OT Topsider refurb
 

The bigger hose on my Topsider collapsed so it looks more like a 300-ohm ribbon cable than hose. airpoweramerica.com has a hose kit for $9 with free shipping. Does Home Depot or a supply store have something better for the same money?

Thanks,
Sixto
87 300D^2

what all are you pumping through it?
hose is hose... but most of HD/Lowes stuff is for water. I'd try an auto parts store or Northern Tool before checking the box stores.

I just upgraded mine to a bigger size tank and larger diameter hose (from 3/8 to 3/4). 3/4" sucks as well as drain much faster then 3/8.

The 3/4 clear hose I used is thick wall (1/8") and I purposely made it short (about 8") knowing it will get soft with hot oil and could collapse if too long.

Here's a pic of it in operation. no problem with hose collapse

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...716_164323.jpg

Thats a pretty sweet setup youve got there.

I've never had any trouble with my end wrench and drain pan in almost fifty years of use.:confused::D

Yeah, cheap and easy to make and works great. I use the hose clamp pliers as a valve to build up vacuum, then take pliers off and away it sucks.

Correct me if I am wrong but I think the FSM oil drain method is to use a top sider.

The first time I used one, I took the drain plug out afterwards to make sure I got all the oil out. I was surprised not one drop came out.

The dealers have an elaborate system for sucking out the oil. It saves them time and money and it gets the job done fine. For the DIYer, pulling the plug gets the oil out too. Is there something that will cause the engine to blow up if the oil is drained rather than sucked? I'm trying to figure out how the engine knows the difference.:rolleyes:

Yes, and pulling the plug also makes a mess. Sucking the oil out of the dipstick tube is much much cleaner. With the oil filter accessed from the top it's almost a no brainer ;) Just don't neglect the under-car inspection.

The drain plug has never been out in my 99 Jetta in the last 7 years I've had it :cool:

-J

now that's an innovative use of an old helium tank!

The engine will not know the difference but I will. :rolleyes: Less mess, less work, more enjoyable. How's that for a come back? :D

Me too!
 

X2 on first experiences with a topsider. There was actually less oil remaining in the pan than removing the drain plug and letting it drip for half an hour. It's possible that the ramps I use in combination with a slightly slanted driveway leave a small puddle of oil somewhere that seeps out forever. With the car flat on a flat surface the dip stick guide tube seems to be a low spot and all the oil can be removed. As with Funola, I was surprised how well it did.

The other learning here is not to use the topsider as an excuse for never taking off the belly panels and inspecting the underside of the car.

Jeremy

On my Topsider I use the clear,hard, plastic tubing you'd use for running a water line to an ice maker. Available at any hardware store and comes in a array of sizes.

So you insert the tubing inside the dipstick tube? I hose clamp my 3/4 i.d. clear flexible hose over the dipstick tube.

Over, under, sideways, down
 

The factory topsider has a fitting that snugs into the dipstick tube and seals with a grommet-like fitting. Thus, it uses the dipstick tube to suck the oil out of the oil pan. This works because the dipstick tube is cunningly designed (those clever Germans!) so that it is exactly the right length to reach to the bottom of the oil pan. Funola's over-the-tube design does the same thing.

In my case, as in Mike's, I use a small-diameter hard plastic tubing that goes down the dipstick tube to the bottom. Either way works.

Jeremy