There has to be an easier way to change oil

S

SEA3PO

New member
I am doing a pre-season service.... and what a mess it is to change oil on my Yamaha 40 outboards... you pull the plug and it drains all over the lower unit making a huge mess.... (lotsa cardboard) the majority of it does get into the drain pan...but is is sure not pretty.

The outlet of the oil drain is so short I can't see any way to get a hose over it.... there must be a way.... what do others do ?
 
SEA3PO,
I use one of these for everything (lawn mower, car, outboards, etc):
http://www.westmarine.com/buy/west-mari ... --11047123
Mine is made by Moeller, but looks like the West one. The only thing that is a challenge is tilting the outboard just right to remove the oil filter without spilling a drop. I do put lots of rags around the filters, just in case, but can now do this without any mess.
 
Make a funnel out of a plastic gallon milk jug. Carve the big end to fit in, around and under the drain and aim the little end at your bucket. Cut the top big enough so you can reach in and grab the plug. Very high tech, I know, but you will not spill a drop. You even get a handle to hold it up there with.
 
SEA3PO":v2nabs5w said:
I am doing a pre-season service.... and what a mess it is to change oil on my Yamaha 40 outboards... you pull the plug and it drains all over the lower unit making a huge mess.... (lotsa cardboard) the majority of it does get into the drain pan...but is is sure not pretty.

The outlet of the oil drain is so short I can't see any way to get a hose over it.... there must be a way.... what do others do ?
Click to expand...

SEA3PO

Oil aspiration from ABOVE is the way to do it. That's how most marine dealers I've checked with handle the task. Many top European cars are serviced with aspirators from above. SRBAUM has the right idea!

I started out with a 6 QT capacity unit for my diesel Passat; but now use an 8 or 10 qt capacity unit for general use.

The main disadvantage is it will take 10-20 minutes to suck out all the oil. The time is greatly reduced if your oil is hot prior to starting the oil change.

david
 
We use a Fumoto Oil pan valve for our motorhome and all the cars. Just attach a small hose and open the valve.

Wonder if you can get these to fit an Outboard (no question you could, just need to know the threads on the outboard)? I agree that changing the oil should be much cleaner - the Fumoto Valve would make it easy.


http://www.fumotousa.com/
 
I also went with the Topsider oil extractor this year. It makes changing the oil very easy and clean. I did warm up the engines first. I also use it on other small engines around the place.
 
I do two things:

1. Tilt the engine up and turn full to starboard. The allows the majority of oil to drain without gravity making a mess. I then lower the unit and make sure it's good and drained.

2. I made a plastic "tool" to pull the oil away from the lower unit out of a 1 liter soda bottle. It works like the trough you see at the back of a cement truck.

Fumoto Oil pan valve
Click to expand...

I installed these on my F250 to drain the coolant from the block. Top quality.
 
Some type of oil extractor with oil at normal temp is pretty painless and if you desire, you can remove the drain plug for the remaining oil. I've also used clear wrap duct taped to lower unit for mess control. Once you've used an oil extractor you're unlikely to pull the plug again. Larry
 
For the outboards, I have left over a 12 volt electric pump by Jabsco and a 5 gallon container. Tube sucks thru the oil fill or dip tube.

For the inboard diesels, I had a built in drain pan plug, to a built in pump which would pull used oil out, and pump new oil in by Reverso.

Reverso makes the GP-311 PW for outboards, but it is pricey, and you can get one which works as well for 1/3 or less of the price.
 
another easy method if you don't want to spend the money on a suction pump and have a shop vac. take an old stiff plastic bottle, i use 5 gal water bottle . find hose that will push tight into engine drain hole. drill hole same size near top bottle , shove hose 1/3 to 1/2 way to bottom inside bottle. vac hose goes in bottle opening , outside adjusted with duck tape if needed. turn on vac , pull plug and twist hose into drain. vac makes suction in bottle and sucks in oil into bottle. have used many, many times on small gas engines and hose is also small enough to go down auto dipstick hole on lowrider.
 
i also have a 5 gallon bottle set up like this with a 1 inch hose. i can use it to suck up a few gallons of water, if i don't want to get the inside of my shop vac all gunky. works great just dump out bottle
 
Hey Joel - I am changing my oil today.

Here is what I mean by the milk jug funnel. Try it one time and I promise you won't want to spend any more than two minutes or a buck eighty-nine on any extraction device. Loosen the plug, aim the spout at the bucket, and reach in over the top to remove the plug. The three drops of oil you get on your fingers will be the only oil that doesn't hit the bucket. Twenty two seconds and the plug goes back in. You don't even have to wipe the deflector plate under the plug because you ain't gettin' no oil on it.


IMG_7040.jpg

Also, they are making new Star Wars movies!!
 
I take one thing back - you do have to wipe the deflector plate because the funnel goes under it, of course. But you do not need to clean the floor of the cavity beneath it.

Joel, ever since you suggested I use a wedge to shim out my helm and tilt the steering wheel up I have been searching for a way to repay that forehead slapping favor. I really think this is it.

This year I added a chunk of hose to the funnel so I could be hands free to take pics. Since I just yesterday jerked the sink and the shower out of the head on board I happened to have a length of drain tube that fit over the spout of the milk jug. You do not have to do that if you don't want - the funnel has a handle.

Draining:

IMG_7042.sized.jpg


Close up to show no mess:

IMG_7043.sized.jpg


The entire extent of my cleanup, including wiping the three drops of oil off my fingers:

IMG_7044.sized.jpg

So there you have it. Unless your Yamahas won't facilitate the Honda method, we are even. But I will still silently thank you every time I sit at the helm and don't bump my legs on the wheel.
 
Wow, that's a mighty fine funnel setup.... and I will try engineering one...

In my shop I found a General Morons vacuum pump from one of their diesel attempts for diesel cars.... now, I am going to mount a motor I took out of a bakery blender.... and make a High Performance Vacuum Device (HPVD) I think I will modify a 5 gallon paint bucket as the High Performance Liquid
Collection Device....(HPLCD)

Joel
SEA3PO (with too much time on his hands)
 
Same problem with my Suzuki. The milk jug fix is so simple and works so well. My Suzuki doesn't have the recessed plug like the Hondas but I use a 3" piece of duct tape across the top of the jug and tape it right under the drain hole. You don't even have to hold it. Quick, cheap, and easy.
 
That milk jug is a great idea! And looks incredably effective. Guess I'll have to buy a gallon of milk just to get the jug. Ellen will be glad to know I have this so I can quit 'cussing as I clean up the mess. Have you tried it when you change oil in the lower unit?
Jack
 
No matter how many times I have changed lower unit fluid, I still manage to loose a big puddle of it. Let me get this right, you use the left hand to hold the bottle spout into the lower port, while crushing it, trying to wring the necessary amount into the lower unit. With the right hand (usually oily by this time) you try to thread the plug into the upper port and tighten it, while still holding the smushed bottle against the lower port. Then you drop the bottle and grab the other screw and attempt to thread it into the lower port as fluid dribbles out of it.

WHAT!!!!!!!

I just bought a kit at Academy Sports, that is suppose to make it easy. At $8.00, it includes a small hand pump that screws into the fluid bottle and the lower unit of OMC motors, with an adapter for Yamahas (hope it fits my Suzuki). I figure for $8.00 what can I loose. I spill that much lube every change out.

Anyone have a better way, please let us all know.
 
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