MikeT wrote: 15 Aug 2018, 14:21
My concern (on the delicate 1.6 engine) is that the sump plug thread upward recess is also a restriction to effectively removing heavier deposits.
Argh, I didn't realise it was like that - so it screws into a boss that's mounted inside the bottom of the sump?
Any pics?
There are other examples if you google, but I hope this illustrates adequately.
MikeT wrote: 16 Aug 2018, 14:33
There are other examples if you google, but I hope this illustrates adequately.
Thanks
I see what you mean now...
What an utterly crap design!
Is it really though? I think they did it like that because with it sticking out the bottom it got ripped off by drivers riding over kerbs and cross countrying.
Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new. (Albert Einstein)
On our Toyota, the base of the sump slopes downwards very gently towards the rear, and the drain plug is in the upward curve at the rear, so out of the way of anything scraping the underside, and also at the lowest point for draining.
I think with careful use by the home owner there's no problems using a vacuum pump to take the oil out. We'll take the time to ensure that the tube has got as far into the sump as possible.
A garage using such equipment for speed and speed alone is less likely to take that degree of care, so you're more likely to have oil left behind.
I've been using one for all my oil changes for a couple of years now. I usually stick a splash of fresh oil in after all the old oil has drained to help "wash" any remaining debris out. Not that I've ever seen anything other than clean oil in the drain tube at that stage.
The vacuum pumps really do get far more of the gunk out than people think if used properly.
Given the seeming increase in tendencies for drain plugs to be made of cheese these days, anything that removes the need to have to mess with them is a bonus in my book.
Plus the vacuum pump makes the process make an order of magnitude less mess.
Current fleet:
07 Volvo V70 SE D5, 88 Renault 25 Monaco, 85 Sinclair C5, 84 Trabant 601S, 75 Rover 3500, 73 AC Model 70.
Gibbo2286 wrote: 16 Aug 2018, 16:34
Is it really though? I think they did it like that because with it sticking out the bottom it got ripped off by drivers riding over kerbs and cross countrying.
Yes it is - considering the entire purpose of the drain plug being there... Is to allow the oil to be drained. Which clearly that can't fulfil - hence it is a crap design!
I get your point about if they've recessed it to stop it being ripped off - but in doing that, they've completely undermined it's primary purpose. Ergo - crap design.
If grounding out was the problem, they needed to solve it in another way - e.g. change the mounting height of the engine (higher); make the oil pan shallower; provide a sump guard; mount the drain plug on the front/rear/side of the sump instead...
Those are all solutions that would stop it being damaged (if that is indeed the problem) while still allowing it to fulfil it's original purpose!
I was called upon recently to rescue a Picasso 1.6 HDI that had flashed up a low oil pressure warning, I used a proprietary flush and allowed the oil to drain overnight, upon removing the sump I drained a further 250ml of oil from it, I believe theres a fair bit left in the top end too. looking at where the dipstick emerges under there if the suction pump pickup pipe were rigid it would remove even less than the drainplug.
On that vehicle cleaning of the sump strainer and removal of the turbo oil feed filter appears to be effective so far, it is now on strict 5000 mile oil changes.
BXs since 1993 built 1.9 TZD turbo, got a S2 Xantia estate, brilliant car! 2013, Xantia HDI LX 110 2000 new car with 122,000, l C2 HDI Rusty rocket, C3 Picasso HDI new to me.
Remember that the Mini/1100/1300 A-series transverse had their drain plugs nicely in the end of the cast sump, at the lowest point, but totally out of the way of grounding...
What better? and that was 1959, the middle of the last century.
