Engine Oil Syphon

[Seafarer1966]

I'm considering buying a syphon so that I can remove my car engine oil via the dipstick. I would welcome views from folk on here who have used such an oil syphon tool and what the pros and cons are.

I don't want views from resident 'experts' who haven't got this kit or have never used one or comments from the usual comedians.

 

[just pumps]

Well, Im not a resident expert in this field, neither have I used this kit and nor am I paid comedian, that said I do know it is common practise on a boat engine when you cant get to a sump plug and I understand that not all the oil is removed using a hand pump.

 

[Burnerman]

I have one of the original Sealey extractors that runs off my air compressor. It’s not as powerful as I’d hoped.
It’s pretty slow, but if the oil is nice and hot it comes out ok. It has two telescopic tubes to get down the dipstick hole.
The big issue......if the oil is old, maybe sludgy, the extractors won’t touch it and you’ve no real clue if you are getting all of the old oil out - the body of the vessel does have litre calibration though so you have some idea.
Personally I don’t think you can beat removing the sump plug and letting the oil out slowly and that’s what I do, but the extractor is very good for pulling oil out from filter bowls and even down to the oil cooler below.
So - yes it has many uses, and some cars don’t have a sump plug anyway there’s no other way.
I use mine a lot for mower sumps though.
John

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

As a quick way to change the oil, lacking the time or inclination fine, but not as good, not as thorough as getting the oil hot and draining via the sump plug. It will miss the last few mm depth of oil.

 

[Mottie]

If I'm working on a car that has an oil filter that is accessible from under the bonnet, I use my sucker. It’s just a vacuum operated one but you do need to get the oil hot to thin it out. Before now, after I have sucked the oil out, I’ve jacked the car up and removed the sump plug to see what was still in there. Always been pleasantly surprised as very little comes out.

I’ve also used it to suck brake fluid out of a reservoir before removing it, same with coolant from a header tank before removing that too. I even used it to suck water out of my downstairs WC and macerator when it packed up before removing them!

 

[Burnerman]

Great for baling out diesel fuel filter bowls, and I’ve used mine to empty an entire tank which was filled with the wrong fuel.
John

 

[Andydevon]

I was sceptical about this but got tired of fighting the under try of my Golf. Bought a cheap £10 Lidl oil pump that runs off the battery. Simple to use and got more oil out than from a conventional drain for the sump plug only a few 100 mil but I was surprised and from start to finish 5 minutes. Oil filter at top of of engine so no need to jack car up at all. Won't go back to crawling under the car now.