Anyone here using a fluid extractor to do oil changes?

[Stanley Rockafella]

esp. on the M20?

If so, what do you use and would you recommend it?

I live in an apt bldg with a garage. The land lord is cool with doing tire swaps etc, but I just dont' feel comfortable with getting under the car.

Considering the mityvan 7201...opinions and suggestions welcomed :)

[TurboJake]

Getting under the car? M20?

You just have to reach your arm in. No jack or anything needed.. Even if it's lowered and you have a short enough catch pan.

[blunttech]

I use a marine extraction pump. "shure" something is the name I cant recall
I dont use it on all my cars but a lot of them I do. You can change oil in your city clothes .. I think it leaves a bit in but what doesnt if you have an oil cooler?? I dont feel its an issue as long as you are up on your oil changes

[Wh33lhop]

Get some stands you pansy. :p

[nrubenstein]

Yes. It's fine. Particularly given that we generally over-change our oil. On a regular BMW, the extractors will get basically everything out. If you have a heavily baffled pan, they will leave some behind. (On the S54, my mityvac leaves behind half a quart. Given that I change at half intervals, I don't give a shit. On the other cars, it drains them down to empty.)

Edit:
Two important things about fluid extractors:
1) Pour the oil out while it's still hot. Less of a big deal with thin oil, but cold 10w60 pours like fucking molasses.
2) When pouring out the oil, be careful not to soak the suction pump. That was a messy disaster until I cleaned it out. (This would not have happened if I'd followed point 1.)

[TimKninja]

Change oil somewhere else...like a parking lot.

[5Toes]

My car's first oil change in May, well done by me, was with a Griot's Garage fluid extractor. Nice unit

[mikeedler]

I don't think it's a good idea at all. I prefer to get the oil as hot as I can, then drain it all out- I would have a better feeling letting the crap run out rather than suck it out. if there is water residue in the oil pan, it won't come out if your pulling it out the top.

[nrubenstein]

I don't think it's a good idea at all. I prefer to get the oil as hot as I can, then drain it all out- I would have a better feeling letting the crap run out rather than suck it out. if there is water residue in the oil pan, it won't come out if your pulling it out the top.

If you have water accumulating in the sump, you've got another problem. As long as the oil gets up to operating temperature, water will blow off.

And, uh, a fair bit of oil stays in the car when you drain it. Everything in the oil cooler and a surprising amount in the pan. Or, if you've got a Porsche, well, you're lucky if you get 50% of the oil out in a change.

[mikeedler]

If you have water accumulating in the sump, you've got another problem. As long as the oil gets up to operating temperature, water will blow off.

And, uh, a fair bit of oil stays in the car when you drain it. Everything in the oil cooler and a surprising amount in the pan. Or, if you've got a Porsche, well, you're lucky if you get 50% of the oil out in a change.

true, but now you are going to have even more in there. oil does break down, and will carry crap down in the pan with it including condensation. as well as you would have no real idea how or what is in your crankcase if your just sucking it out with a pump. had an N46 a few months ago that let a bunch of plastic pieces out in the oil catch can, was the timing chain rail, had it not been found then, it would have been pretty catastrophic.

[nrubenstein]

true, but now you are going to have even more in there. oil does break down, and will carry crap down in the pan with it including condensation. as well as you would have no real idea how or what is in your crankcase if your just sucking it out with a pump. had an N46 a few months ago that let a bunch of plastic pieces out in the oil catch can, was the timing chain rail, had it not been found then, it would have been pretty catastrophic.

1) Condensation is only present in the oil pan if the oil is never heated up to temperature. Otherwise, it boils off. If you never get the oil warm, you've got other problems.
2) The likelihood that you will see something else pour out of the drain is pretty miniscule.
3) The total amount of additional oil left in an M20/M50 style pan when you vacuum it out is insignificant. (And if you just lift the front end, you will leave a ton of oil anyway.)

What it comes down to is this: The arguments against it are massively overblown. The best way to change the oil is the way that is easy and which will enable you to do it as often you should.

[F34R]

Getting under the car? M20?

You just have to reach your arm in. No jack or anything needed.. Even if it's lowered and you have a short enough catch pan.

Are you kidding me? I cannot find a catch pan low enough for my e30. I use a car lift at my Uncle's garage to change my oil. That way I don't leave old in the back of the pan.

[mikeedler]

1) Condensation is only present in the oil pan if the oil is never heated up to temperature. Otherwise, it boils off. If you never get the oil warm, you've got other problems.
2) The likelihood that you will see something else pour out of the drain is pretty miniscule.
3) The total amount of additional oil left in an M20/M50 style pan when you vacuum it out is insignificant. (And if you just lift the front end, you will leave a ton of oil anyway.)

What it comes down to is this: The arguments against it are massively overblown. The best way to change the oil is the way that is easy and which will enable you to do it as often you should.

I still disagree with you, like I posted above, I personally have seen enough come out of a pan. you can also see if there are shavings or anything pos. going wrong.

what is comes down to is this: there is a correct way to do things, and a wrong.

BMW says to drain it with the DRAINPLUG- that's how it should be done.
jacking a car up and porsches, and.. everything else has nothing to do with the question on hand.
run the oil to operating temp, and drain it. have you seen a dealership that sucks out the oil?

[nrubenstein]

I still disagree with you, like I posted above, I personally have seen enough come out of a pan. you can also see if there are shavings or anything pos. going wrong.

what is comes down to is this: there is a correct way to do things, and a wrong.

BMW says to drain it with the DRAINPLUG- that's how it should be done.
jacking a car up and porsches, and.. everything else has nothing to do with the question on hand.
run the oil to operating temp, and drain it. have you seen a dealership that sucks out the oil?

I've never seen a dealership get an oil change right on my S54s. They usually overfill by 1.5 quarts because the technicians cant be bothered to adjust the machine or set it correctly. (And who knows what oil they actually put in.) So, the dealerships are not exactly the example that I would hold up. And the fluid extractor has been extremely useful in draining the oil down to the correct level as well.

Anyway, the M20 doesn't even have any plastic guides to fall into the oil pan. So, even if you accept that argument, it's as irrelevant as the Porsches.

[Stanley Rockafella]

this man /\ has a valid argument.