draining the oil tank

maylar · Aug 12, 2016

Doing an oil change on the 74 always makes a mess. The drain plug is just above the right z-plate and I've yet to find a funnel or other drain catcher that won't spill out and let oil dribble down the frame. Have any of you guys rigged up something that works well without spillage?

concours · Aug 12, 2016

a funnel tied in place to the kicker... and I always shim the left foot of the mainstand about 3/4" to drain more off the bottom.

elefantrider · Aug 12, 2016

Liquidvac

Biscuit · Aug 12, 2016

maylar & concours, I have made the perfect item for just that. If you want to PM your addresses I'll send you one each. Pete

L.A.B. · Aug 12, 2016

oil-tank-drain-and-other-oil-mess-t10708.html

plug-for-new-tool-thats-been-very-useful-with-the-commando-t20177.html

ewgoforth · Aug 12, 2016

maylar said:
Doing an oil change on the 74 always makes a mess. The drain plug is just above the right z-plate and I've yet to find a funnel or other drain catcher that won't spill out and let oil dribble down the frame. Have any of you guys rigged up something that works well without spillage?

I use a large funnel and only have a problem when it gets near the end as it runs back along the outside of the oil tank due to surface tension.

To get around this I lean the bike about five or ten degrees to the timing side so its only on the right leg of the center stand when I get near the end of the tank. This also has the advantage of getting more of the oil out of the tank because when I let it back upright the oil flow totally stops.

elefantrider · Aug 12, 2016

Liquidvac is still better for this, IMHO. Especially if the tank drain threads are in weakening condition, and many are.

Craig · Aug 12, 2016

I have bent metal strip , left over from "96 Jeep Cherokee rocker panel repair .... once I get most of oil out ... I suck the rest out with a MityVac .... clean and relatively easy .... you can actually get any residue on bottom with the Vac which is a plus ...
Craig

maylar · Aug 12, 2016

Biscuit said:
maylar & concours, I have made the perfect item for just that. If you want to PM your addresses I'll send you one each. Pete

Thanks very much for the offer, Pete - I think I'm gonna pick up one of those vac slurpers. It'll help with mowers and snow blowers too.

MS850 · Aug 12, 2016

elefantrider said:
Liquidvac is still better for this, IMHO. Especially if the tank drain threads are in weakening condition, and many are.

+1

NORTSTER1974 · Aug 12, 2016

I use a long nosed funnel, ty wrapped to the front Z plate stud/ISO stud, with the funnel resting on the kick start lever. Hands free, no mess.

draining the oil tank

maylar

concours

elefantrider

Biscuit

L.A.B.

Moderator

ewgoforth

elefantrider

Craig

maylar

MS850

NORTSTER1974

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