Oil change tool

[sandpiper]

I ran accross this tool while cruising on the Vans Aircraft site. A little expensive. Should it have a place in our toolbox? I've done about 35 oil changes on my aircraft and rarely made a mess. So, what else could I spend $47.50 on? Any thoughts?

https://antisplataero.com/products/asa-ez-oil-filter-drain

[GrassStripFlyBoy]

I think introducing air pressure to purge oil is a bad move on Rotax.  Unless this is different than the video I recently watched with this in service.

[sandpiper]

Darrell,

My concern too. Plus, would this blow contaminants caught in the filter back into the engine?

[Roger Lee]

Continental's and Lycoming's are not a Rotax engine. The Rotax is a dry sump and has hydraulic lifters and this tool is going to inject and flush out the oil that is needed to run without causing damage. If you use this tool you'll be doing an oil purge every time. It's a foolish tool to use on a Rotax engine. You're asking to replace the engine you ruin. Let's see.... spend $48 so you can spend $23K. Bad investment.

What a PIT but way to change oil. Just buy an oil filter wrench from Leading Edge Airfoils for the Rotax filter. You can place a piece of "U" shaped cardboard wrapped with aluminum foil that comes out underneath the oil filter and all the way out past the radiator and just allows the oil to run into your pan.

 

[Anticept]

How I do it:

First, make sure oil is nice and hot.

Use the wrench tool to break the oil filter but do not spin it off. Just make sure it's not "welded on", but let it stay on with a bit of grip.

Grab a punch tool with a nice sharp end and punch a few small holes next to each other on the filter near the wrench side, facing upwards. Don't punch towards the base of the filter because burrs will make it hard to remove the filter media for inspection.

Put whatever you use to catch oil under the filter.

Rotate filter 180 degrees so that it's facing down, use your punch to make a couple more holes near the wrench end on the now facing top. The oil will now drain out quickly in a minute or so.

Now when the filter is spun off, it won't gush out. Sometimes I catch it all, sometimes I don't when I just took the filter off. Now I dont have an issue and even if it does spill, there's not much to spill.