Draining engine oil

**insanesam** · 12-05-2008 03:20 PM

I took my car to service, and saw the technician siphon the old oil out through the place where you pour in the oil. Is this normal practice or a dodgy quick way to drain the oil instead of removing the bolt at the bottom? I'm leaning towards dodgy because this would mean most of the crap is still in the engine. Anyone shed some light?
Thanks

**mrwillz** · 12-05-2008 03:27 PM

it wont be fully drained, well as much as it should be drained

what a tite ass of a garage, dont even have a hoist?
lol...

**Zilli** · 12-05-2008 03:30 PM

an interesting way of doing things... how on earth would they get a syphon down through the head past the crank and into the sump? that is impossible?????

Im confused?

**insanesam** · 12-05-2008 03:33 PM

Originally Posted by Zilli

an interesting way of doing things... how on earth would they get a syphon down through the head past the crank and into the sump? that is impossible?????

Im confused?

I got no idea. I just saw them shove a plastic hose down and siphoned the oil out, then poured in the new oil. Mind you, this was done at a respectable garage.

**Zilli** · 12-05-2008 03:33 PM

are you sure you saw this at a mechanic or you are just checking to see if this is possible because you cant be bothered getting underneath?

The whole point of having a sump at the bottom (the boulous part at the bottom of your motor that the drain plug is screwed into) is to have acentral place to collect all of your oil. Most of the contaminants and rubbish in your oil will drain down there or be caught in your oil filter. syphoning oil out from the top is impossible.

**insanesam** · 12-05-2008 03:38 PM

I 100% saw the mechanic do it. It was weird. Basically he popped the hood, took off oil cap, put hose down, connect hose to some suction machine of some sort, and out the oil went. Then immediately after he poured in the new oil. After that, the car was hoisted up and the oil filter was replaced and the rest of the service continued (brake fluid, gearbox fluid replaced)

**Zilli** · 12-05-2008 03:42 PM

where was this done? It sound highly unusual for it to happen this way. In fact it sounds ridiculous... where was this done?

**insanesam** · 12-05-2008 03:45 PM

Originally Posted by Zilli

where was this done? It sound highly unusual for it to happen this way. In fact it sounds ridiculous... where was this done?

Am i allowed to say where it was done?
Yeah i'm no mechanic and i though it was bizzare. I know i am not dillusional.
This was done at my 40k service

**civ04** · 12-05-2008 03:58 PM

yo fellas,there is a device that you put down your dipsick tube and it will sifen the oil out of the engine.ive used one at one of the mechanical shops i worked at.i dont like em.if you dont put tube all the way in to the bottom of the sump,then it wont such out all the oil from the bottom.i didnt think there was any real bennefit to it,so i used to do oil changes the conventional way.
hope this helps.

**EKVTIR-T** · 12-05-2008 04:04 PM

Originally Posted by insanesam

I 100% saw the mechanic do it. It was weird. Basically he popped the hood, took off oil cap, put hose down, connect hose to some suction machine of some sort, and out the oil went. Then immediately after he poured in the new oil. After that, the car was hoisted up and the oil filter was replaced and the rest of the service continued (brake fluid, gearbox fluid replaced)

So he filled the new oil then took off the oil filter and replaced it?

**aaronng** · 12-05-2008 04:05 PM

^^ Yup, you can if you do it through the dipstick tube in a B/H/D series. However, on newer engines, the dipstick tube is actually along the oil galleries and it is not possible to insert a tube of reasonable size to the sump.