Oil change by owner

[kpaul]

I have the quick drain fitting, what size hose do you use?  I have watched mine being changed but have yet to do my own.

 

[Bob_Belville]

Just now, kpaul said:

I have the quick drain fitting, what size hose do you use?  I have watched mine being changed but have yet to do my own.

 

You'll have to measure it. There are 2 common sized quick drains. "Large" and "Small".  I'm guessing 1/2" and 5/8" but maybe not. Google quick drains and you should see the choices.

[kpaul]

Just now, Bob_Belville said:

You'll have to measure it. There are 2 common sized quick drains. "Large" and "Small".  I'm guessing 1/2" and 5/8" but maybe not. Google quick drains and you should see the choices.

Thank you.  I had a feeling it was going to be a "it depends" answer.  I will have to check when I get home.  Only 25 more days!

[Skates97]

1 minute ago, Bob_Belville said:

You'll have to measure it. There are 2 common sized quick drains. "Large" and "Small".  I'm guessing 1/2" and 5/8" but maybe not. Google quick drains and you should see the choices.

I just did mine and it was 1/2". I just went to Lowes and bought I think 3-4' of each size for somewhere around $0.40/ft. I figured it was cheap enough that spending the extra $1.50 to not make a second trip if I guessed wrong was worth it. 

[Bob_Belville]

I just ran across this while looking for quick drains. It might be of interest to the OP and others. Lots of details on changing oil.

https://www.avweb.com/news/maint/191564-1.html

[ArtVandelay]

I have the quick drain fitting, what size hose do you use?  I have watched mine being changed but have yet to do my own.
 

Mine is 5/16", so I use a fuel hose...don't use cheap plastic hose, the heat will cause the hose to lose it's grip on the fitting.

[Bob_Belville]

Just now, Skates97 said:

I just did mine and it was 1/2". I just went to Lowes and bought I think 3-4' of each size for somewhere around $0.40/ft. I figured it was cheap enough that spending the extra $1.50 to not make a second trip if I guessed wrong was worth it. 

I like the way you think. Ain't it embarrassing to grab 3 wrenches, the one you think it is and the 2 on either side of that and get to the plane and you still don't have the right size?

[ArtVandelay]

Regarding draining...
If you in a hangar, most are slightly elevated, pull the nose out to lower the nose, or you let the air out of the nose wheel (don't forget to re-inflate it.

[Skates97]

1 minute ago, teejayevans said:

Mine is 5/16", so I use a fuel hose...don't use cheap plastic hose, the heat will cause the hose to lose it's grip on the fitting.

Or drain it when it is cold... Leaving it to drain overnight I think gets as much out as running the engine to heat everything up first, although I know there are those that disagree.

[Bob_Belville]

I've tried a lot of different things and now just thread/stuff wipe rags under the lip of the filter. I try to drop the butt end down before I lift the filter out. Not bad most of the time.

[Yetti]

google "form a funnel"  or if you have a strip of aluminum and some tin snips.   I wipe the leading edge down after each flight with blue roll towels.   I grab a bunch of those and stuff them under the filter.  You are going to spill some even with the form a funnel

[Yetti]

17 hours ago, jetdriven said:

Harbor freight sells a large opening short crescent wrench that takes that filter off great. Otherwise a 1" short box end wrench will. 

Which will receive a look of scorn and snide remark from my dad about "rounding wrench"

[Andy95W]

Just now, Yetti said:

Which will receive a look of scorn and snide remark from my dad about "rounding wrench"

It's only the Metric Crescent wrench that does that.  You have to use a standard crescent wrench on the oil filters.

[Yetti]

You have not met my dad....

[markejackson02]

I use a 1" ratcheting box wrench, works perfectly to remove/tighten the filter.  I use a 4' long piece of angle aluminum to catch the oil from the quick drain valve and route it to an oil pan.

The key to a no mess is to drill a small hole in the filter.  I have a compressor/air drill/#30 bit I use to drill a hole.  Drill, open the drain valve, go to lunch, come back, and you can just unscrew the filter with no mess.

I use to use a Snap-On torque wrench to put on the filter.  Found it isn't really needed.  Just put on the DC-4 compound, hand tighten it, and then tighten a quarter of a turn with the box wrench.  Safety wire in place and you're good to go.

[AH-1 Cobra Pilot]

1 hour ago, Oldguy said:

Slightly more weight in the rear of the plane? I have found the smallest difference in the nose high/tail high orientation of my J can yield different amounts of oil remaining in the filter regardless of the amount of time I let it drain.

The only difference could have been fuel level.  The plane was parked in the exact same spot in the hangar, so that narrows the possibilities.   I will pay more attention to fuel level the next time, as well as tire inflation, to get a nose-down orientation.

[EricJ]

2 hours ago, Andy95W said:

It's only the Metric Crescent wrench that does that.  You have to use a standard crescent wrench on the oil filters.

I grew up hearing a crescent wrench referred to as a "Mexican metric wrench".   Now and then I take a crack at learning Spanish, since I live in the southwest, and I was amused to learn that the Spanish word for "crescent wrench" is "llave inglesa", or "English Wrench".

Touche'.

[Hank]

8 hours ago, whiskytango said:

Thanks to all for the excellent advice.  I will watch the A&P do it and maybe record it with my phone as long as he is ok with that.  

Look in the Downloads section here, I posted a PowerPoint showing an oil change in my C.

• Use a 1" combination wrench to get the filter off (Champion CH48110-1).
• I use 3/8 ID silicone tubing to drain the oil. Don't leave it attached to your quick drain all the time--I feed it in the cowl flap, slip it on a d drain the oil. Then I close the quick drain and remove the tubing. Easy peasy.
• Buy a brass tube connector, barbed on both ends. Chuck it into your drain rill ND sand one end to slip in a d out with only a little grip; cram Ghery other end into the tube. Now you can "close the tube" with oil in it by wrapping in a circle and slipping it together, and stilleave be able to disconnect it for use.
• The brass fitting acts as a weight to keep the end down in your used oil bin  (old laundry detergent bottles work fine, and hold two changes).

Can't help you with the many screws, my C came with a bunch of camlocs on the cowl.  

[Hank]

Dp.

Edited June 6, 2017 by Hank

[Marauder]

Anyone try these oil filter drainers?

 

http://m.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/eppages/tempestoildraintool.php

 

 

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[XXX]

14 hours ago, whiskytango said:

Thanks to all for the excellent advice.  I will watch the A&P do it and maybe record it with my phone as long as he is ok with that.  

Better yet, have the A&P watch you do it. He's getting paid regardless.  If he's not ok with it, find one that is.  

[Guest]

13 hours ago, Marauder said:

Anyone try these oil filter drainers?

 

http://m.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/eppages/tempestoildraintool.php

 

 

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I've tried a lot of different versions with different degrees of success, most are in a bucket unused.  We tend to mostly use formed aluminum troughs and cut up plastic oil bottles.

With a bit of practice the oil can be changed with nor spillage.

Clarence

[Bob_Belville]

Changed oil yesterday. Pic is missing the DC-4.

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[peevee]

that's an older blackstone kit, the new ones come with a postage paid label because they were having trouble with their samples getting lost for a week or two. I just used the postage paid label for the first time and you guessed it... they lost my sample. Temporarily, anyway.

Quote

Return postage is now paid by Blackstone. The labels on our black mailers have a bar code on them. If you have that sort of label, and you're mailing your kit from within the US, you’re all set; just drop the kit in the mail.

 

If your kits have the old labels, let us know and we will send you new labels.

 

In the future I'll just put the blackstone mailer inside another box and send it so this doesn't happen. I'm tired of waiting 3+ weeks for my results.

[Marauder]

Changed oil yesterday. Pic is missing the DC-4.

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Tell us more about the tools, specifically the oil filter removal tools. I have the Tempest torque wrench but use a standard socket to get the filter off. The oil filter band might be handy if the filter isn't cooperating. What is the offset socket gizmo? Torque wrench?


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