Top side oil change. Thoughts?

[PhillyBoy]

What do you guys think about doing your own oil change from the top of the engine. I know I know. How hard could it be to crawl under the truck and unscrew the drain plug. I just don't have the space to store jack stands (if I need them), drain pan, etc. Also, I don't have the physical space to work in/around.

There are numerous products out there that vacuum out the old engine oil from the dipstick location. I've looked through some of the threads and haven't seen this topic really covered. What are your thoughts? Have you done a top side oil change before? Are there any horror stories? Any information would be great!!

 

[02SE]

Well, it's better than not changing the oil at all, but I wouldn't do it if I had a choice.

Ideally when performing an oil change, the oil is hot from driving the vehicle for awhile, and any contaminants are in suspension in the oil, and will flow out the oil pan drain with the oil.

The reason draining the hot oil works so well, is that any crud stuck to the pan will generally flow out with the hot oil. Just sucking the oil out, tends to leave behind a film of oil and potential contaminants.

Draining cold oil tends to leave behind oil and contaminant residue too, so always drain it hot.

I recall a car coming in that had no oil pressure. Come to find out he never drained his oil, and just used the vacuum method you are proposing. Eventually, a layer of sludge built up deep enough in the bottom of the pan, that it plugged the oil pickup.

Since he ran it with no oil pressure, he did enough damage that he needed an engine rebuild.

 

[Drak]

Drain pans are cheap, or just borrow one.
You can do an oil change just about anywhere.
You don't need jackstands to do it at all.
Pull the plug and rest easy that it was done the right way.
You'll be happier you did.
I'm 250lbs and not a small guy, and I've changed all the undercarriage fluids (motor oil, diffs, transfer case) with the car sitting on the ground with stock tires. Wasn't a big deal.

 

[ZiaMan]

Few thoughts on this:
1. Are you and how are you changing the filter? The filter seems to be the harder item to change.
2. Have you looked at a fumoto valve? I just installed one with the short nipple on my GX. It allows you to use a 3/8th hose to cleanly drain into a jug. Based on your profile pic you could drive onto the parking curb and have clearance to drain your oil.

 

[slides]

you don't need jack stands for truck, just get some cardboard and slide under its super easy.

now on my slammed BMW I needed jack stands since that was only 5" off the ground

 

[warthog]

pan-less oil change

As others have said, there is plenty of room to crawl under. If you replace your drain plug with a Fumoto valve, there is even enough room to put a milk jug under the valve and drain directly into the jug. I see you have the V6, which I believe is easy to change the filter from the top. But even with the V8, you can change the filter using a large funnel to catch the oil. I change the oil on my V8 with no jack and no drain pan, and never have a drop of oil hit the ground.

Amazon.com: Fumoto F-103N Engine Oil Drain Valve: Automotive

 

[<<<<]

Stupid and Lazy way!!! If it's worth doing it's worth doing it right.

Now here is how I really feel about it: :dammit:

 

[Lester Lugnut]

They are fine for vehicles that have a filter on top; else you may as well just drain from the bottom as you will have to get underneath anyway to get at the oil filter.

People who criticize them have never used one.

 

[Matt007b]

Well I know land rovers (the new LR4's especially) have a metal tube just inside the oil fill cap that you hook up a suction hose from really any product and it'll suck it all out.. fact they don't even have oil dipsticks it's electronic *shudder* but the metal tube goes all the way down to the oil pan...fact I wish all cars had this feature as well as an oil filter on top!

Mercedes and Land Rover at dealerships use suction and change oil from the top all the time..they don't even put the car on a lift..

What I would do is try it from the top and then open the drain plug and see how much you are not getting or if any comes out.. (from a warm engine..) and if it's nothing or hardly anything then you're A-O-K to do it!

(but yeah still need to get to the oil filter.. if yours is on the top I can see why you want to use a mitivac or whatever else.. I plan on getting one myself to change out power steering brake fluid or coolant in the resevor and other fluids that you can't drain easily.. but please report back if you have success! thanks)