oil change using vacuum

[92EcoDiesel Jetta]

Anyone else? I made a vacuum tank out of am empty Freon tank and hooked it up to the oil dipstick tube and sucked the oil out using a vacuum pump. When finished, I removed the oil pan drain plug and not a drop came out! It was clean and no mess oil change. I was hoping the filter would be sucked clean too but not so. It was full and spilled oil when loosened. I punched a hole in the bottom of the filter with a long philips head screwdriver to drain it before removal to lessen the mess. During the next oil change, I may try using vacuum on the turbo oil pipe and see if the filter can be sucked dry before removal.

[vanbcguy]

I believe that is basically standard operating procedure for Mercedes, for what it's worth... (sucking the used oil out via the dipstick tube)

I doubt you'll be able to suck much out of the filter - it will always be very hard to pull oil through the filter by vacuum.  Even if you disconnect the turbo oil line I think you're going to suck the oil out of the block passages before you clear the filter, given that the block is uphill from that location.  Once the block is clear then you'll just be sucking air.

[maxfax]

What about punching a hole in the filter and popping that suction nozzle in there..  Still probably won't get it all, but it may get a good bit...

[92EcoDiesel Jetta]

What about punching a hole in the filter and popping that suction nozzle in there..  Still probably won't get it all, but it may get a good bit...

I thought of that. It's more messy than sucking from the turbo oil line (if it works).

[R.O.R-2.0]

your gonna have a hard time sucking the filter dry. it would be different if the oil filter were mounted upside down, but its right side up, and gravity, plus drain back valves are holding the oil in the filter..

[nathan_b]

your gonna have a hard time sucking the filter dry. it would be different if the oil filter were mounted upside down, but its right side up, and gravity, plus drain back valves are holding the oil in the filter..

,

yeah, this aint no alh..
also, easy to miss things in the bottom of the oil pan, like oil, bearing shavings, nuts/bolts ect that warn you of impending doom.

[vdubspeed]

I don't see how you sucked the system dry through the dipstick tube. The tube DOES NOT extend to the bottom of the pan. To be honest...it does not even extend into the pan. Either you were frightfully low on oil, or I'm missing something.

Below is a picture of a 16V engine. Same concept. Notice how the dipstick which is protruding through the block above the center main bearing cap. No tube.


So...are sure there was oil in there?

[92EcoDiesel Jetta]

The 16V's dipstick "tube" must be different than my 92 Ecodiesel.
One gallon of oil came out and I took the drain plug out afterwards and not one drop came out-zilch! When I do gravity oil changes, it'd be dripping for a long while (like a few hours before there was no more drips. I kept the vacuum pump running for a good 10 to 15 minutes. I aslo choked off the vacuum to the engine so that it builds max vac in the tank and released the choke to get max violent suction. I did that 5 to 6 times. My theory is that the violent suction pulls the oil out of the galleries much faster than gravity, doing a much more thorough oil change in a shorter amount of time.

I don't see how you sucked the system dry through the dipstick tube. The tube DOES NOT extend to the bottom of the pan. To be honest...it does not even extend into the pan. Either you were frightfully low on oil, or I'm missing something.

Below is a picture of a 16V engine. Same concept. Notice how the dipstick which is protruding through the block above the center main bearing cap. No tube.


So...are sure there was oil in there?

[mtrans]

On my FIAT plug for drain is 3/4 so I think about puting valve so I can use CF,but I am little scary.