Oil change venting...just venting

[Ttigger]

As I'm doing the oil change on my '87 Sea Ray Seville I'm thinking "who came up with this design?" I have to pump the oil (all 4.5 quarts) out of the dipstick tube through an impossibly small hose. There's no way to get all of the oil out. There's no drain plug to even give one the option of draining methods...

As I was having a great time defying the laws of physics I was thinking why not have a funnel system that you put under the oil pan that's connected to a hose that comes out the hull drain hole and into a catch container? Pull the drain plug (if there was one) and let it drain through a little bigger tube into a container, using the laws of physics.

Maybe there's an invention in my future....

Just saying..

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: Oil change venting...just venting

If you are doing this on the water it is a pain; If on a trailer this works....

I have a 10 foot length of clear common PVC tubing.
It slips snuggly over the dip stick tube and runs out the Garboard plug (The Plug) hole in the transom.
You now have Physics on your side with about 2 feet of downhill flow.

Start a siphon on the tube, drop the end of the hose in a suitable container, and then go start the outdrive draining task.
In 20-30 minutes the engine oil will be drained as good as it ever will.

My pet peeve is why they mounted the Oil Filter with the open end down! Oil mess guaranteed!

 

[Ttigger]

Re: Oil change venting...just venting

I'll try your method as my boat is on the trailer.
My oil filter opening points up. The engineers got it right, on this boat at least.
Thanks

 

[dan t.]

Re: Oil change venting...just venting

Start it up on the muffs for 10 minutes before you try to drain it, warm oil flows much easier. There is actually a drain plug in the oil pan, just real hard to get at. Somebody, not sure who, makes a drain hose that attaches to the pan drain that you can pull out the garboard drain. Probably available right here on Iboats.

 

[agallant80]

Re: Oil change venting...just venting

You sure you don't have a drain plug? If you do have one on the pan you can install this:
Oil Drain Kit - MerCruiser Inboard

Do you have the threaded dipstick? If so you can use this:
Amazon.com: Jabsco 34060-0130 Marine Engine Oil Drain Hand Pump (10.25" Long, 1.25" Diameter): Sports & Outdoors

I have the threaded dipstick. I don't know why but for years I refused to spend the $50 on the correct pump. I spent more time and money on other pumps (small hose that goes all the way down the dipstick tube) I changed it pulling the plug. It was all a PITA. I did my first oil change using the proper pump and it worked way better than Ithought it would have ever worked.

 

[ricohman]

Re: Oil change venting...just venting

My new boat has a long hose connected to the sump. I just pull the hose out the transom plug hole and remove the fitting. Then it drains into a bucket.
Lots of newer boats have this, but I have never seen a boat as old as yours with it.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: Oil change venting...just venting

I have a 10 foot length of clear common PVC tubing.
It slips snuggly over the dip stick tube and runs out the Garboard plug (The Plug) hole in the transom.
You now have Physics on your side with about 2 foot of downhill flow.

Ever measure how much oil you get out using this method? Depends on the engine, but at least on the 350's I've seen, there is at least an inch or 2 of space between the bottom of the lower dipstick tube and the bottom of the oil pain. That is a fair amount of oil that you won't be able to suck up using this method.

 

[southkogs]

Re: Oil change venting...just venting

...Do you have the threaded dipstick? If so you can use this:
Amazon.com: Jabsco 34060-0130 Marine Engine Oil Drain Hand Pump (10.25" Long, 1.25" Diameter): Sports & Outdoors...

... who knew?

Thanks Agallant80. Been lookin' for something like that.

 

[agallant80]

Re: Oil change venting...just venting

... who knew?

Thanks Agallant80. Been lookin' for something like that.

It works amazingly well. I would get the mercruiser version though.
Mercury Marine Engine Quicksilver Boat Motor Oil Change Pump 802889Q1 802889A1 | eBay

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: Oil change venting...just venting

I have used the siphon method through the dipstick shaft, and have never had any issue getting to the bottom of the pan. I even pulled the drain plug (easier on my Ford, but still a pain), and got nothing more than a few drops of oil after siphoning it. I like the manual siphon units, and it only takes 20-30 pumps and you walk away. Come back 15 minutes later and you've got 5-6 quarts of oil. In a nice sealed container.

 

[buckhorn7]

Re: Oil change venting...just venting

Even with the hose out the transom plug my 4.3 and 5.7 Mercs don't drain all the oil out. Usually there is a 1/2 to 1qt left in the pan. Been thinking of ways to get remaining used oil out.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Oil change venting...just venting

Even with the hose out the transom plug my 4.3 and 5.7 Mercs don't drain all the oil out. Usually there is a 1/2 to 1qt left in the pan. Been thinking of ways to get remaining used oil out.

Then you need to figure out where the plug is and adjust the attitude of the boat so that the oil drains. I get all the oil out of my 3.0L using the hose. Typically I just let it drain over night.

 

[moosehead]

Re: Oil change venting...just venting

IME, it is much easier to change and transport the oil and filter in my boat than my vehicle, and both have nearly identical 5.7L blocks. Note to self, get a siphon pump for the car as it is so effective.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Oil change venting...just venting

Back when I had an I/O, I bought a 12v pump with a 48" lg. tube that fit thru the dipstick tube. It took all of 30-40 seconds to drain the oil. Got every last bit.

I now use the pump to change fluids in the cars and tractors. Works great to change power steering and brake fluids.

 

[carey965]

Re: Oil change venting...just venting

I bought the 12v pump from royal distributing 27 bucks haven't tried it yet going to use it on Friday. Even has a magnet on the bottom so you can stick it to the engine while it does the job. When I'm not on my phone I will post a link to it

 

[JASinIL2006]

Re: Oil change venting...just venting

I bought a Moeller Fluid Extractor from right here on iboats.com and I couldn't be much happier with it. My dipstick tube has the large threaded fitting that I planned to connect to the adapter Moeller includes, but there is a bit of tube that extends past the threaded fitting that prevented the adapter from fitting.

It didn't matter; I fished the thin tube of the extractor all the way down the dipstick tube until I hit something pretty solid, then I extracted all the oil. Very easy, no spills, no too much work. I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was. I don't know exactly how much oil, if any was left behind, but I extracted well over a gallon (and I think my engine takes 5 quarts of oil); there must have been at least a cup of oil in the filter when I removed it.

Before doing this, I was lamenting that I hadn't installed one of those hoses (that feed out of the drain plug) when I had the engine out last winter. Now, I'm not so concerned.

Jim

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Oil change venting...just venting

If you don't have the type dipstick that OMC/Volvo has with the garden hose fitting which basically connects to the drain plug used to be, get this type:

Oil Drain Kits | Marine Engines | Basic Power You can either suck the oil out this or pull it through the drain plug of the boat.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Oil change venting...just venting

I bought a Moeller Fluid Extractor from right here on iboats.com and I couldn't be much happier with it. My dipstick tube has the large threaded fitting that I planned to connect to the adapter Moeller includes, but there is a bit of tube that extends past the threaded fitting that prevented the adapter from fitting.

I would get a short piece of garden hose to fix that problem. Those pumps work way better when you don't use the skinny hose down the dipstick.

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Oil change venting...just venting

Gee, my '88 SR Seville had a drain plug on the 4.3LX block. I did it the "gorilla" way. Put the drain pan under the garboard drain, and pull the plug on the oil pan. The oil in the bilge made a small mess, but cleaned up with the Purple Power cleaner.

I tried to suck it out of the dipstick tube one time, with a hand pump. It didn't work too well.

 

[UncleWillie]

Re: Oil change venting...just venting

Ever measure how much oil you get out using this method? Depends on the engine, but at least on the 350's I've seen, there is at least an inch or 2 of space between the bottom of the lower dipstick tube and the bottom of the oil pain. That is a fair amount of oil that you won't be able to suck up using this method.

As you stated, it depends on the engine. On my 4.3L Merc, the dipstick is in a tube that runs to where the oil drain plug in the bottom of the pan would have been if this were still an auto engine.
So what ever oil I can get out of the dip stick tube would be the same as if the plug in the pan was draining out directly.


There seems to be a dozen ways to attach a dip stick to a block, so depending on the method, your results will vary based on your circumstances.

I was going to add the oil drain hose that pulls out the plug hole, but I would have to pull the whole engine and re-plumb the dipstick tube to do it. Bummer!