Dirty oil left in cooler..

[wetdog]

How much oil does the cooler add , how do you get it all out during change?

[double ugly]

Unless the engine was detonated I don't think its worth the trouble to empty the cooler. Maybe disconnect the hoses to the cooler and drain them.

[GlynMeek]

IF you REALLY want to clear it out, disconnect both hoses to the cooler and use a low pressure airline in one of them to gently blow most of the oil through...BE CAREFUL WHERE YOU POINT THE 'EXIT' HOSE, IT CAN GET REALLY MESSY IF YOU'RE NOT!!!!

[Rick Parker]

The benefit considering the necessary effort, and potential mess is questionable.

This thread is timely, today I changed the oil and filter. With the way my filter is mounted on the frame rail (low) a fair amount of the oil trapped in the lines drains when the filter is removed. I had a fitting at the cooler that was very difficult to get sealed when the car was being assembled ( it seeped for some time) and to consider removing the fitting to drain the cooler is not something I want to do. After changing the oil and before starting I always install a "Dummy" distributor and insert a shaft to spin the oil pump for a couple of minutes to refill all the lines, eliminating the air in the lines and refill all the galleys.

[thudmaster]

The oil is nothing to worry about. That is why you are using a good quality oil filter...........

[wetdog]

Thanks to all , I guess there is just something icky about not getting that old stuff out but I do change my oil more frequently than most so it shouldn't be an issue. For the level , 1 qt for filter , 1qt for cooler ,? for lines and just go by dipstick ?

[Ron61]

I also changed my oil often and one time I did use low pressure air and disconnect the cooler lines and blew it out. The amount was so little and not dirty that I never did it again. My cooler and lines held just enough that after I changed oil and filter and added the new oil, once I ran it long enough for the new oil to circulate it added just enough color that it was easy for me to see on the dipstick instead of having to take it out in the sun to see where my oil was.

Ron

[wetdog]

Thanks Ron ...42" of snow?

[xracerbob]

The normal sized cooler only holds 1/4 of a quart and the lines maybe a half quart at most. Not enough to worry about unless you have major problems elsewhere.

[patrickt]

The last thing I do before I put my car away for the Winter is to give her a half-a$$ oil change via a vacuum pump attached to a big glass wine bottle -- I don't even bother giving her a real oil & filter drain until Spring. If you are compulsive enough to want to get every drop out of your oil cooler then catheterizing her with this would probably be the easiest way. Just unbolt one of the oil cooler lines and then snake the plastic vacuum hose in to the bowels of the cooler and suck it dry. Or, you could do like me and just not bother at all. Here's a shot though of my half-a$$ oil changing gizmo:

[Ronbo]

You can get vacuum oil pumps at most marine stores. About $50. They include a fine tube that will drop down the dipstick tube.

Great option over draining the oil into the bilge.

[SantaFe66]

Gee, is that how they do it in Florida? Dump it into the bilge, add some emulsifier, then pump it over the side?

I got burned in Washington waters for a little oil film on the water surface from a dinky little oil spill from my dingy. They now watch us like a hawk up there when fueling or changing oil. I also had to dump my fuel sump drainings in a container when pre-flighting my float plane when I had it.

Those vacuum aided oil drain devices are great. I heat the oil up, stick the plastic tube in the dipstick tube, and pump it every once in a while till it drains the pan. That's the same way I changed oil in my boat engine.