Oil Extractors

[Dan Friedrichs]

Anyone using an oil extractor to change their own oil? Why are these things so expensive? They (the smaller, home use ones) look to be nothing more than a hand pump and a vessel to hold the oil.

[Ed Aumiller]

Extractors do not remove ALL of the oil... Most, but not all... also the filter should be changed EVERY oil change (in my opinion)....
Use the drain plug while engine is hot... an added benefit is that you can examine the oil for color, burnt, filings, etc...

I have one that I used on an Inboard/Outboard boat motor and never thought it did a very good job as after pumping it as good as possible, when I put new oil in it and ran it for 5 minutes, could see remains of dirty oil mixed in with the new....

[Charles McKinley]

Hi Dan,

Fred's TDI Page is the place to research these. Lots of VW owners use them as it is such a pain to get to the plug. Fred's is a very nice/friendly place like the Creek. They are just obsessed with VW diesels instead of Woodworking. some must work better than others as I said they are obsessed.

[Curt Harms]

I'd always heard they don't do a great job at removing any crud that may accumulate in the bottom of the sump.