extracting the oil on an Ericson 32

[Sailhound]

I have had the Ericson for a year now, and this is my first time changing the oil. The oil drain plug is almost impossible to get to, and when I do, I can't get enough leverage to break the seize. Any other Ericson owners out there have any tricks for this? Is it possible to extract through the dipstick hole?

Thanks!
Alex

[toddster]

Yes, there are some threads here somewhere about doing that.
I'd recommend not buying the ludicrously expensive oil pump kit from WM. Your local discount auto parts store will have a small pump that's easy to store on board for less than ten bucks.

For me, the key was to clamp a piece of 1/4" copper tubing on to the suction tube, and stick that down through the dipstick hole. If you stick a plastic tube in, it just floats and sucks air. I recovered most of the oil in the engine that way and got a nice clear oil after the fill. Pumped it into empty milk jugs.

[Dave Neptune]

Not sure

Alex, I've been using the "dip-stick" hole since '84 on mine, a 1970 E-35MKII. As Todd says the hand type suckers are what most of us use. Some lucky guys still have the ole styles with extraction pumps built in.
The drain plug you speak of is where the pump mounted, it's not a drain it;'s an access port.

Dave Neptune

[tenders]

I've used the dipstick hole and the "Topsider" manual-pump oil extractor for years. My E32 has a V-drive and with warm oil, it's a five-minute job. Note, I've removed the transmission cover just to see if oil removal would be faster with a bigger hole to access the sump, and it isn't.

[CalebD]

I have the 12V Shur-Flo oil extraction kit. Extraction hose fits down dipstick tube. Takes about 10 minutes.
If I had to get another oil extraction system I'd probably go with something like this:

http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1|311|296536|314179&id=1298219

[Al Schober]

Also recommend that Marpac unit. I've got an older one (Tempo?) that I've used for years. Just stick the suction tube into the dip stick hole, then pump the handle a few times - which creates a partial vacuum in the unit. Then just leave it and go do something else. When it's done, it just sucks air.
Oh yeah, take it OFF the boat to empty it out into a jug.

[Sailhound]

Great advice, thanks all! The copper tubing idea is brilliant! That may be solution for me, since all I seemed to be doing is sucking air. I'll give that a shot.

Thanks,
Alex

[JOHN COOKSON]

Cut a ~ 1/4" "X" across the bottom of the copper tube with a saw. That way if the tube is resting on something or the bottom of the tube is aginst something it will pull the oil in faster.

TRUE GRIT

[Sailhound]

Thanks John. Great advice.

[ILikeRust]

I'd recommend not buying the ludicrously expensive oil pump kit from WM.

I actually would recommend exactly that - or get the same/similar item from somewhere a bit less pricey.

If I had to get another oil extraction system I'd probably go with something like this:
http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?...179&id=1298219

There ya go.

I bought one of these from West Marine a couple years ago and regretted it not for one second. It works fantastically well and makes it so easy. Just stick the little tube down any available opening - I stick it down the dipstick tube - then pump it about 10 times or so, then just walk away and let it sit there and it will suck all the oil out. You can move the little tube around to make sure you're getting it all.

It's also graduated - each line represents a quart, so you can get a good idea how much you pulled out.

And then it holds all the oil for easy transport and then you can open the little plug and pour it out.

I have found that, with tools, as with so many things, if you buy quality, you cry only once.

[edwardc]

I've got the ball-shaped one from Pela. Came with the boat. Works perfectly!

[roadnsky]

I bought one of these from West Marine a couple years ago and regretted it not for one second. It works fantastically well and makes it so easy. Just stick the little tube down any available opening - I stick it down the dipstick tube - then pump it about 10 times or so, then just walk away and let it sit there and it will suck all the oil out. You can move the little tube around to make sure you're getting it all.

It's also graduated - each line represents a quart, so you can get a good idea how much you pulled out.

And then it holds all the oil for easy transport and then you can open the little plug and pour it out.

I have found that, with tools, as with so many things, if you buy quality, you cry only once.

+1 what Bill said.
That and the MMI Oil Change Kit make it so my oil changes are 15 minutes.
If something is easy to do, you're more likely to do it often.
And clean oil is critical in your A4...

http://www.moyermarine.com/cgi-bin/shopper.cgi?search=action&category=KTAS&keywords=all&template=Templates/B000_storebuilder.html