Small engine oil changes

[SDMF]

There isn’t hardly a small engine made that doesn’t make an unnecessary mess when trying to drain it.

Lawn mowers, lawn tractors, generators, 4-stroke boat motors of all sizes, snowblower, 4-stroke auger, ATV/UTV, golf cart, etc, etc, etc. Almost none of them drain clearly/cleanly. The drain hole is in a cooling fin, there’s a cross-member that sends the stream away from your drain pan, or the stream comes out horizontally spraying past your catch-pan and then ends up down to a dribble gooping up the side of your machine.

The vacuum containers make the job so easy you’ll actually do it. Do yourself a huge favor:

 

[Fester]

Bought this from HF years ago. Worth every penny!

 

[svnmag]

 

[SLE]

Bought this from HF years ago. Worth every penny!

I bought a similar one from JohnDow, one of the best tools in my shop!

https://johndow.com/oil-fluid-showroom/

 

[SDMF]

Bought this from HF years ago. Worth every penny!

I don't disagree that if one has access to a compressor that's absolutely the way to go.

Major point being, either are easy and CLEAN enough that a person will actually do the oil changes.

I typically do my snowblower and lawnmower @ the same time in <15min either spring or fall. Then I typically do my boat motors (main and kicker) and lawn tractor. They take about an hr total to do all 3 including warm-up time on the garden hose/muffs and lower unit lube changes for the marine engines.

 

[Fester]

I don't disagree that if one has access to a compressor that's absolutely the way to go.

Major point being, either are easy and CLEAN enough that a person will actually do the oil changes.

I typically do my snowblower and lawnmower @ the same time in <15min either spring or fall. Then I typically do my boat motors (main and kicker) and lawn tractor. They take about an hr total to do all 3 including warm-up time on the garden hose/muffs and lower unit lube changes for the marine engines.

Yes that is the downfall to this one. A compressor is needed. Definitely go with the hand pump one if you wouldn't be using it in a garage with compressor access. You can fill this one with air to the max and more than likely get one oil change from it if the oil is warm with not being hooked to the compressor.

 

[Traxion]

I have the hand pump model and use it in everything from my mower to Yamaha F200. It’s as good as it gets.

 

[Slappy]

Guess I would need to see it in action. Gravity, a pan and some shop towels have always worked fine. Looks like one more thing to clean and store.

 

[Maddog]

x2

hard to teach an old dog a new way to do something

 

[Fester]

Guess I would need to see it in action. Gravity, a pan and some shop towels have always worked fine. Looks like one more thing to clean and store.

It’s sticking a straw down the dipstick tube and sucking. As long as the oil is warm it will suck clean. I have sucked the oil out and just to see how much was missed pulled the plug…..the results were impressive. I would say a drop every 10 seconds or so. In my opinion not any amount to be concerned with. As far as clean up I use a shop towel to wipe off the straw. I take the oil and dump it from the spout that unscrews into a container that I then haul to Oriely and dump for free. I think the main thing is to have the oil warm and recently run so the gunk is suspended in the oil. In my opinion way way way cleaner than the oil pan. The only reason I started with the “sucker” was due to a machine I have that doesn’t have a drain plug since doing that machine all of my machines get sucked clean now.

 

[Traxion]

It’s the recommended way to change most Yamaha 4 stroke outboard. I didn’t think much of it till I used it. Impressive.

 

[SDMF]

Guess I would need to see it in action. Gravity, a pan and some shop towels have always worked fine. Looks like one more thing to clean and store.

Boat motors come out the side of the mid-section shooting oil way out to start with and make a mess as they slow to a dribble down the side and lower-unit. My push mower's drain is under the deck, no good way to drain it without making a mess. Snow-blower shoots out the side and again dribbles down as the flow slows.

It's not that I can't do it with an oil pan and gravity, I've just found it cleaner and therefore faster as well as more convenient to use the vacuum container. As said above, 1 rag or paper-towel to wipe off the straw and you're done. I also find it easier to pour out when you get it to a facility that'll take used oil or friend who burns waste oil.

No having to work off your back, side, or knees either and I'd be lying if I didn't admit that I've become a fan of not having to work on stuff off my back, side, or knees.

The container is graduated so you know how much oil you've extracted.

 

[SLE]

Guess I would need to see it in action. Gravity, a pan and some shop towels have always worked fine. Looks like one more thing to clean and store.

I have stuff that has to be extracted, jet ski was the main culprit and the PTU on both my daughters and wife’s cars also require an extractor and of course the chain cases on a couple of the sleds. There is no drain plug on any of that stuff however I have found I use it on several of my small engines that are messy or clumsy to drain the oil from also. Works awesome.

 

[Allen]

It’s the recommended way to change most Yamaha 4 stroke outboard. I didn’t think much of it till I used it. Impressive.

With the way that shit pours down over the whale tail and prop on my Yamaha, it might be the only thing I own that I'd use one of these on. My Merc has a pretty darn good oil drain system. The tractor, mowers, and other assorted crap of mine drain just fine. But that Yamaha 4S pisses me off every year with the mess it makes.

 

[Twitch]

I have the hand pump one and I smile every time I use it because I envision the guy who designed it giving the middle finger to every guy who put the drain plug on every small engine I have in a place where the oil is guaranteed to make a mess either on said machine or my garage floor.

 

[zoops]

With the way that shit pours down over the whale tail and prop on my Yamaha, it might be the only thing I own that I'd use one of these on. My Merc has a pretty darn good oil drain system. The tractor, mowers, and other assorted crap of mine drain just fine. But that Yamaha 4S pisses me off every year with the mess it makes.

Definitely makes a mess. I bought one of these several years ago, works quite well. I'll admit, I just bring the motor in to be winterized anymore
Amazon product

 

[Up Y'oars]

I have that same product, Zoops and it’s a charm on boat motor oil changes. Cost me $9 back when?

Let’s just all agree the corporate mechanical engineers likely don’t have do many oil changes themselves wherever they reside. They aren’t as resourceful and afford someone else do these grimy tasks for them.

If they design such crappy oil extraction methods, why can’t they just add 10¢ more to provide a tube that fits the orifice? The owner buying said product can either hold onto it for periodic use or go their own route of tilting the small engines over while on the shop bench.

 

[SDMF]

With the way that shit pours down over the whale tail and prop on my Yamaha, it might be the only thing I own that I'd use one of these on. My Merc has a pretty darn good oil drain system. The tractor, mowers, and other assorted crap of mine drain just fine. But that Yamaha 4S pisses me off every year with the mess it makes.

You'd use it for a whole bunch more than your outboard after you used it for your outboard.

 

[Maddog]

I have the hand pump one and I smile every time I use it because I envision the guy who designed it giving the middle finger to every guy who put the drain plug on every small engine I have in a place where the oil is guaranteed to make a mess either on said machine or my garage floor.

Would you take a picture of the part number and model of your unit for me please? Thanks

@Twitch

 

[Twitch]