# MityVac Plus observations



## konfoo (Nov 3, 2002)

Just got my MityVac, and here's my 2c observations on it:

1. I got it here: http://www.thetoolwarehouse.net/shop/MIT-7201.html . The 8.8l model holds more than the extractor on Griot's site. If you add in the shipping, it works out to be cheaper than the Griot's one. So you would be stupid not to get this ;-) With the smaller capacity ones you may have to empty some of the oil and resume the extraction as they don't hold as much. This one has around 2qt to spare after all the oil is extracted.

2. Took about 10 minutes to change my oil. This sucker works like a charm. You just have to pump it 10 times every 2qts and youre set. When it starts extracting air bubbles, push the extractor pipe into the dipstick hole and pump it a few times. I managed to extract another 0.1qt or so by doing this and jiggling the pipe around. There is not much room to move, but it will pull the last few drops from the tank.

3. I rate this 10/10. Didn't even get my hands dirty. ;-)


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## doeboy (Sep 20, 2002)

konfoo said:


> *3. I rate this 10/10. Didn't even get my hands dirty. ;-) *


Using gloves doesn't count.  hehe 

but really... not even when changing the rubber o-ring for the oil filter cap?


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## DN325CI (Oct 5, 2002)

Konfoo - Have you tried pumping back out? What was your experience? Mine wasn't very good....

EDon


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## LarryN (Dec 24, 2001)

Really? I have no problem filling the quart containers back up. You just have to make sure you don't over pressurize the MityVac, or you won't have enough time to swap out empty bottles quickly enough. I also make sure I refill the bottles with spent oil on a piece of cardboard... just in case. Never had a problem though.

What type of problems are you having?


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## eric5150 (Aug 19, 2002)

I have had no issues on the pump out, either - it goes much easier if you do it immediately while the oil is still warm.


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## konfoo (Nov 3, 2002)

The reverse pump worked fine for me too. If all else fails you can just pour it out from the spout though, which I used for the last few drops when cleaning the inside with some solvent.

Doeboy - a few Bounty papertowels did the trick :thumbup: lol


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## SupaFOB (Dec 17, 2002)

Hahahaha, I didn't even know you could reverse pump out the oil. I've always just used the pour spout. How do I go about reversing it?


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## The HACK (Dec 19, 2001)

SupaFOB said:


> *Hahahaha, I didn't even know you could reverse pump out the oil. I've always just used the pour spout. How do I go about reversing it? *


Only the 8.8 liter unit has it. There's a black cylidrical thingy on the side of the pump that has two arrows. Press the valve down to suck and up to spit I think.


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## SupaFOB (Dec 17, 2002)

The HACK said:


> *Only the 8.8 liter unit has it. There's a black cylidrical thingy on the side of the pump that has two arrows. Press the valve down to suck and up to spit I think. *


Thanks for the quick response. Mine's the smaller unit which explains why I never noticed this nifty little feature.


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## Kaz (Dec 21, 2001)

SupaFOB said:


> *Thanks for the quick response. Mine's the smaller unit which explains why I never noticed this nifty little feature. *


Problem with the nifty feature is that it makes the whole unit quite a bit more complicated and there are far more chances of leaks and such. I thought I'd regret not waiting to get the bigger one, but now that I've used both several times, I think I actually like the simplicity of the smaller model.


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## Lansing (Jul 11, 2002)

I think the MityVac is great. Used it for the first time a few weeks ago at 5K on my car. Extraction was flawless and fast. Did the reverse trick to fill the oil back into the bottles and that was a little tricky.

Minor leakage at the top of the MityVac where it attaches to the hoses. Did anyone else have this? What do you put your oil into dump it / recycle? Those lousy quart bottles require a little timing to fill properly.

Nothing that a few paper towels couldn't clean up.


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## Raffi (May 18, 2002)

Lansing said:


> *What do you put your oil into dump it / recycle? Those lousy quart bottles require a little timing to fill properly.
> 
> *


I bought a 10 qt. oil container that I pour the used oil into and then take it to Jiffy Lube to dump. I can also use the container if I make traditional oil changes, and it cost me less than $10 IIRC.


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## DN325CI (Oct 5, 2002)

My problem was the same as Lansings - major leakage at the upper fitting where the plastic hose is inserted. It would not stop leaking there no matter how I fiddled with it. 

Any thoughts?

EDon


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## The HACK (Dec 19, 2001)

DN325CI said:


> *My problem was the same as Lansings - major leakage at the upper fitting where the plastic hose is inserted. It would not stop leaking there no matter how I fiddled with it.
> 
> Any thoughts?
> 
> EDon *


Did you press the hose all the way in? If it's seated properly, you should NOT be able to remove the hose without pressing the blue ring in to release the hose.


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## konfoo (Nov 3, 2002)

Right on. 

If that still doesn't work, add some teflon tape to the hose end before inserting it and that should fix it.


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## Kaz (Dec 21, 2001)

Teflon tape? I dunno, teflon tape is for threded pipe fittings, not plastic compression fittings. You might have better luck cutting (very carefully) a little bit of the hose off instead.


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## robj213 (Nov 2, 2002)

Uhm how about using cable ties to tie down the tubes tighter?


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## SergioK (Aug 14, 2002)

DN325CI said:


> *Konfoo - Have you tried pumping back out? What was your experience? Mine wasn't very good....
> 
> EDon *


I've learned to release the vaccum (using the pour stopper) built up inside the chamber when dispensing the used oil back into the 1qt. containers. It takes a little longer to get the used oil out of the dispenser but at least I don't have to worry about spills. I also remove the smaller tube and dispense using the larger tube since too much pressure can actually push the smaller tube out of the larger one! (happened to me the 1st time)

- Sergio


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## DN325CI (Oct 5, 2002)

sergiok said:


> *I've learned to release the vaccum (using the pour stopper) built up inside the chamber when dispensing the used oil back into the 1qt. containers. It takes a little longer to get the used oil out of the dispenser but at least I don't have to worry about spills. I also remove the smaller tube and dispense using the larger tube since too much pressure can actually push the smaller tube out of the larger one! (happened to me the 1st time)
> 
> - Sergio *


Thanks. I'll try those recommendations. I don't have an oil change coming soon, but next time I'll be wiser.

EDon


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## albtsang (Nov 24, 2002)

*Just changed oil...*

I just changed the oil on my 2004 330Ci with 1535 miles on it. I used the MityVac Fluid Evacuator Plus that I bought from The Tool Warehouse. Everything went very well and I was able to take out about 6.7 quarts from the car. Well, everything was going very well, until I tried to dispense the oil into a windshield washer fluid bottle. I figured that I would be able to apply high pressure to the system and finish quicker. Well, the weak link in the system is the rubber connector between the large diameter tubing attached to the Evacuator and the smaller diameter tubing that you use to put down the dipstick tube. It ended up coming apart and squirted oil all over the garage floor. So I spent about 30 minutes cleaning up the mess and using the orange/fluorescent green concrete cleaner. Needless to say the actual oil change went well, but the dispensing of oil oil went poorly. I'll learn to do the dispensing under lower pressures next time.

Cost of my intermediate oil change using "BMW High Performance Synthetic Oil and a BMW Oil Filter was $34.82 using the BMW CCA discount.


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## PhilH (Jun 7, 2002)

I used my MityVac for the first time two weeks ago. For my first DIY oil change ever (seriously), it went very smoothly.

My two problems were:

1-Figuring out that the rubber stoppers need to be taken off the MityVac's hoses as they were shipped, and put back on to fit together for my use. This isn't printed anywhere in the manual, and was only briefly discussed on one old post on bimmerfest.

2-Retorquing the top of the oil filter to 17 lbs. It seems my torque wrench, while having a range of 10-100 lbs, doesn't click at 17 lbs, so I totally overtorqued it, and then had a heck of time loosening it again. After a search of bimmerfest, I found this was a pretty common problem, and just tightened it up "pretty good".

I took my good old time, making sure not to make a mess, and wound up taking about two hours for the whole job.


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## zentenn (May 20, 2005)

I did my first DYI oil change today with my Mityvac and it was really easy. I went to Sears and bought the 36m/m socket for about 9 bucks and the adapter for my 3/8" wrench for about 5. Followed the instructions found on Bimmerfest and had no problem whatsoever. The Mightyvac worked flawlessly and just tightened the oil case top without a torque wrench. As I was loosening the top to begin with I took special note as to how tight it felt and just tightened it back to what felt good to me. It didn't take much to get it tight once the thing bottomed out on the metal. It took exactly 6.5 quarts that I bought at the dealer and got the BMWCCA discount so I spent $42 for the oil and filter including tax. Not too bad. Anyway, it was very easy and fun to do, so if you're out there wondering if you want to try it, just do it. If I can do it, anybody can :rofl: :thumbup:


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## msphynx (Jul 29, 2004)

If you have cats or surely you know someone that does. Get those huge cat litter containers, they have a mouth as wide as a coke can and hold at least 2 cars worth of oil if not 3. 
They are thick enough that you can just keep it in your garage until it's nearly full then take it to your local shop or auto parts store and they'll let you dump the oil for free.

Or of course the oil will kill off poison ivy, kudzu, etc in your yard if you don't mind the environmental implications. (just kidding...but that's what the old timer's used to do with it!) Seriously though...take it to the auto parts store and dump it in their container.


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## gigyb (Feb 8, 2005)

konfoo said:


> Just got my MityVac, and here's my 2c observations on it:
> 
> 1. I got it here: http://www.thetoolwarehouse.net/shop/MIT-7201.html . The 8.8l model holds more than the extractor on Griot's site. If you add in the shipping, it works out to be cheaper than the Griot's one. So you would be stupid not to get this ;-) With the smaller capacity ones you may have to empty some of the oil and resume the extraction as they don't hold as much. This one has around 2qt to spare after all the oil is extracted.
> 
> ...


I just bought one. But I am not able to open the expandable rubber plug . The lever on top of this expand. But this doesn't come out easily.
Could u please expain in details?


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## Mark_325i (May 1, 2003)

> I just bought one. But I am not able to open the expandable rubber plug . The lever on top of this expand. But this doesn't come out easily.
> Could u please expain in details?


Me, too. It went in and I have never been able to get it out.


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## bimmerZ5 (Jan 11, 2005)

Mark_325i said:


> Me, too. It went in and I have never been able to get it out.


yeah, i've got that problem now too. i think that rubber is bad and expands as it gets old or exposed to oil or something. the only i can get it out these days is to spray WD-40 around the edge of the rubber... wait a few minutes and then pull it out. sort of sucks.

another problem with the mityvac are the rubber grommets that connect the hoses. they have a tendency to come apart at the most inconvenient time... shooting oil all over your engine compartment. use hose clamps to secure them so they don't come apart.


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## bimmerology (Jul 3, 2006)

so this place is in nj, or is there a place in cali to get it, are there several diff models to get


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## bimmerZ5 (Jan 11, 2005)

bimmerology said:


> so this place is in nj, or is there a place in cali to get it, are there several diff models to get


if you're talking about thetoolwarehouse.net place, they are headquartered in NJ. But they have another warehouse in NV. Depending on which side of the country you're in, your order will be shipped from the closer warehouse. I don't believe they have a store front though... purely online sales.


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