Drain or Pump out the old oil?

[5030]

I saw a post on another website about Dodge Challengers and it showed how some drain plugs aren’t really on the bottom of the pan and maybe an oil extractor does a better job. I’m not convinced an extractor does a better job but in some cases it might.

Sounds like a typical slush box transmission to me. heck, most auto tranny's don't even have drain plugs on the pans but mine do because the first time I changed the fluid, the pans got a bulkhead fitting installed so I can change them as well. On my Ford Focus RS, I have to have the rear end of the vehicle quite a bit lower than the front to drain out all the oil as the drain plug is not on the bottom but on the backside about an inch above the floor of the pan.

 

[rScotty]

I saw a post on another website about Dodge Challengers and it showed how some drain plugs aren’t really on the bottom of the pan and maybe an oil extractor does a better job. I’m not convinced an extractor does a better job but in some cases it might.

I'm not convinced either. Old timers remember that there was a time when oil pans collected a lot of sludge in spite of drains right at the bottom. Fifty years ago, scraping out that sludge was a real chore, but a necessary part of every engine rebuild. So was "decarbonizing".

Lately I see oil pans as well as internal engine parts coming out of old engines that are noticibly cleaner even after long use. That in spite of the drain plugs migrating away from the center of the pan like they used to be. Today, an oil pan is likely to need a wipe down and wash rather than a sludge scraper.

My suspicion is that the difference is in the oil more than anything else. Motor oils today have additives specifically to keep particles in suspension where the filter can deal with them. If those additives are doing that job properly, I'd say it argues more for better filtration than for better drain plugs - on even having drain plugs at all.

rScotty

 

[dodge man]

Sounds like a typical slush box transmission to me. heck, most auto tranny's don't even have drain plugs on the pans but mine do because the first time I changed the fluid, the pans got a bulkhead fitting installed so I can change them as well. On my Ford Focus RS, I have to have the rear end of the vehicle quite a bit lower than the front to drain out all the oil as the drain plug is not on the bottom but on the backside about an inch above the floor of the pan.

I’m talking about engine oil not transmission fluid. What I saw they even had an oil pan out of a car to show how a little bit gets left behind and how the tube from a pump gets to the bottom of the pan. The point is a lot of drain plugs aren’t at the very bottom. I still crawl under mine to do it. One thing that helps in my case is I use ramps and my driveway has a little slope and with the drain plug in the back the tilt back may get just a little more old oil out.

 

[MTGreen]

Another option along the lines of making the existing process easier is replacing the drain plug(s) with these:

 

[JJT]

Another option along the lines of making the existing process easier is replacing the drain plug(s) with these:

I'm a big fan of the Fumoto valve. The first oil change in my vehicle I recycle the drain plug and replace it with a valve. It makes the next 30 oil changes go so much quicker, saving time and crush washers.

 

[5030]

I’m talking about engine oil not transmission fluid. What I saw they even had an oil pan out of a car to show how a little bit gets left behind and how the tube from a pump gets to the bottom of the pan. The point is a lot of drain plugs aren’t at the very bottom. I still crawl under mine to do it. One thing that helps in my case is I use ramps and my driveway has a little slope and with the drain plug in the back the tilt back may get just a little more old oil out.

Most people never change their trans fluid they forget about it until it becomes an issue. Then they have it 'flushed' which only leaves all the contaminates inside and does nothing to remedy the issue. I drain and replace the ATF every year and after draining, drop the pan and change the filter. Every slush box requires renewed fluid, just like an engine with heat and cool cycles and numerous moving parts that wear and deposit junk in the fluid which the filter catches most of it but not all. Drop you pan sometime and look in it, you will be surprised. Slush boxes ain't a cheap date to replace either. Even a rebuild can cost thousands.

 

[dodge man]

I have changed the fluid in the transmission before and have rebuilt a couple years ago. The crap in the pan is actually normal, it’s wear from the bands, clutch’s and steels. Most transmissions in vehicle don’t even list a service interval. I’m pretty sure the OP was talking about engine oil.

 

[workinonit]

I've never pumped out engine oil but we pump out transmission fluid all the time in pickups and cars. You would be surprised how much you can get out. Of course you can't do that with a split pan tractor.

 

[Williy]

When the drain is in the back of the oil pan I raise the front
end and drain when the oil is hot. I use pure synthetic oil and
let it drain for as long as it drips. I'm never in a hurry when it
comes to changing oil and if the filter goes on side ways I like
to add some oil and if its straight up fill the oil filter up so at start
up oil is pumping. I do believe the synthetic oil runs faster that
regular oil. On my tractor the hydrophilic oil filters are under and
very easy to get to. One is under where the forward & reverse
pedals are the the other is arms reach from the drivers door.

willy

 

[JohnDeereJoey]

You still have to crawl under the machine to change the filter, which IMO is far messier than pulling out a drain plug…

Not for me...I can make a huge mess doing either!