- Features a large 8.8 liter (2.3 gallon) capacity bi-functional manual unit to extract and dispense a wide-range of fluid types
- Clean and simple way to evacuate and dispense fluids
- Reservoir is constructed of durable polyethylene and will not rust or corrode
- Automatic flow control valve prevents the unit from overfilling during use and automatically shuts off at 8 liters
- Kit comes with 5 feet of flexible hose and two rigid dipstick tubes for engine oil removal
List Price:
Mityvac 7201 Fluid Evacuator Plus Reviews by Customer
By Hsiang R. Tseng
Works great. The dispensing feature is the key feature that sets this apart from other tools. It's makes it extremely easy to get the used oil into containers for recycling. No more funnels/towels for spills etc.
Granted, instructions may not be completely detailed, but this is a TOOL not an appliance. One shouldn't expect a wrench to come with 10 pages of instructions.
For those of you complaining about slow suction, here are some tips:
1) Warm up the engine.
2) Use the largest tube that fits down the dipstick
3) Remove the oil fill cap!!! Modern crankcases are airtight. If you don't remove the oil fill cap, then the only way for air to get in to displace the oil you're sucking out is the tiny space between the dipstick and the tube. You're forming a vaccuum that is working against the tool.
If you've imploded your tool, you've overpumped it, there was something else that was holding up your suction that you did not address.
If you doubt the speed, first practice using the new tool with plain water (clean unit only please: don't mix water with your oil) to get an idea of how everything works, and make sure you don't have any leaks in your connections.
By Cool Hand Luke
I really enjoy the Mityvac 7201 Fluid Evacuator Plus. I can't say that it makes changing the oil much quicker than using the drain plug or even that much neater but it certainly does make it easier.
If you have a car with the oil filter located where you can access it without getting under the car, I would recommend the evacuator without hesitation. If you have to get under the car or truck to change the filter you might as well just drain the oil with the plug.
I bought the evacuator about a year ago specifically for use on my 2007 Mercedes E320 Diesel which has the drain plug in a very awkward location. Since then I've used it about a dozen times on both the diesel and my 2002 E46 BMW 330i. I have never had a problem with the performance and my only complaint is that it does not have enough capacity for the Mercedes. This car holds 9 quarts of oil and I have to stop halfway through the evacuation and empty the reservoir. Once the evacuator has been filled, the film of dark oil clinging to the walls prevents seeing the oil level under any lighting conditions. So, I always evacuate about 3 quarts, empty the evacuator, and then evacuate the remainder. This is not a problem with the BMW since the evacuator can empty this car in one step.
Before I purchased the evacuator I read some reviews that warned that their evacuator did not come with a gasket between the lid and the side walls. I took mine apart on arrival and it did not have a gasket either. However, the plastic parts fit tightly together and make an air tight seal. It is my theory that some of the people that could not get their evacuators to empty their crankcases have a problem with the length of the suction tube inside the evacuator. For the evacuator to work in pump mode, versus vacuum mode, there is a tube that extends to the bottom of the evacuator, much like drinking a milkshake through a straw, that allows you to pump out the evacuator contents. In my evacuator the tube has very little clearance with the bottom of the unit. I believe in some units the internal tube may actually touch the bottom of the evacuator and prevent or limit the vacuum pulled in the tank from drawing the oil through the suction tube. If you should order an evacuator and then find that it does not work (I suggest testing it in the sink first using water) you should try taking it apart and checking the internal tube length. There of course are many other reasons the units may not work but I thought this tip was worth passing along.
Many other reviewers have commented on this as well but I also wanted mention that the unit works much better when the oil is warm. However, I changed my oil once on a 40° day when the oil was at ambient conditions and with a little patience I was able to suck every last drop out. So, it can be done but I would not recommend it.
I also wanted to give a couple of tips on tubing. In my cars, the largest tube which will go down the dipsticks is ¼". I buy it in bulk at my local Ace hardware for $0.12 a foot. I only use the ¼" tube one time, discarding it after each use in order to prevent the introduction of dirt into the engine internals and also to avoid the mess of storing an oily piece of tubing. I feed the ¼" tube from the spool it is supplied on into the dipstick until it touches the bottom of the oil pan. I then cut the tubing off the roll, leaving about 6" of tube sticking out of the dipstick tube. I have shortened the length of the factory large diameter tube that is directly connected to the evacuator so that it reaches just from the evacuator when it is sitting within 1' of the fender to the dipstick. The 2 different size pieces of tube are then connected with the included rubber adapter. This gives me the shortest possible run of tubing with the largest diameter tubing possible for each section of the run. I have had very good success with this setup.
I do not clean my evacuator after each use but I also don't leave oil in. I immediately switch it into pump mode and pump the oil, using only the large diameter tube, into a container to transport the oil for recycling. Once the evacuator is emptied I will stretch out the large diameter tube to a rag on the ground and allow the oil in the tube to gravity flow out over night. The tube can then be wrapped around the evacuator and it will snap into clips on the side of the unit. I don't like to use the drain plug on the top of the evacuator to empty it. The plug is difficult to get out even when lubed with oil and is it is difficult to pour the oil into other containers.
The evacuator should allow you to change the oil with the minimum of mess possible. However no matter how careful I am, I always seem to drip or spray 1 or 2 drops of oil onto myself or the floor. This can be an improvement over the drain plug and pan method though. For example on my Explorer you must carefully control the flow from the drain plug or it comes out with such force that it splashes or sprays the under car components. With the evacuator you also don't have to worry about sloshing oil out of an open pan, oil splashing on the top of one of the closed-top funnel-type pans, or spilling when you transfer oil from a pan into another container.
For those car enthusiasts who have a true passion for their cars and this type work, I would recommend having your oil tested periodically by a lab. I recommend Blackstone-labs. Their testing service is very affordable and they can help you determine the true required interval between oil changes for your driving habits and vehicle.
For hard to find oils like the Mobil 1 Type M ESP used in all new diesel Mercedes, I would recommend mail ordering your oil from AVlube. This oil is available through the dealership and at Pep Boys but I have found it to be less expensive and more convenient to mail order the oil in bulk.
Properly set up, I have found the evacuator to be an indispensible tool for service on my German cars.
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