Oil change by suctioning

[Grandpot]

I wonder why BRP doesn't say to suck out the oil? My guess is that it is not the correct way to change the oil.:lecturef_smilie:

 

[spyderider1]

I'll probably get flamed for this... so here goes nothing. I use a vacuum tank but not on the Spyder. It started quite a few years ago when we bought our first boat with an inboard engine. They mount those things as low as possible and there was no way to get a catch pan under the engine. I suppose if you could find the plug and get a wrench on it you could let the oil drain into the bilge but that would be an even worse mess not to mention environmental and safety issues. So I bought one of those vacuum tanks where the hose goes down the dip stick tube and you pump until the last of the oil is out. Of course you have to warm up the engine beforehand which I assume does two things, it makes the oil thinner for pumping and any sludge should be suspended for the time it takes to evacuate. I have to believe that any oil remaining is miniscule as when it's refilled with new oil it comes out right at the Full mark on the dipstick. As mentioned earlier in this thread, these BRP engines are Dry Sump and there is no oil pan so you have no choice but to drain them from the plugs. As for my Spyder, she gets an oil change at the dealer at the end of summer. They also go over it for wear and tear at that time. It's a bit pricey but there is nothing inexpensive when it comes to Spyders. OK, I'm going back down my rabbit hole, you can fire away!

 

[canamjhb]

Sucking boat oil out the dipstick tube is accepted practice and gets almost all the oil out if done properly. I have had more boats than I can count and most had the oil changed that way. For many years I used what was named a Jack Rabbit pump. It was a rotary hand-crank plastic pump with a dipstick insert and long plastic hose on the other end. It was a pretty good workout cranking that thing. I eventually graduated to twin diesels with an oil change system. Get a 5-gallon bucket, put the oil exit hose in, open a petcock, and flip a switch and the oil flows out in about 2 minutes. I don't know of any commercial boat services that changed small boat oil by using anything other than sucking it out..... Jim

 

[JayBros]

Boat engines have a wet sump where all the oil collects in a pan beneath the crankshaft; the Spyders have a dry sump with separate oil tank. That's why you can't get all the oil out of a Spyder with a suction system.

 

[Steve W.]

Boat engines have a wet sump where all the oil collects in a pan beneath the crankshaft; the Spyders have a dry sump with separate oil tank. That's why you can't get all the oil out of a Spyder with a suction system.

True, but, ... all of the dry sump systems I have seen before have a tank for oil storage. It would be SO easy to just drain the tank, whether by opening a plug or sucking it out. I have not gotten deep enough into the engine area yet, but I am under the impression that the Spyder's "tank" is actually part of the engine, possibly a chamber on the side? And it has some ports that allow oil to drain back to the crankcase? (Which is why you have to check the oil level within two minutes.) It appears to me that there are multiple areas where the oil resides, which would make vacuum extraction a bit challenging.

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[cueman]

I don’t know about the rest of you, but I think this thread is starting to SUCK! :roflblack: cueman

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

True, but, ... all of the dry sump systems I have seen before have a tank for oil storage. It would be SO easy to just drain the tank, whether by opening a plug or sucking it out. I have not gotten deep enough into the engine area yet, but I am under the impression that the Spyder's "tank" is actually part of the engine, possibly a chamber on the side? And it has some ports that allow oil to drain back to the crankcase? (Which is why you have to check the oil level within two minutes.) It appears to me that there are multiple areas where the oil resides, which would make vacuum extraction a bit challenging.

Did you see this discussion? https://www.spyderlovers.com/forums...l-capacity-1330/page4&highlight=dry+sump+tank. Starting at post #47 I have a few pics of the engine and oil passages. The sump is a plastic tank bolted to the side of the engine block. Its drain is about 1/4 of the engine height above the bottom of the engine. You physically cannot get a suction tube to the lowest points where oil settles. There are baffle plates, or whatever, between the crankshaft and the pan at the bottom of the engine. You'll need to go the BRP parts diagrams to see a picture of that. www.epc.brp.com

Given enough time the tank will drain completely, or at least below the dipstick. Last year I checked the oil level cold after sitting all winter. Not one drop of oil on the dipstick. I did not add oil but went for a ride. About a 1/2 hour later the oil level was at the full mark!

 

[JayBros]

My 1990 911 C4 had a separate oil tank but you still had to pull an oil plug on the engine casing to get all 13 qt out. Believe me, as I said in post #10 The suction method isn't worth the effort IMO. Have to unload that gizmo.