Oil change, there's got to be a better way.

Jan 7, 2014
394
Beneteau 45F5 51551 Port Jefferson
My perkins 4.108 has a nice hand pump permanently attached to the engine that allows me to pump the oil out of the engine in about 2 minutes without spilling a drop. It's putting the oil back in that's the problem. There's not enough clearance above the engine to pour it in so it needs to be pumped in. For the last couple of years I have been using a cheap harbor freight hand pump. It works well but inevitably the hose comes out of the engine or the oil container and drips all over the place. Then I usually knock over the container spilling it all over myself or the cabin sole (2 years in a row now). And even if all goes right the hose ends leak oil and make a mess.
I'm looking for a pump with a sealable tank/reservoir that can pump clean oil into the engine. Then allow me to plug the hose end and store it so I can easily top off the engine oil when needed. The reverse of vacuum pumps used for dirty oil. Funnels and hoses and hand pumps are a pain to store once they get oil in them. Any suggestions?
 

LloydB

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Jan 15, 2006
804
Macgregor 22 Silverton
Can you put fresh oil in the discharge container and then run the handpump backwards to fill the engine back up?
 

RoyS

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Jun 3, 2012
1,739
Hunter 33 Steamboat Wharf, Hull, MA
Universal problem with messy oil changes. Some, maybe all, Yanmars have horizontal oil filters. Try removing those without spilling dirty oil.
 
Feb 20, 2011
7,990
Island Packet 35 Tucson, AZ/San Carlos, MX
Universal problem with messy oil changes. Some, maybe all, Yanmars have horizontal oil filters. Try removing those without spilling dirty oil.
I've poked a hole in them and then rotated the filter so the hole points down to drain into a pan.
Worked pretty okay.
 
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DArcy

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Feb 11, 2017
1,690
Islander Freeport 36 Ottawa
I'm not sure it's really what you are looking for but I have an oil fill syringe that I use for filling the transmission on my FJ Cruiser which is a real PITA to get at, there is NO way to get a direct pour with only a few inches clearance around the fill hole. It would take a several fills to fully load a 4.108 so may not be the most effective but it is an easy way to get a clean fill. It looks like this:
 
Feb 26, 2004
22,759
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
Have you considered a funnel with a hose connected with a hose clamp?
 

NYSail

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Jan 6, 2006
3,048
Beneteau 423 Mt. Sinai, NY
I cut a 3/4 inch peice of copper pipe about 8 inches long (depending on engine). Then I cut a 1/4 peice off 6” of one side. Am able to place it under the filter lip…… when backing the filter off I let the oil run through this into a container. Works great. Not a drop spilled. But yes. Stupid design.

greg

Universal problem with messy oil changes. Some, maybe all, Yanmars have horizontal oil filters. Try removing those without spilling dirty oil.
 
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Jan 7, 2014
394
Beneteau 45F5 51551 Port Jefferson
The problem with funnels and hoses is storing them on the boat when done. They make a mess unless they have caps. My Perkins also leaks so I am need to top off the oil often. I like the idea of using the oil transfer pump. I can simply close the valve and store it, no mess. I was thinking of using a $10 garden pump sprayer, same idea and much cheaper. I'm done for this year, I'll try it next year.
 

Johnb

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Jan 22, 2008
1,419
Hunter 37-cutter Richmond CA
Universal problem with messy oil changes. Some, maybe all, Yanmars have horizontal oil filters. Try removing those without spilling dirty oil.
The last time I did this I got interrupted just after sucking the oil out. When I came back about 45 minutes later and unscrewed the filter no oil came out. This will be standard procedure henceforth. Was doing it with a hot engine.
 
Jun 21, 2004
2,532
Beneteau 343 Slidell, LA
Have not perfected procedure, by any means; however, free standing manual pump canister helps tremendously with extracting old oil, without too much mess. The horizontal filter remains a problem. I usually break the seal on the filter, then put a plastic baggy over the filter while unscrewing with one hand and a wad of paper towels in the other hand to catch the inevitable spillage. The filter comes off inside the baggy. I dump the remaining oil from the filter into the free standing canister for disposal into the marina recycle oil bin. The spent oil filter & oily paper towels are sealed in the plastic baggy for disposal. Still manage to make a mess, sometimes!
 
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Sailm8

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Feb 21, 2008
1,746
Hunter 29.5 Punta Gorda
Y use a 12v transfer pump and store all of the tools, pump and gizmos all in a plastic shoe box with one of theose absorbent pads. I do yhe same with my impeller tools for the waterpump. No hunting for parts or tools when in a hurry
 

capta

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Jun 4, 2009
4,766
Pearson 530 Admiralty Bay, Bequia SVG
If you have a drain plug on your pan (and I believe most Perkins engines do) there is a fantastic valve from EZ Oil Drain Valve. We do not even get any oil on our hands or in the bilge. Not even that expensive considering the will most likely outlive the motor.
 
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Jan 7, 2011
4,723
Oday 322 East Chicago, IN
Doing my oil change tomorrow before I haul out :(

On my O’Day 322 , I have a lot of access to the top of the engine to add oil, and use an oil extractor to suck the oil out of the sump. Oil filter on my Yanmar 2GM20F is horizontal, so kind of a mess, but I get a plastic bag under the filter before I unscrew the filter….

A little messy, but not too bad.

Greg