Undertray and oil changes

[ninjag]

I find the undertray a bit of a pain to remove, especially as I do my oil changes using drive on front ramps (on a sloped driveway to get it level).

Would it be feasible to cut out a small section to gain access to the sump drain plug, maybe even fashion a little hinge or something? Or would this be a bad idea? lol


Cheers

 

[NHN]

And allow road crap to get in, I would just spend the extra 5 mins or so removing the tray.

 

[PenttisHSR]

Don't want to open an argument, but I use an extractor now (same as the Dealer does). Dead easy, gets everything out, if you don't believe it, crack open the drain plug afterwards and see how much more you can get!
One of these........ https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/403338743497?hash=item5de8dccec9:g:MnsAAOSwXk1d6b3j

 

[Gazwould]

+1

 

[ninjag]

Don't want to open an argument, but I use an extractor now (same as the Dealer does). Dead easy, gets everything out, if you don't believe it, crack open the drain plug afterwards and see how much more you can get!
One of these........ https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/403338743497?hash=item5de8dccec9:g:MnsAAOSwXk1d6b3j

No argument from me, this is my extractor sucking the oil out of my XF lol

I didn't realise the S4 had an oil extraction tube - but now I think about it, there's no dipstick and I'm guessing that's the tube where extraction can be done?

 

[ninjag]

Could I ask if the extraction tube is supposed to be fed all the way down (like I see in the YouTube videos)? I'm wondering how it makes an airtight seal when doing that, so is it relying on being fed to the very bottom of the sump instead?

In the XF the path the extraction tube takes to the sump makes it impossible to feed a hose, so you simply seal your hose over the entrance of the extraction tube and it sucks up all the oil easily as it creates an airtight seal.

 

[PenttisHSR]

Audi did away with the dipstick but retained the tube for this purpose in their workshops.
@ninjag yes, just feed it straight down to the bottom of the sump. I cut a small angle on the tube so that it didn't suck flush on the bottom. Sucks oil like a straw, sump is designed to be used like this as the extraction tube hits the lowest point. Push it down until you feel it hit the bottom and stop. This point is longer than the dipstick is.
Can't believe you considered cutting a hole in the undertray when you already have & use an extractor!
When the tube gets warm from the oil, it has been known for people to keep pushing and curl the pipe back up into the crank and get stuck!

 

[ninjag]

Audi did away with the dipstick but retained the tube for this purpose in their workshops.
@ninjag yes, just feed it straight down to the bottom of the sump. I cut a small angle on the tube so that it didn't suck flush on the bottom. Sucks oil like a straw, sump is designed to be used like this as the extraction tube hits the lowest point. Push it down until you feel it hit the bottom and stop. This point is longer than the dipstick is.
Can't believe you considered cutting a hole in the undertray when you already have & use an extractor!
When the tube gets warm from the oil, it has been known for people to keep pushing and curl the pipe back up into the crank and get stuck!

I don't know why it never crossed my mind to use my extractor lol

Thanks for the reply. I'm guessing the dipstick tube doesn't actually go to the very bottom but opens up or something, which would still allow the extraction hose to keep going?

I think with the XF the tube would actually run to the bottom of the sump (after many bends around the engine) because it was not a dipstick tube but specifically an oil extraction tube (hence only needing to create a seal at the start and not feed the hose down)

 

[rum4mo]

Yes the dipstick guide tube will stop well short of the bottom of the sump, so push the extractor tube right down as said by others.

I tried my extractor just once on a late 2009 SEAT Ibiza 1.4, it was just taking too long to suck the warm oil up, so that kit has never been used on cars again.

There should never be considered, in my mind, any big issue with needing to remove the undercover and drain from there as it gives you a chance to check over everything else while you are under the car. Changing engine oil and filter is only small part of what a car should be getting in the way of routine maintenance once a year - if you are a DIyer.

 

[ninjag]

Thanks, I'll maybe give it a try next time. I do oil changes every 6 months because of all my short journeys and also chain paranoia! lol So being able to suck up the oil on the interim changes will be handy.