The ultimate oil change drain pan?

[TimeMachinE30]

bingo!

Tell the POs that....

[Cephas]

I have this one:

http://www.walmart.com/ip/44580714

It will fit an entire M52's crankcase worth of oil in the top section if you forget to remove the drain plug, with nary a drop going over the side and touching the garage floor. Ask me how I know.

I like the idea, but don't like that oil residue will be all over that thing. I guess if it's stored in a shed when not it use, it won't matter though.

[GreatWhite]

I'm surprised by how many people like to extract it from the top because I've never even heard of anyone doing it that way before. I've also never owned a boat, so that may contribute to my lack of exposure.

Any ways, two votes for the Wal-Mart/Autozone change pan and one unspecified product with a mesh top (that does seem helpful, I hate fishing for a sunken bolt!).

Anyone else recommend a specific product?

[Exodus_2pt0]

I can't speak from personal experience, but I hear that Mercedes dealers always extract from the top for services.

I've been meaning to get one, but currently, both my vehicles have a bottom mounted oil filter. Kind of takes the excitement out of it if I gotta get under there anyway.

[agent]

I like the idea, but don't like that oil residue will be all over that thing. I guess if it's stored in a shed when not it use, it won't matter though.

I tear off the top of the filter box and use it to scrape the oil into the drain hole, then a little brake cleaner on a rag/towel to wipe it down so I can store it upright as pictured. Done like dinner.

[Cephas]

I tear off the top of the filter box and use it to scrape the oil into the drain hole, then a little brake cleaner on a rag/towel to wipe it down so I can store it upright as pictured. Done like dinner.

I like it. Doing an oil change is so annoying because of the mess, but Ill give this method a shot!

[flyboyx]

If you have solids and sludge hanging around in the pan you have more issues than how the oil gets changed 8^)

But on a serious note, have you seen shit come out when draining?

This is very common on marine engines and many/most are diesels where the oil is nasty and they last many hours after changing oil this way.

I have one of these but still do it the old fashion jack and pan way cause I like having a look around under there while I am at it 8^)

I have always run full synthetic in every engine i own for the last 10 years or so. I promise you that if you dont drain your oil out the bottom, you are leaving solids that will contaminate the new oil you put in your engine no matter how often you perform a change or the oil you use. There is always going to be some carbon that gets by your rings. This is one of the main reasons oil goes darker the more miles you run it.

Will it kill your engine? No probably not. I am betting it wont last as long though. For my money, i prefer to jack up the car and unscrew the plug. Im not condemning you guys for doing it. My opinion is just that.

[whodwho]

So you don't think it stays suspended and the larger particles gets filtered? Believe me there is nothing more dirty than diesel oil from this and they have no issues with thousands of hours without issue with oil changed in this manner.

[Stanley Rockafella]

:popcorn:

sounds like another BITOG debate

[Exodus_2pt0]

You could just do like our locomotives. We change the filters and keep the oil topped off. Damn two strokes burn enough oil that it doesn't ever need changed. Only changed the oil twice on 2 different engines due to something letting go and dumping diesel into the crankcase. (Fuel lines are routed internally.)

/offtopicbs.

[AndrewBird]

I have one like this and like it:


The vent cap "strap" broke pretty quickly, so it can get lost if not careful. The drain hole in the center is small enough most dropped bolts/etc won't fit. I use a paper shop rag to scrape all the oil into the center hole, then use the same rag to wipe everything down. Sits on a shelf in the garage when not in use.

[GreatWhite]

I have one like this and like it:

That looks like the one I have. I had the same experience with the various caps breaking. It's gotten the job done for the past three years, but I'm sure not impressed with it.

Any one else have a drain pan that they think particularly high of?

[agent]

That's the one I replaced with the one I posted. Too awkward to pour used oil into another container or carry without dripping (pouring) from the assuredly failed cap.

[LEANE30]

I wish I had a pit in my garage floor with a metal access door for when not in use. I could then plumb the pit out to the local stream and pollute and kill all wildlife in the stream nice and slowly over the course of multiple years. That would be so nice.























Seriously tho, I have a box pan with 10" round cap on top and a 1x1cm grating that is fine enough the plug won't fall through. It has wheels on the one bottom edge which makes sliding it around while under the car 50% better than no wheels. Anyway you cut it, it's just a god damned oil drain pan. You are going to get oil on yourself in the process somehow, so who gives a fuck, really?

[jeffnhiscars]

I'm with flyboyx about draining from the bottom. At least you get the bits of RTV that the last owner used too much of to replace his rocker plugs (RTV should be illegal IMO)

I also had that round pan and the lid split so I bought the rectangular one from Walmart. When I removed the large drain plug there were only 2 1/2 holes which I figured were too small so I went to bore a bigger hole and ran my bit through the bottom of the pan...lol

Had to JB the damn hole before I could even use it :)