For oil change, any way to NOT remove front 1/2 of belly pan?
 

I have a '91 300d, and want to see if there's some way to NOT have to remove the front 1/2 of the belly pan. Putting the screws back in is always like an Easter egg hunt.

Additionally, I considered one of those oil drain plugs where all you have to do is attach a hose to the plug, without taking the plug out, turn a knob, and the oil comes out. If I could cut a small hole into the plastic belly pan to do that, that might be the way to go. Just have the cut out piece to plug the hole and open on an as-needed basis.

Thanks,

jeff

why not buy a topsider? The cars were designed to have their oil changed that way, it works, works well and no nasty diesel oil running down your arm!

Jonathan

Here you go:
http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/NTELargeImageView?storeId=6970&catalogId=4006970&langId=-1&rfno=390306&zoomId=none&moreImages=none&fullTime=none&totalSounds=none&rotate=none
The price is in Canadian dollars.
Works great for engine oil, transm fluid, coolant, etc.

Will the evac all the oil easily? :confused:

The dipstick tube in modern MBs goes about to the bottom of the sump for just this purpose. Dealerships have a professional duty extractor that uses the dipstick tube, rather than a home brew or boater unit that has its own smaller tube.

The downsides are you can't extract oil at operating temp unless you get some high temp tubing or use a metal tube, and you don't get to inspect the underside of the engine bay. Some say you don't get out as much oil but every time I've pulled the plug after letting the extractor do it's thing there wasn't more than a half a teaspoon more that dripped.

Sixto
93 300SD

jbach, other than using a large holesaw to put a hole in the bottom of the belly pan, you need to remove the belly pan or use a topsider.
Gilly

i have thought of cutting a hole in the pan for oil changes but have not explored the practicality of it. ... whether it is feasible in that would the hole leave enough of the pan to hold together or not?

tom w

i wouldnt use a topsider, i dont see how they can ever be effeciaent as leaving the oil to drain for 40 mins whilst you put your feet up have a cup of tea.

you can certainly use a good curcular saw and cut a hole out of the tray, infact i have seen many other european cars with this to make oil draining easier.

whatever your happiest with i guess

time to dispel the drain plug method as being more efficient
 

Actually there was a test performed and reported on the Shopforum, before the crash, so I don't know if it was cached or not.
That individual used a topsider. Then he removed the oil pan to see how much oil remained in it. It was just a half cup or so that puddles up around the drain plug area.
If you jacked up the car with the drain plug off you can get quarter cup more out of it. But with a Topsider you can aim the suction hose down into the oil filter can and suck a little out that never gets removed with the normal drain out the pan routine.
Keep in mind that there is almost a quart of oil that stays in the oil cooler and associated hoses regardless of which method is used so it comes down to which is more convenient. Neither method assures you of 100% oil removal that isn't going to happen!

With modern cars that have under body covers its easier to suck it out, I am using a home made pump. It has a teflon pickup tube and I pump it out hot. I tend not to spill any oil at all when sucking it out.
I seem to make mistakes when I drain oil out of the pan and unfortunately I still have to do that on the 115 chassis because of the bloody filter underneath it :mad:

Check out the Liquidynamics Oil Extractor — 6 Gallon, Model# 24224T $420:
http://www2.northerntool.com/category/106+7375.htm

and Jabsco has a nice one for about $140

I second this, suck it out.

No one has yet produced an engine with an oil related failure because the oil was sucked out. It just doesn't happen.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=46149

At that price it'll either suck or suck.

Sixto
93 300SD

Typically I'll do a 1st round w/ the topsider, tend to everything else that needs tending on the car and usually w/ in a few hours fire it up once more. I always get some more out. Being able to such the remaining bit out of the housing is equally handy.

Lastly, when you do a tranny flush having a topsider around jic you over fill a touch is Beyond handy.

Jonathan

True, but you can do that with a MityVac... then you have all sorts of other things to clean :)

Sixto
93 300SD

Not cutting a HUGE hole!!
 

When I was saying cut a hole, I wasn't talking anything with a circular saw. Just with a drill and a hole saw, make a hole that's 3/4" around, that's all. But now that I'm hearing about the suction thing, I guess that is better.

Thanks for the info!

Back "in the day", before topsiders were common in dealer garages, it was common to whip out about a 6" hole saw on the first oil change................
Gilly

I have both Topsider and Mityvac, Mityvac is much better built and can be used while the oil is very warm, almost hot. If you are interest in one of the fluid evacuators, get Mityvac Fluid Evacuator Plus 07201, it is only few dollars more than Topsider but you will never regret buying it.

I am glad I am not the only person who has Used a MityVac as a topsider in a pinch!

If you have an air compressor get a pneumatic powered Mityvac (or now you have an excuse to get a compressor). No more sore arms from repeatedly pumping up a Topsider if the oil is too thick. Many other uses as well. Does a complete brake fluid flush or bleed in half an hour. Sucks out transmission fluid from the dipstick tube so there is no mess when removing the pan.