Changing oil, no access to sump?

[BlackHeron]

Originally Posted by rwidman

Who changes the oil, you or your wife?

If my wife started telling me what tools I needed for maintaining the boat, I would turn the task over to her.

We both maintain the boat. Besides, her two advanced engineering degrees technically outrank my measly Bachelor of Arts and a trade school degree as a journeyman commercial wireman.

Plus she's right. The darn thing is huge and we don't have room for it on a 35' sailboat we both will be living on full time. We'd have to give up something probably more important to make the space for it.

[redbeard1]

Originally Posted by Winf

On a similar theme, the oil filter on our Yanmar 3HM is a pain to get off. Have two types of filter clamp and neither work well. Just can't seem to get clamp to a good position to get a good grip and some movement at the same. Any good filter clamps out there?

Winf

I work a bit on cars. My mechanic friends raved about this filter removal tool and I now agree with them. Whenever I come across a stubborn filter, this will get it off. Plus it takes a ratchet/extensions so you can apply lots of torque if the filter is in a tight space.

https://www.amazon.com/Lisle-63600-O.../dp/B0002SR4Q8

Still, to echo others. If you need a wrench to remove the filter, it may not have been put on correctly - hand tight is all that is needed.

[Quadrille in JB]

Originally Posted by Jacana

When finished extracting oil from the sump use the siphon pump to extract oil from the old filters to empty them before disposal then I put the hose into the fuel container for the dinghy motor and a quick pump sucks up a smidgen of petrol which cleans the hose internally and then ready for next oil change.

I like it. I'll use that trick next time. Just changed the oil in both Kubotas this week. Main and genset.

[Quadrille in JB]

Originally Posted by BlackHeron

I like the idea of using brake line to suck the oil out the dipstick rather than the plastic stuff.

I have a Volvo-Penta evil 2003t green demon engine and I'll have to see what size best fits down in there with the largest ID. The plastic hoses tend to deflect on the bottom of the oil pan and don't want to find or keep at the bottom very well. I imagine the thinner wall of the metal brake line would allow for a larger ID and better oil flow as well as a little more weight, being metal rather than plastic, to keep it resting down to the bottom of the pan when pumping my hand pump. The glass jar idea for the drain oil is interesting too as it is all too easy to tip the jar too. I like to wire the handle to something to keep it where it needs to be. It's bad enough the hose tends to want to jump out of it when operating the hand pump.

I wanted to buy a nice vacuum pump like the ones they sell at WestMarine but I was over-ruled by my wife who said it takes up too much space on a cruising sailboat. Space is tight and they are quite large for a device that has limited utility. The hand pump packs down much smaller.

That's whats good about the small stand alone 12v pump. You don't need to store the 5 gallon bucket. And they only cost $39 instead of $210

https://www.harborfreight.com/12-vol...ump-63324.html

[Bleemus]

This is the one I use. Love it. Makes oil changes a breeze!

http://amzn.to/2iqCPie

[hellosailor]

You need a better local parts store, the extractors are mainstream products that even auto dealers use these days.

If the plastic hose that goes into the dipstick tube collapses, there is a reinforced tube (ribs running on the inside of it) that is used in disposable oxygen masks and medical oxygen equipment, which will do the job perfectly. They're throw-aways but any medical supplier should be able to sell you a short cheap one, new and clean.

Before you start, have some larger plastic bags and a roll of paper toweling. When you pull the extraction hose out of the engine it tends to whip around and throw dirty oil around,so you want to contain it and wipe it down immediately, and you'll need a handy trash bag for the oily paper towels. (Throw-away latex gloves also help.) And once you've dumped the oil, it helps to put the entire extractor in a double plastic bag and secure it. Again, because they love to spread the old used oil around.

But they do an outstanding job.

[Winf]

Originally Posted by J Clark H356

I had similar problems with filter wrenches of all types. In my case they are just too hard to get in the proper place with the correct tightness on the band. I’ve used all sizes of rubber and metal, infinite adjustment etc. I now use large Channellock slip joint pliers to get it started. Also you must be tightening it too tight. Just hand tighten with a little use of the Channellocks - then start the engine and see if it drips. Err on the side of too loose rather than too tight and check it a few times until you feel comfortable that it won’t vibrate off or leak.

Another technique I have used to get things started is a large screwdriver stuck all the way through. Use that to start it turning. The screwdriver will spill oil, but as a last resort, it usually works for me.

Thanks to all that commented on this "side thread."

I hear the comments on tightness. I always give the seal a lick of oil. New filters go on by hand with less than 1/4 turn more with the filter wrench because it is such a poor position. I didn't think I was going overboard on tightness but points taken.

I had to look up "channel lock slip joint pliers." Over here I've always known them as multi grips but soon as I got that it was a "why didn't I think of that moment." A great idea and may just work so thanks.

Winf

[hellosailor]

Winf-
A Channelock, aka slip joint plier, is generically known as a "water pump plier" in the US. But like Kleenex (tissue) or Scotch (cellophane) tape, we call it by the brand name.

If you ever need to get a good grip on things like oil filters, try this.

Buy a pair of cheap cotton knit gardening gloves, or thin mechanics gloves. Place them face-up on some old newspaper and spray them with permanent mounting spray or rubber cement spray. Before the glue sets up, sprinkle them with play sand, masonry sand, any "washed" sand with no salt in it. Repeat again after it has dried, and then rub them down lightly with a rag.

You'll now have a set of abrasive-palmed gloves. You'll find they grip oily filters very nicely, and "hand tight" becomes much easier to do. They're also good enough that you may not need a wrench to remove the filter, either.

Rubber kitchen gloves will also work, they just don't give the glue as good a chance to adhere, so you don't keep the abrasive sand as well.

[Moosemiester]

Originally Posted by Sailorbob8599

Now how did THAT get there if you're doing regular oil changes

Previous owner... not me. I tried and tried to unplug it to no avail.

[basssears]

FWIW, Defender has pretty good Black Friday / Cyber Monday price on the Jabsco 12v pump:
Jabsco Port-A-Quick Oil Changer

-- Bass