Change oil filter the easy non-messy way

[Tommy]

Hi guys!

 

Any tips on changing the oil on a J as to avoid oil dripping all over?

 

Thanks!

[Danb]

great question I just had a MSC change mine and it cost me $ 360.00  not a typo...I will start changing the oil myself again..also consider an oil analysis...Blackstone does mine and they do an analysis even a person with limited mechanical skills (like myself) can understand

[Andy95W]

Take a piece of thin sheet metal, about 2-3 feet long and about 2-3 inches wide and bend it into a shallow V. You can then slide this under the oil filter flange (probably from the co-pilot's side). Loosen the oil filter a few turns until oil just barely starts to flow and put your bucket under the end of the metal V.

2 lessons learned the hard way:

-be careful sliding the metal over/under some of the stuff in the engine compartment

-close your hangar door if it's windy- or oil drops will make a mess

[carusoam]

Tommy,

Use the search function, there are many pictures of systems that people have bought or built....

Discussions on procedure are helpful.

Best regards,

-a-

[N601RX]

I stuff a couple of towels under the filter and then slide a zip lock bag over the filter and up under the neck/lip of the filter adapter. Use one hand to keep the bag firmly in place against the bottom of the filter adaptor and screw the filter off with the other hand.  Then just lift the filter/bag out.  With a little practice you can do it cleanly.

[kerry]

Put a plastic bag around oil filter.  At the same time punch a hole in the oil filter with a screw driver.  Then catch oil in the plastic bag.  It will still be a little messy but not nearly as bad as trying to remove the oil filter without punching a hole in it and letting it drain.

[Jerry 5TJ]

I find that a 20 oz soda bottle, sawn in half lengthwise, will slide in place under the oil filter and catches almost all of the spill when the filter is removed, and it won't damage the stuff you have to work it around going in and out.  

[Andy95W]

I find that a 20 oz soda bottle, sawn in half lengthwise, will slide in place under the oil filter and catches almost all of the spill when the filter is removed, and it won't damage the stuff you have to work it around going in and out.

Nice solution, better than mine! Will the 20oz. bottle catch all the oil, or do you let it run into a larger pan?

Man, ya gotta love Mooneyspace for this stuff.

[The-sky-captain]

http://www.newpig.com/pig/US/pig-form-a-funnel-flexible-draining-tool-tls703

I have one and it works great one the filter change as well as draining overnight for the quick drain.

[Jerry 5TJ]

Nice solution, better than mine! Will the 20oz. bottle catch all the oil, or do you let it run into a larger pan?

It easily will hold all the oil that comes out of the filter in the ~20 seconds it takes to get it unscrewed and tilted back to stop the flow. 

You still need a few rags back there to mop up the last few drips.

[OR75]

this won't work for everybody but will for those who have a hangar.

 

fly the plane to get the engine hot 

open quick drain and adapt a hose to let the oil drain

go home  

come back next day

most of the oil will have drained and the  filter will be cold

spin the filter off with one and put a paper towel under the filter with the other one

a few drop but no spill 

[Hank]

Having just moved and left my oil drain pan behind, I was curious. Make no mistake, I DID bring the piece of under-the-filter sheet metal with me, woven gently through the hoses from the copilot's side. I spun the filter until it started to drain, then stopped and held a water bottle under the end of my drain--the oil is about an inch deep in it. Then I spun the filter off.

 

At this point, be careful and tip the rear of the filter down, or you'll dump a pint or so of oil onto the back of the engine. Remove vertically, using the other hand to move wires, hoses, etc., out of the way.

 

My drain hose goes into an empty laundry detergent jug. I let it drain for about an hour, at that point the drain hose was completely clear so nothing else was going to come out.

 

Quick, easy, no mess.

[stevesm20b]

I just punch a hole in the top of the filter and run compressed air into the hole. It pushes all the oil out of the filter. Then you can just take the filter off without having to worry about trying to catch oil dripping or coming out of the filter. 

[aaronk25]

If you have the luxury of pulling the quick drain and waiting a few days, most of the oil runs back out of the filter, which minimizes mess.

I like this option too because it allows more time (days) for the oil to drain out of oil galleries, ect...resulting in evacuating more oil out of the engine.

The compressed air method works too, but it might leave you scratching your head as the filings from drilling can get forced into the filter pleats.

Might get hard to distinguish oil filter shavings from engine ones, unless the filter ones have white filter paint on them.

Either way is good...just my .02c

[Hank]

Aaron, he said "punch" not "drill." If you don't have a punch, use a 16-penny nail. No filings, just a mess as you spin it many times around to remove it.

My last oil drain, after an hour, nothing was coming out and the drain tube was completely clear. "Days" is overkill.

[aaronk25]

Aaron, he said "punch" not "drill." If you don't have a punch, use a 16-penny nail. No filings, just a mess as you spin it many times around to remove it.

My last oil drain, after an hour, nothing was coming out and the drain tube was completely clear. "Days" is overkill.

Woops...a punch would be better.....

But I'll argue with you on the "days". As I checked it. After about an hour I put a bowl under the drain tube and after 5 days I had another 1/2 a qt.....try it sometime....

[Hank]

I may take you up on that, but I typically change my oil warm in about an hour, plus time looking for tools and cussing the safety wire pliers. My new ones, though (from Spruce) work much better than Sportys cheapie pair that quit spinning in just a few years' use only doing 50-hour oil changes.

[Tommy]

Fantastic tips everyone!

I will try a combination of these techniques!

Aiming for mess free quick filter change!

[N601RX]

For those worried about getting ever last drop of oil out try jacking up the mains with the pilot side higher than the passenger side.  This will get you another 1/2 quart of oil out.

[Guitarmaster]

Works great! Nary drop spilled on the engine!

[Marauder]

Works great! Nary drop spilled on the engine!

Ok... Question for you. On your 75F, what does the Orange Scat tube on top end up cooling? Did an oil change and noticed that my tube is pointing to "no where land". You would think after owning this plane for 24 years I would know.

It looks like it was moved at the annual. Mine is long enough to reach the vacuum pump but I always thought the vacuum pump has a shroud on it for the tube to attach to.

It isn't the mags since those are hard tubes welded onto the baffle support. In the picture, your tube looks headed toward something on the accessory pad.

[David Mazer]

I may take you up on that, but I typically change my oil warm in about an hour, plus time looking for tools and cussing the safety wire pliers. My new ones, though (from Spruce) work much better than Sportys cheapie pair that quit spinning in just a few years' use only doing 50-hour oil changes.

I thought the same as Hank here until my IA dissuaded me of the idea.  His logic is that the "normal" oil runs out swiftly when warm but any sludge takes longer and that is probably more important than the "normal" oil to remove.  His advice was to wait overnight, and now I do.

[Guitarmaster]

Ok... Question for you. On your 75F, what does the Orange Scat tube on top end up cooling? Did an oil change and noticed that my tube is pointing to "no where land". You would think after owning this plane for 24 years I would know.

It looks like it was moved at the annual. Mine is long enough to reach the vacuum pump but I always thought the vacuum pump has a shroud on it for the tube to attach to.

It isn't the mags since those are hard tubes welded onto the baffle support. In the picture, your tube looks headed toward something on the accessory pad.

If you're referring to the small one on top of the motor, it comes around the back and blows on the fuel pump to cool the fuel. I replaced mine, because when I got it it was flopping around on the back of the engine. I finally found where it went after much searching!

[Marauder]

If you're referring to the small one on top of the motor, it comes around the back and blows on the fuel pump to cool the fuel. I replaced mine, because when I got it it was flopping around on the back of the engine. I finally found where it went after much searching!

Yep that is the one I am talking about. Thanks. I think mine was moved when they repainted the baffles a year ago. Looks like they did run it back to the pump area.

[Guitarmaster]

There's a clamp that sits almost directly under the oil filter. The scat tube fits in that and clamps tight in place. It's a real pain in the butt to get to.

Mine was just flapping in the breeze. I caught it during the first oil change. Thought, "that just doesn't look quite right.". Lol!