Easiest Oil change method with remote drain line

[jim_m5]

My boat is in a covered slip and on a lift. I would like to start changing my engine oil using a pump hooked to the the drain line that comes out of the garboard drain plug. I have been using a battery style pump out of the dip stick but I never get all the oil out.

This week I tried to use the battery pump but it did not have the right size tube to attach to the drain hose. And since it requires battery power I was limited on how far I cold extend the pump to the dock. It was not easy and messy and I had to revert back to the dip stick procedure.

I was wondering if there is a better pump to use that makes this process easier.

The other point is that drain plug hose from the oil pan out of the boat plau is still lower than the dock and therefore it must pump up from the oil drain hose about 12 inches.

Does anyone have a suggestion on a better setup?

 

[tobnpr]

I used to use one of these on a cordless 18V drill:
http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1|311|296536|314179&id=724708

Works well. No need to run the hose from the oil pan out of the drain plug as long as you can get to it, and add and extension hose if you need to into a container or bucket.

 

[Morpheus]

Why do you need a pump when draning the oil using the drain house out the transome plug hole?

 

[jim_m5]

because it drains too slow...

 

[VTSeaRay]

Even if you warm up the engine oil, open the oil fill opening and pull the dipstick it's to slow? (I haven't dealt with mine yet, so I don't know - Dealer did it for me this year)

-VtSeaRay

 

[Morpheus]

Even if you warm up the engine oil, open the oil fill opening and pull the dipstick it's to slow? (I haven't dealt with mine yet, so I don't know - Dealer did it for me this year)

-VtSeaRay

That's what I was gonna ask, if you warm up the engine/oil before you do it, I would think it would drain at a pretty good rate.

 

[Stray Cat]

My mechanic rerouted the oil pan drain hoses to a location near the remote oil filter, then tie strapped them to one of the steel oil lines that that connect to the remote filter. He screwed on a brass hose barb into the pipe thread end on each hose, then capped the hose barb with a rubber cap. (sorry I don't have a picture of it) Now he can change oil with his bucket pump by connecting to the hose barb. As long as your PCV valve is in good order, there is no crankcase pressure to blow the caps off the barbs....they could be hose clamped if you wanted....or you could place the pipe thread cap back on the hose after each service...

 

[Morpheus]

My mechanic rerouted the oil pan drain hoses to a location near the remote oil filter, then tie strapped them to one of the steel oil lines that that connect to the remote filter. He screwed on a brass hose barb into the pipe thread end on each hose, then capped the hose barb with a rubber cap. (sorry I don't have a picture of it) Now he can change oil with his bucket pump by connecting to the hose barb. As long as your PCV valve is in good order, there is no crankcase pressure to blow the caps off the barbs....they could be hose clamped if you wanted....or you could place the pipe thread cap back on the hose after each service...

In your case I can see why you would want a pump. I'm going to guess you keep your boat in the water with no lift and that is why he moved the drain hose.

 

[sreill]

It is very slow. I warmed the engine and opened the fill tube and dipstick tube. My 496 took 6 hrs. Its like watching one of those bags at a hospital drip.

The oil is very very thick...like molasses. Next time I do it, Im going to do it overnight so Im not sittingthere watching it all day.

 

[VTSeaRay]

It is very slow. I warmed the engine and opened the fill tube and dipstick tube. My 496 took 6 hrs. Its like watching one of those bags at a hospital drip.

The oil is very very thick...like molasses. Next time I do it, Im going to do it overnight so Im not sittingthere watching it all day.

Wow, if that's the case, I wonder if it's really clearing everything out of the bottom of the oil pan? By the time the oil gets down lower, it's already cooled off, and some might be thickening back up again? hmm, maybe a drill pump would work better on that garboard line? (How do they do it at dealerships, I can't believe they wait 6 hrs!) This is interesting, since at some point in the future I might do my own, but never expected it to take that long!

-VtSeaRay

 

[Stray Cat]

In your case I can see why you would want a pump. I'm going to guess you keep your boat in the water with no lift and that is why he moved the drain hose.

Actually, he changes the oil when the boat is out of the water during winter layup. I didn't like using the dipstick procedure (I think it leaves too much dirty oil in the pan), and he didn't like fishing the hoses out through the bilge drains (he also said it was slow on a warm engine)....so we met in the middle. It would work slick for someone on a lift too....

 

[jim_m5]

Stray Cat,

I like what you had done. Any chance you can post a picture of the connector he installed?

 

[Nehalennia]

because it drains too slow...

I've considered finding a valve to attach to the drain hose fitting. This way I can attach a pump to the valve, open it pump out the oil, change the filter while the pumping is going on and then close the valve and pour in new oil.
That hose can be left clipped up to a servicable location instead of attached to the garboard plug.

 

[jim_m5]

Todd,

How would one find such a valve?

 

[Stray Cat]

Stray Cat,

I like what you had done. Any chance you can post a picture of the connector he installed?

Here is a picture of the brass hose barb that theaded into the end of the hose. My boat is an 1-1/2 hours from me otherwise I would take a picture of it for you. The thread on the hose barb is either 1/4 or 3/8 male pipe thread. The barbed end is for 3/8 id hose. The bucket pump can be easily connected to the hose barb for pumping out the oil pan. You can find these at any decent hardware store...or Lowes etc.

He used a style of cap like this to slip over the flutes of the hose barb without using a hose clamp...I have never had one blow off. I'm sure you could make a cap out a short piece of blocked hose, but this makes it look better.

 

[Stray Cat]

Todd,

How would one find such a valve?

I think this is what Todd refered to. It could be threaded on the end of the hose, then you could connect a hose barb or some type of mating fitting to a bucket pump. I found this on Amazon for $5.95 or you could get them at an industrial pipe-valve-fitting house....maybe Lowes...they are called mini ball valves.


http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001NPCH2A/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&m=AH1JDG368QYFS

 

[jim_m5]

STray Cat/Todd,

Thanks a bunch! I just ordered off of Amazon. I have plenty of time to set this up for my next oil change since I just did it. This will make it easy and actually enjoyable. What a sickness, huh?

 

[Nehalennia]

Yep, Stray cat's got the idea. I've seen some systems like this in diesel boats.
Jabsco oil change pump.

I'm not sure if I will permanently mount it, but either way at the other side of the pump I can connect another hose draining into a bucket.

They make complete kits too,

You can find them between $120-200

 

[danmili]

That's what I was gonna ask, if you warm up the engine/oil before you do it, I would think it would drain at a pretty good rate.

Just changed mine and it was a bit slow, especially compared to an auto's oil change. Just be patient and you'll be fine. Also be aware that the drive lube drains slowly if you are going to change that.

Hope this helps!