Do you have any Oil/Fluid changing time saving efficiency tips?

[boostmg]

Ok well it hit me this spring that i have a ton of machines i need to maintain. Changing oil mainly. I wanted to poll the group to see if they have any time saving tips when changing oil. Or even tips that make the job a lot easier.

For me the most time consuming parts are getting the oil measurement exactly right, because that usually involves starting a machine, waiting a bit, measuring, etc. The next most time consuming part is the clean up, i clean the oil drain pans and funnels, and usually end up with a million paper towels covered in oil. Also oil filters usually kick my ass once they leak oil all over the damn place.

One of the recent things i did and will likely continue to do is use an old jug or laundry detergent bottle with the side cut out to drain the oil into, this at least make the disposal and cleanup process a little easier on me.

But i'd like to hear from others any time saving tips you have learned throughout the years when it comes to changing oils, fluids.

I was thinking about getting a measuring cup like this as i could see it being beneficial in the long run if i new exactly how much each machine needed FUNNEL KING 1-gal. Polypropylene Measuring Pitcher

 

[Hay Dude]

Have a bucket of kitty litter on standby

 

[Sberry]

I am fussy with grease but dont simply change oil at every chance I get. We do it by use and machine type, extending change is the most efficient.

 

[hube2]

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This can sit vertically with the spout up and the lip will keep if from dripping oil on the ground.

I use a couple of these https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0064O8OYK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 to hold oil till I can get rid of it and the pan sits between it and the wall to hold it vertical. I also just leave the funnel sitting in the top of the container till is drips itself clean. I just leave it there for a couple of days.

I don't do a lot of clean up, unless you're gonna scrub things with dish detergent you'll never get all the oil off anyway. When I put my funnels away I wrap them in rags to prevent dust from sticking, dirt and debris from getting on them. I have dedicated funnels for dirty oil, new oil, diesel, gas.

 

[boostmg]

I am fussy with grease but dont simply change oil at every chance I get. We do it by use and machine type, extending change is the most efficient.

I'm with you on that .. for two ATVs i waited two years ... i like to go off the the recommended hours .. but i also look at how hard the machine was used for plowing or towing. I did diffs this year too one b/c it was after break in, and the other b/c i dont know if it was ever changed and was concerned with condensation or water.

 

[Big Barn]

This is what I used when I also had "a ton of equipment" to maintain.

A cube for engine oil with air powered pump, hose reel and metering gun.

 

[jaxs]

You bet I have a tip. Install these. Be sure and get the one with a nipple where a hose can be mounted. I save laundry and milk jugs and fill them as oil drain's. Save's the mess.

 

[Doughknob]

Yep - I have the Fumoto valves on my cars also. Also - yep to the black plastic drain pan. I use newspapers wadded up to wipe out the pan surface each time and then just burn the papers. That makes for easy clean up. I pour the old oil from the drain pan into the 5qt oil jugs and take them to autozone to recycle. And yep to the kitty litter! No matter how hard I try, I always manage to get some on the concrete.

 

[repete]

If you do a lot of oil changes consider a good 55 gallon drum and find someone with a used oil furnace who burns it. Just be sure to NOT include anything other than oils in it. No coolant! Store it sealed and under cover. I fill about two of these drums a year and the local shop can get a few weeks of warmth out of it.

Do not give them contaminated oil and do not let anyone else dump oil in the drum that you have not inspected.

 

[MossRoad]

I crack the filter lose, then slip a gallon zip-lock bag over the filter before removing it completely. Any spills go into the bag while I take it to the drain pan.

 

[shooterdon]

I use an oil extractor to vacuum the oil out of the engine. Then pump it into large plastic jugs.

Just feed a small diameter plastic tube down the dip stick and suck it out.

 

[Big Barn]

I use an oil extractor to vacuum the oil out of the engine. Then pump it into large plastic jugs.

Just feed a small diameter plastic tube down the dip stick and suck it out.

Me too (in certain cases)

 

[ArlyA]

I'm with you on that .. for two ATVs i waited two years ... i like to go off the the recommended hours .. but i also look at how hard the machine was used for plowing or towing. I did diffs this year too one b/c it was after break in, and the other b/c i dont know if it was ever changed and was concerned with condensation or water.

We operate machines hard, but still have low hours per year. We change the engine oil yearly which must be cheaper than a new one?

 

[boostmg]

I crack the filter lose, then slip a gallon zip-lock bag over the filter before removing it completely. Any spills go into the bag while I take it to the drain pan.

Def stealing this idea!

 

[Big Barn]

Def stealing this idea!

Yes. But not so good for side and top mounted filters

 

[square1]

On big filters & especially diesel, drilling ~1/4" hole at the low point in the filter housing and letting it drain into a pan gets rid of the weight and the mess

 

[dodge man]

On my cars and trucks I used to use a floor jack to get them in the air but with modern cars you about have to go side to side to get the nose in the air. Then I got ramps, but went with a cheaper set. About a year ago I got a set of “Race Ramps”. They are just a little longer and go a little bit higher. They are a solid foam and coated with a rough tacky material so they don’t slide. Worth every penny.

 

[RustyA]

Old school here but use the large black drain pan for draining. Empty T6 jugs for recycling, last jug tip pan up vertical and put filter in the bottom of the oil pan. Leave it drain overnight and one paper towel wipes out drain pan.

 

[CalG]

What Rusty stated works for me! one better ,a five gallon pail with a dedicated funnel on top and a spigot near the bottom, setting on a low bench.

The drain pans are emptied in the funnel and allowed to drain until clear (overnight), the refuse is tapped off the bottom spigot into the empty oil jugs.

The five gallon pail never fills up, it just answers for a buffer in keeping the operation flowing smoothly.

 

[RalphVa]

I use an oil extractor to vacuum the oil out of the engine. Then pump it into large plastic jugs.

Just feed a small diameter plastic tube down the dip stick and suck it out.

My DR oil pump type extractor is rather slow for that. I'd use the Northern Tool 12v one. Think it does 0.5 gpm.