Oil Change Tool

[RBailey]

One of the lovely "design features" on my LBC (MG) is the easy to access gearbox oil filler NOT !!
Service time last night, so options:

either somebody with small hands.

But call me strange I trusted my 3 year old daughter filling my gearbox only slightly more than I trust some of the local garages.

So time for my favorite, DIY and modifying something to do a job it was never intended :woo:

Hook the filler in, pressurize the container, press and go.

I know it's not a new idea, but I love it so thought I would share my attempt.

Trying to resist making one for each grade I use and also going to do another Heath Robinson to use is as a pressure supply for brake bleeding.

Cheers,
Richard B.

 

[lirgus]

Never seen that done before. Quite creative!

 

[scott37300]

Looks good!

I built one of these last week, http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=97942.

I needed to fill the trans on a lincoln aviator and in order to fill the sealed trans you have to pump fluid up into the drain plug on the bottom of the trans pan. It wasn't enough that you had to pump fluid into the side of the trans/diff, now these wonderful engineers decided we needed a new challange to pump fluid up into the drain plug hole!

I drilled a 1/2" hole in mine and added a schrader valve for a car tire in it to fill with compressor. I am going to get a 5 dollar gauge from HF to add to it so I don't fill it to much.

I also am thinking about getting a few of these for different fluids! One for gear lube, ****** fluid, etc. They are only 10 bucks a piece and then another 10 or so in add on parts. Then there are the different adaptors for different vehicles trans. Some are threaded and some are just bent tube like you used. Mityvac makes a 10 piece kit for 100 bucks that I'm going to try to build most of the adapter.

 

[TheGrooveking]

Starting her that young guarantees she'll be into cars! I always love seeing girls working on cars, one of my proudest days was seeing my 16 year old neice change her own oil.

TheGrooveking

 

[LEVE]

I've used garden sprayers before to spray/install oils. I've also found that the seals in the sprayer were destroyed by the oil; I discontinued that practice.

 

[z28snksknr]

That's a great idea. My Honda Ridgeline requires changing the rear axle fluid (ATF-ish fluid) every 12k miles and the fill plug is tucked up in a place where you can't get a bottle above it to fill. The dealer uses a pump.

I've been using a really long piece of hose to a bottle sitting in the truck bed and ****-starting a siphon to drain the fluid in like a slow boat from china. Looks like my sprayer just found a new service.

 

[z28snksknr]

I've used garden sprayers before to spray/install oils. I've also found that the seals in the sprayer were destroyed by the oil; I discontinued that practice.

Could you use a liner of sorts (like a bladder) to keep the fluid from constacting the sprayer pump seals? It would also allow for easier cleanupif you wanted to return the sprayer to its intended use.

 

[bmfenn]

I've used the same technique for filling my trans. I need to change the oil in my transfer case and diffs, I wasn't sure if a garden sprayer would be able to push 90wt, but thanks for reassuring me. I usually use a suction gun to fill the diffs, and a container top pump for the transfer case.

 

[scott37300]

I've used garden sprayers before to spray/install oils. I've also found that the seals in the sprayer were destroyed by the oil; I discontinued that practice.

Well if the seal do go bad I have will replace them with new ones rated for oil or just buy a new sprayer for 10 bucks. It's well worth it even if it only lasts a few changes. The only other option for some of the newer sealed trans are the 100-300 dollar pumps made by mityvac or motive.

 

[bmfenn]

I'd rather spend $10 on a garden sprayer and get a few changes out of it, rather than having to use a hand pump. Pumping 3 quarts of 90wt while laying on the ground leads to a sore shoulder.

 

[nate379]

http://www.google.com/products/cata...=X&ei=CoikTazdNpKWsgP0tqT6DA&ved=0CDYQ8wIwBA#

 

[Wrenches of Death]

But call me strange I trusted my 3 year old daughter filling my gearbox only slightly more than I trust some of the local garages.

I'd trust your daughter OVER the local lube chain place. At least I know that she won't wring off the drain plug when she'd tighten it.

Very clever idea with the sprayers, thanks. And good move getting her used to the idea of safety glasses at such a young age. It's a good habit to instill.

WoD

 

[tw33k2514]

Very good idea. Though, it looks like you just needed this. http://www.autoparts2020.com/rsdev/part_detail.jsp?PART_HDR_ID=84231

 

[Wrenches of Death]

I usually use a suction gun to fill the diffs, and a container top pump for the transfer case.

It's gotten hard to find a suction gun that's worth a damn. Probably the last half a dozen of them that I've went through were horrible.

Even the Lincoln ones don't seem to last. The rubber cups just don't hold up. All I ever run through them is ATF, hypoid, and hydraulic oil.

WoD

 

[nikonica]

I love this idea, in fact, a couple of months ago I made one to fill the manual transmissions on my cars with RedLine MTL. It worked so well and only cost about $15 to make, so I promptly made another for 75W90, and am planning to make a few more for MT-90, Hypoy-C, etc. to keep my cars, truck, and British bikes filled up. There's no reason you couldn't just use one and empty it out when you're done, but with an individual unit for each type of lubricant there is absolutely no mess, and they're very cheap and easy to make.

I use these for pretty much everything that's filled from a small port, even if access is not limited, just because it eliminates all the mess.

I already had purchased a Motive Products pressure bleeder several years ago, otherwise I'd make a brake/clutch bleeder too. In fact, the bleeder is what gave me the idea to use garden sprayers in the first place, because that's essentially what it is.

 

[ImportTuner]

Impressive ... getting your three year old daughter to help you .. most three year old kids have very short attention spans

 

[scott37300]

Very good idea. Though, it looks like you just needed this. http://www.autoparts2020.com/rsdev/part_detail.jsp?PART_HDR_ID=84231

Those work decent but they always leak and make a mess and pumping gear lube takes a long time and lots of work pumping while laying under the vehicle.

I'd rather spend $10 on a garden sprayer and get a few changes out of it, rather than having to use a hand pump. Pumping 3 quarts of 90wt while laying on the ground leads to a sore shoulder.

For 10 bucks I'm not sure why anybody wouldn't use one of these over the little hand pumps that screw onto the bottles!

It's gotten hard to find a suction gun that's worth a damn. Probably the last half a dozen of them that I've went through were horrible.

Even the Lincoln ones don't seem to last. The rubber cups just don't hold up. All I ever run through them is ATF, hypoid, and hydraulic oil.

WoD

I bought a suction gun from HF and it wasn't worth the cardboard box it came in. Leaked, messy, didn't fill right, just plain old junk. It was my first suction gun I have ever used so not sure if there are better ones or not but I don't see any need for them with these garden sprayers so cheap!

 

[nikonica]

I bought a suction gun from HF and it wasn't worth the cardboard box it came in. Leaked, messy, didn't fill right, just plain old junk. It was my first suction gun I have ever used so not sure if there are better ones or not but I don't see any need for them with these garden sprayers so cheap!

Would you say that it... sucked?