OK to Suck?

I have a vaccum pump oil extractor that I have used for years on small engines. My experience with the small engines has been good and I suspect that I get out about 95%+ of the old oil. It has a long tube designed for removing oil using the dipstick opening and actually is designed to use for vehilces, but I have never done that. I also do not know what people think about making the change that way.

I am curious to see what the "experts" here think about using the oil vac. instead of the drain plug to remove the used oil.

 

Why not use the drain? I haven't removed the oil pan from my V6, so I'm not sure if the dipstick leads to the deepest part of the pan. But I would recommend using the drain plug. It's easy and clean.

 

I've heard that Mercedes uses it - but I'd rather pull the plug to make sure all of the accumulated crap drains out with the oil.

 

Why not for use the vacuum pump and then pull the drain bolt to see how much you missed. If its negligible then you know for sure.

 

Use the drain, if ya want to be a little more anal to get some more used oil out of the engine dump another half quart of fresh oil down the filler neck and let it drain out after the used oil is about gone.

Thanks

Brett

 

Just put a Fumoto drain valve on it.

Vacuum pumps are in their element on boats where you can't get a drain pan under the sump, and for some 10-minute lube & oil places.

 

Drain oil for an hour or so and change the oil and filter. In a week change just the filter for a second time. Keep an eye on the oil as you plan the next change based on what you see.

 

If you wish to know how a "top-sider" will work on your Tacoma, use one; then get underneath and see how much is left - pull engine pan drain plug.

Some older Mercedes-Benz cars had the oil filter on top of the engine - similar to the 2nd Gen Tacoma 4.0L. Back when, someone decided that they could quickly turn key the whole process buy simply sucking the oil out the top while changing the filter. The whole thing takes maybe 10 mins. I have one of those older MBs.

Good "top-siders" come with 3 different size tubes that go down into the oil/transmission tubes. Some people will say you can also use one of these to drain differentials w/o a drain plug. I wouldn't do that. The "top-sider" tubes are hard plastic and can only flex so much. If you have a differential with no drain plug I would use a large suction gun with a flexible plastic or rubber hose.

They're also good for siphoning power steering and brake fluid + getting oil out of lawn equipment.

 

I wouldnt do it. Take the time to drain it out the bottom to get all of the sediment.

Lets put it this way, on my boat the manual has a suck tube length of 18.7inches long from the top of the dipstick tube to proper suck out the oil from the pan..... no such measurement on the tacomas.


And hell like others have stated its a good time to get under the truck and look around. I bring my grease gun with me, pull the drain plug bolt. Let the oil drain for the next 5 min or so while i grease the zerk fittings on the front and rear driveshafts... then put the plug back in.