sits on either of my generators. The oil would make a big mess before reaching a drain pan.

Well that too can be a problem... My ONAN has the filter mounted the right way (Vertical) the only hard part is gripping the filter... I have a special wrench socket that solves that (it only sticks down about a quarter inch where you can grab it)  That is one thing I need to do... Change oil and filter

 

[Steve CDN]

Hey Tom,

Would a diaper do the same thing ??? ???? I suppose it Depends.

 

[Tom]

LOL Steve, yes.

I talked offline to the guy who complained of the problem during the Onan seminar. When he seemed a little unsure of how it works, I explained it worked like a diaper or one of them other things  :-[ and he replied "I worked for Johnson & Johnson for 30 years, so I understand what you're saying"  ;D

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

I think Oilsorb is the name for the material used in the sheets. Don't know if it is the sheets themselves, but the Oilsorb material is used in many things where oil absorbtion is needed. See http://www.oilsorb.ee/oilsorben/oilsorbr01.htm

Just did a quick check on the West Marine site. The sheets they sell are from 3M (are you surprised?)  Don't know if they are the Oilsorb material or 3M's own concoction, but if Tom says they work then I'm a believer!    They only show one size, though.

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/producte/10001/-1/10001/72734/0/0/oil/All_2/mode+matchallpartial/0/0

 

[Tom]

They only show one size, though.

Gary, I looked at the WMP web site before posting my prior message and couldn't correlate what I saw there with what I see in the stores. The stores carry two thicknesses and they appear to be a different composition. The thicker/more expensive one definitely works, while the other is marginal. Hadn't realized that either one or both was made by 3-M. I suspect they're the ones that work best.

 

[Steve CDN]

Just got one in NAPA here in T'ville for $2.49.  Will give it the smoke test in the next couple of days.  Should also be good for when you have company, and the guy with Brylcream rests his head on the sofa in the parlor ;D ;D