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

[newbury]

I am not sure what baseline means to us and I never give hours. I just want the numbers, is it good or not.

To me baseline in this thread/context means what the oil was the first time I changed it and sent a sample in. For example on my truck (if I remember correctly) I did it it at the first change, about 5,000 miles after the first, again about 3,000, next 5,000 later, then at about another 5.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

You can just let it run out on the ground. Saves time on drain pan and such. Especially if you are on someone else's property. Just leave all your towells, trash, and oil cans on their property. Lot more efficient. Just drain, pour, and leave. Hard to get any easier than that. You won't have one bit of mess to deal with at your place. Hope this helps.

 

[Robin Veerman]

Heck, do it close to the crick, so you can wash the truck afterwards…

 

[Robin Veerman]

…NOT!!!

 

[LD1]

Some of what I do has already been mentioned, some not. So Ill repeat but consolidate what I do here:

1. Shop vac on fill port for changing filters and not oil. Some equipment specs just a filter change. This draws a vacuum inside the case and you only loose the fluid thats in the filter

2. For small equipment that has a "remote" drain. Like a hose attached to the drain port and the end of the hose is where you actually drain (some mowers, skidloaders, etc are like this)....make sure the engine is warmed up. And even then I sometimes get impatient. Our ditchwitch sk750 takes about 2hrs to drain the 2 gallons even if warm. A little compressed air in moderation (dont want to blow out seals) with a shop rag over fill port. Air pushes all the oil out real quick.

3. Take a black sharpie and find some white plastic under the hood. (coolant reservoir or brake fluid reservoir are my go-to's). Write THREE things. 1. Drain plug wrench size. 2. How many qts of oil 3. Oil filter #.

By following #3....makes oil changes simple. No more up and down 20 times to find the right wrench. No more adding a quart....checking level....adding a little more, checking level, etc. Simply jack car up....pop hood and see what filter and wrench. Take wrench, filter, and drain pan and crawl under. Do your thing under there and now you are done. Only laying on your back once.

Return topside add prescribed amount of oil and you are done. Start engine (to fill filter)...let run a few seconds and verify correct oil level.

4. I'll add a 4th here. I never have much luck with filter wrenches. Either too big, too small, or too akward to get enough throw for them to grab and actually do anything. A larger set of channel-locs are my go-to for stubborn filters.

 

[PILOON]

Mark dates/hrs on filters with a marker.
HD gloves* like used to clean toilets. (light spray with WD40 and wipe clean after)
Rinse hands with WD-40 as then a simple soap and water wash works wonders.**
Kitty litter for spills on concrete floor.

*No matter what quality of gloves I used I always succeeded in tearing them.
** shop phone rang once and under emergency conditions I discovered the WD40 trick

Crazy as it sounds WD simply floats that black yucky dirty grease to the surface of your hands making washing them simple with but soap and water. A paper hand wipe towel will wipe 99% of the black yuck leaving your hands 'handshake clean'.

 

[Oaktree]

You can just let it run out on the ground. Saves time on drain pan and such. Especially if you are on someone else's property. Just leave all your towells, trash, and oil cans on their property. Lot more efficient. Just drain, pour, and leave. Hard to get any easier than that. You won't have one bit of mess to deal with at your place. Hope this helps.

Hey! Thanks for the tip!! Lot easier that way!!

One other tip I don't think I saw mentioned...make sure you actually have the correct amount of replacement oil on hand before you drain the crankcase (on the ground or elsewhere). Learned that one the hard way when I was a teenager. Long walk to the parts store...