Oil changing tips

[delta1]

93 mercruiser 4.3lx alpha drive

I was hoping to get some suggestions regarding oil changing in a I/O. I tried using one of the cheap WalMart oil changing pumps and had absolutely zero luck using it. So, I tried to do it the old fashioned way. I bought a mini drain pan from the auto parts store but could not get it to fit under the oil pan. Well then I took a small plastic container and cut it down to about 7 inches and shoved it under the pan and drained out about a 1.5 qts at a time. This worked but I was concerned I would spill oil all over the carpet.

Do any of you guys have a sure fire method you would mind sharing?

I thought about one of the drain hoses you install in the pan instead of the drain plug, good or bad?

Any certain brand pump that works?

Thanks for your help,

Paul

 

[thrasher]

Re: Oil changing tips

Like you I tried several different techniques, in the end I just bought a mercruiser oil pump. Its a hand pump that screws onto the dipstick tube and sucks the oil out of the sump. Its quick and easy and the pump cost about $30!!

So much less hassle than any other method that I tried.

Gary

 

[xltier]

Re: Oil changing tips

you can buy the oil pump tool from sierra.it screws to the top of your dipstick tube.takes a garden hose fittinghth

 

[firehog6305]

Re: Oil changing tips

I bought the one from west marine (pump) and are extremly happy with it, I purchased the one that has its own bucket that fills up, it sucks it out through the dipstick, it takes about 5mins to remove the oil, having 2 engines its a must, fast as heck

 

[Zackman]

Re: Oil changing tips

Like Firehog, I puchased the oil changing kit from West Marine. Like everything there, it is expensive but is very convienent. The pump actually evacuates the air from the container, which creates a vacuum and draws the oil into the container. Once filled, just take the container to your local auto parts dealer to have the oil recycled.

 

[CampionGuy]

Re: Oil changing tips

When I did my first oil change on my mercruiser 3.7 I cut a 1 1/2" high piece off the bottom of a 5 gallon bucket and friction fit a 4' pc of garden hose into a hole on the side. Slid it under the drain plug, ran the hose out the bilge drain hole and into a used oil container. Worked like a charm

 

[95yj]

Re: Oil changing tips

When I did my first oil change on my mercruiser 3.7 I cut a 1 1/2" high piece off the bottom of a 5 gallon bucket and friction fit a 4' pc of garden hose into a hole on the side.

Always did creative things like that myself. Sucking oil out the dipstick doesn't get all of it, nor does it get anything out of the bottom of the pan like shavings, etc that are good telltale signs.

 

[Have Fun Today]

Re: Oil changing tips

You're probably going to spill some oil no matter what, especially when you remove the oil filter. If you're worried about carpet near your engine, try some puppy pee pads from WalMart. The're about 2x2 ft, have absorbant cotton on one side and plastic on the other side. Just don't use the oil drain pumps from WalMart...get a good one from a marine supply store.

 

[CampionGuy]

Re: Oil changing tips

Always did creative things like that myself. Sucking oil out the dipstick doesn't get all of it, nor does it get anything out of the bottom of the pan like shavings, etc that are good telltale signs.

ditto- the pail always has a little oil in the bottom for inspection make sure you clean it after.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Oil changing tips

On a Volvo or an OMC the dipstick goes into the drain plug so you are actually draining from the drain plug. Since that is not true with your Merc, I would replace the drain plug with the kit with the hose attached where you run it out your drain hole.