How do you pour your oil?

[RobertGary1]

I really don't like keeping an oily funnel in the plane. I just end up with oil all over the place. So I've been buying the paper funnels from Spruce and I smash them into the empty bottle afterwards. 

Has anyone else found a better solution?

[Marc_B]

I have a ziplock bag with 2 of these with a paper towel wadded up into the tip to catch drips.  I keep a small tub in the back with an extra quart of oil, tire pressure gauge, small screwdriver and plexus/rags for windshield.  This doesn't take up much room and works well; smaller than a traditional funnel.

https://estore.hicorpinc.com/p66_retl/index.php?dispatch=products.view&product_id=2027

[RoundTwo]

A trip down the motor oil aisle in any auto parts store will give you several options.

[RobertGary1]

Just now, RoundTwo said:

A trip down the motor oil aisle in any auto parts store will give you several options.

All drip oil when you're done with them though. They're designed to be kept in a garage, not something you'd carry around and touch and get oily from.

[PT20J]

9 minutes ago, Marc_B said:

I have a ziplock bag with 2 of these with a paper towel wadded up into the tip to catch drips.  I keep a small tub in the back with an extra quart of oil, tire pressure gauge, small screwdriver and plexus/rags for windshield.  This doesn't take up much room and works well; smaller than a traditional funnel.

https://estore.hicorpinc.com/p66_retl/index.php?dispatch=products.view&product_id=2027

You get one of those free in every case of Philips oil. Check with your shop -- they probably have a trash can full of them.

[RoundTwo]

Sure will. Bag and rag solves that too.

[RobertGary1]

Just now, RoundTwo said:

Sure will. Bag and rag solves that too.

yea I tried that for years and it never worked. The bag always ended up oily on the outside and would get oil on stuff in the hat rack.

[alextstone]

Pull the dipstick up half way, position the top of the nozzle of the oil container against the side of the dipstick and slowly tilt the container.  The oil will drain down the length of the dipstick into the sump.  

Be careful to protect the dipstick from the wind though.

No messy funnels or rags needed.

[FlyingDude]

I put on gloves, open the cap, plug the hole with my thumb, squeeze bottle a little bit to let air out, and in a ninja movement, I push the bottle neck into the oil gage tube. The mini air suction prevents spills. 

Though I keep one of those blue philips oil tubes wrapped in a rag in a bag in the trunk. I use that for partial bottle fills. After using that tube, I roll some paper towel and push it through the tube with the dipstick before wrapping it again in paper, so that the paper wrapping in the bag is just for precaution.

[N201MKTurbo]

I use a page from my notepad, twist it into a funnel. Put the overlap pointing up and grab it between your thumb and forefinger of your left hand and pour with your right hand. When you are done throw the paper away with the bottle.

[Mooneymite]

Twist the bottom closed, put the old oil cap on the top and stuff the whole thing in a plastic box.

[PT20J]

A 20oz plastic water/pop bottle will screw onto a Lycoming oil filler tube. You can cut the bottom off to make a funnel in a pinch.

[cwaters]

2 hours ago, alextstone said:

Pull the dipstick up half way, position the top of the nozzle of the oil container against the side of the dipstick and slowly tilt the container.  The oil will drain down the length of the dipstick into the sump.  

Be careful to protect the dipstick from the wind though.

No messy funnels or rags needed.

I tried this recently and failed miserably at it, went back to my funnel. Maybe i just need a bit more patience 

[cwaters]

2 hours ago, RobertGary1 said:

yea I tried that for years and it never worked. The bag always ended up oily on the outside and would get oil on stuff in the hat rack.

if you're getting oil on the outside of the bag you may be doing it wrong 

 

but in all seriousness, I use a funnel and a gallon ziplock with a paper towel or 2 shoved in it to catch drips. Usually the process is to unscrew oil filler cap (check oil) and not remove it, get oil check rag (usually a semi clean rag not all oily) and remove funnel from bag, wipe down funnel and remove paper towel, place in filler tube along side the dipstick, fill ..... wait for 2-3 min (this is usually when I'm putting an empty quart jug in the back of the plane or the trash can, get oil rag again and pull funnel out of tube, take some quick-ish action to get rag under funnel in time to not have a single drip but its far from all over the place. Put funnel back in bag and zip up. the paper towels get replaced every now and then as they get saturated but its on a once ever few month basis and putting the bag on the hat rack has yet to lead to any unwanted oil anywhere in the back of the plane. 

 

i find the waiting part to be the most important as the rest of the oil gets out of the funnel, takes longer on cold mornings than warm afternoons though. 

[Shadrach]

2 hours ago, FlyingDude said:

I put on gloves, open the cap, plug the hole with my thumb, squeeze bottle a little bit to let air out, and in a ninja movement, I push the bottle neck into the oil gage tube. The mini air suction prevents spills. 

Though I keep one of those blue philips oil tubes wrapped in a rag in a bag in the trunk. I use that for partial bottle fills. After using that tube, I roll some paper towel and push it through the tube with the dipstick before wrapping it again in paper, so that the paper wrapping in the bag is just for precaution.

I’ve done that move in a pinch, but the spouts that come with Phillips XC are perfect. The spout threads into the dipstick tube. You can then thread or push the bottle onto the spout. I stuff a paper towel into each end of the spout and store in a ziplock when not in use.

[Mooneymite]

6 minutes ago, Shadrach said:

 I stuff a paper towel into each end of the spout and store in a ziplock when not in use.

Invariably, given enough time, the ziplock bags fail and oil does what it does best...makes a mess.  A small plastic box is best.

[WaynePierce]

I use a long yellow narrow funnel that I got at a Parts store. I think it's made for oil and so far it drains all the residue while it's in the tube. I try to keep my oil warmish though so it drains quickly. I keep the case in the hangar restroom with the heater on in the Winter. I keep the funnel in a plastic crate in the luggage area.

[Utah20Gflyer]

3 hours ago, Mooneymite said:

Twist the bottom closed, put the old oil cap on the top and stuff the whole thing in a plastic box.

This is what I use,  I keep it wrapped in some paper towels and then a rag, hasn’t made a mess yet.

[RobertGary1]

2 minutes ago, Utah20Gflyer said:

This is what I use,  I keep it wrapped in some paper towels and then a rag, hasn’t made a mess yet.

You might be the guy who can successfully own white tennis shoes. 

[802flyer]

4 hours ago, alextstone said:

Pull the dipstick up half way, position the top of the nozzle of the oil container against the side of the dipstick and slowly tilt the container.  The oil will drain down the length of the dipstick into the sump.  

Be careful to protect the dipstick from the wind though.

No messy funnels or rags needed.

This is what I do. Keep meaning to put a funnel in the hanger for topping-off at home, but this works well enough that I haven't gotten around to it yet. This works great when away from base since there's nothing to keep in the plane.

Edit to add: I pull the dipstick most of the way out and position it as vertically as possibly, which allows me to flow more oil without the stream getting too bulky and falling off the dipstick. There's an art to it for sure, and a funnel would still be faster. But it's convenient enough with no messy parts to store that I'd rather do this than keep a funnel in the plane.

[M20F]

I hold my bottle about 4’ up from the filler and just pour straight in, this is because I am the greatest.  For other folks recommend @Marc_B’s solution.  

[Fly Boomer]

2 hours ago, PT20J said:

A 20oz plastic water/pop bottle will screw onto a Lycoming oil filler tube. You can cut the bottom off to make a funnel in a pinch.

Used to be that Shell quarts (don't know about others) would screw directly into the Lycoming filler tube.  That has recently changed.  And by recently, I mean in the last 10 or 15 years.

[201Mooniac]

26 minutes ago, Fly Boomer said:

Used to be that Shell quarts (don't know about others) would screw directly into the Lycoming filler tube.  That has recently changed.  And by recently, I mean in the last 10 or 15 years.

The ones I get still screw into the filler neck on my Lycoming IO360-A3B6D

[Planegary]

I just carry a couple of old washed out water bottles in the back and when I need to add oil on the road I cut the bottom out of one of the bottles. The water bottle opening fits nicely into the oil fill tube. When I am done I throw away the water bottle along with the oil container. Don’t need to do it very often but it makes a nice funnel that is easily disposable and if you want to keep another plastic bag with paper towels and spare ziploc baggies you could wipe it and have temporary storage til an acceptable trash can shows up

[skydvrboy]

I'm surprised no one else uses their old oil bottles for funnels.  Just keep your empty bottle and a sharp knife in the back of the plane.  When you need to add oil, cut the old bottle in half, screw the top into the oil fill port, and you have a rather nice funnel.  When your done, a little squeeze and the bottom half makes a nice lid for your "funnel" and won't leak if kept upright in the event a trashcan isn't available.  Throw your empty oil bottle back in the plane to become your next funnel.  Simple, clean, and best of all for a Mooney CB... FREE!!!