Best way to change oil without flooding garage floor?

What is the best way to change oil without flooding the garage floor? Removing the filter seems to be a minor mess, but removing the drain plug results in a spray that bounces off the frame and makes a hell of a mess. Any ideas on how to actually get it into the drain pan, short of leaving the plug partially in and waiting for a few hours?

Reply to
Al Tsiemers
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How about buy a bag of kitty litter, pour it out on your floor uder the drain pan and around the area that will get splashed. That should help with clean up anyway. Not sure what vehicle your driving but my Explorer (97) drains straight down and there really is nothing that hits the ground anywhere other than going into the drain pan. Searcher

Reply to
Searcher1

I will probably be flamed for suggesting this, but for what it's worth: FRAM (of the very dubious oil filter fame) sells drain valves that replace the standard oil plug. Hand-threading a special cap with a protrusion opens the valve and drains the oil through a short hose attached to it (you can replace it with a longer one, if needed). No mess, no torquing, even no tools needed. A screw-on cap over the valve protects it from road debris and avoids sudden loss of oil should it suddenly fail. Don't know about long term reliability, but they have worked for me on a couple vehicles for two or three years now without problems. Been a great help for the Grand Marquis, with its side-facing drain plug. Of course, if you decide to install one of those, you still need to remove the plug and create a mess one last time...

Reply to
Happy Traveler

Reply to
WhoIsIt

No flame here. I've used a similar valve from

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on both of my cars for about five years now. They work great, and I'd recommend them to anyone who changes their own oil. I have the ones without the hose nipple on them, as my drain plugs are both pointed where I want the oil to go anyway.

Reply to
Ratbert

Ok, I'll do it........

THEY LEAK ALL THE TIME !!!!!

:-))))

Reply to
johanb

Been using the Fran drain plug thing for 4 years and no problem. wth

Reply to
wth

"Searcher1" wrote in news:lFfaf.1363$zU2.1245@trnddc07:

I have a huge bag of oil dry, but I'm trying to avoid throwing it and the oil it picks up into the landfill

I have a '97 XLT with the 4.0 SOHC, and when I pulled the plug yesterday, well, I haven't seen an arc like that since I was toilet training the oldest boy. It shot about 14" over and deflected off the frame, completely overspraying the 18" drain pan I thought I had strategically placed. I tipped the pan and got most of it, but I generally don't get a drop on the floor when I change oil in the other 5 vehicles.

Reply to
Al Tsiemers

Another way is to loosen the plug and then slowly move it away from the hole in the pan. If your careful and the plug isn't too hot you can control how fast the oil comes out and where it goes.

Reply to
WhoIsIt

Up your shirt sleeve, mostly... Well, technically it's down your sleeve 'cos your arm's aimed upwards at the time...

Simon H

Reply to
Simon H

Reply to
Ratbert

I,m talking about the ones jiffy lube installs

at least , I think its Jiffy lube

Reply to
johanb

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