Help: Used Oil Vacuum, now tube stuck inside

[Mark_H]

Purchased an Topsider oil extractor to do my oil changes since that is supposed to be easier than dropping the oil hose and emptying. I had pushed the hose into the dipstick until I heard it bottom on the oil pan. Sucked a good amount of oil but certainly not 5.5 qts worth. Other have said to push in further to get it to the back of the pan, did that. Was able to suck a little more but not much. Went to remove and its stuck, its like it looped itself inside and has knot. I have tried pulling fairly hard and its no go. I can push more in but it comes back to the same spot.

Any ideas?

I hope I'm not at pull the engine to get the oil pan off. What was supposed to save time could have became a real money suck.

Picture for reference.

https://www.amazon.com/America-5060TS-Topsider-Multi-Purpose-Removing/dp/B001445IZ8/ref=sr_1_9?dchild=1&keywords=Best+Oil+Extractor&qid=1604358626&sr=8-9

[SONIC]

The end of the dipstick tube can be sharp and it can cut into the tube as you pull it back and catch.
not a good situation unfortunately.
your best option is to try and twist it into as many different positions s possible and try to pull from every angle.
if it doesn't come out the dipstick tube is pressed in I would pull that out and try again before pulling the oil pan.

[996scott]

Dang, this happened to me a few years ago and it was an absolute pain to get out. It took me forever twisting and bending the hose but it finally came out. Sonic is right, the end of the tube is very sharp and it just catches the hose. When mine finally came out the hose was all cut up. Just keep at it. I posted before warning people to never suck the oil out the dip stick, use the hose!

[MJHSupra]

Can you get the dip-stick out - more to work with?

I know others have used the push, twist, and pull method.

https://forum.moomba.com/showthread.php?23440-Need-help-please-oil-extractor-hose-stuck-in-dipstick-tube

Can you insert something like a clothes hangar wire/stiff wire and push it through the tube till it stops, then pull the tube while pushing the wire?

https://teamtalk.mastercraft.com/showthread.php?t=59627&t=59627

I recall reading a thread on the BU forum about a broken piece in there. They lifted the motor and dropped the pan. Not sure there is any room in there w/o lifting the motor. Getting it off would be the easy part, getting it back on right is another story.

[MJHSupra]

Dang, this happened to me a few years ago and it was an absolute pain to get out. It took me forever twisting and bending the hose but it finally came out. Sonic is right, the end of the tube is very sharp and it just catches the hose. When mine finally came out the hose was all cut up. Just keep at it. I posted before warning people to never suck the oil out the dip stick, use the hose!

I think I read your post about that. I was curious when I searched.

http://www.moomba.com/msgboard/showthread.php?23440-Need-help-please-oil-extractor-hose-stuck-in-dipstick-tube

[Mark_H]

Thanks for all the input guys. I will remove the dipstick and see if at that angle I can get better movement. I did push it in a bit before I left it for the night, hopefully it maybe relaxed a bit.

[996scott]

I think I read your post about that. I was curious when I searched.

http://www.moomba.com/msgboard/showthread.php?23440-Need-help-please-oil-extractor-hose-stuck-in-dipstick-tube

HAHA, yea that was it. Man that brings back some bad memories! Hopefully Mark will get it out.

[MJHSupra]

HAHA, yea that was it. Man that brings back some bad memories! Hopefully Mark will get it out.

I bet it does. The people on the other forums, BU and MC, talk about hours of frustration.

Good luck Mark_H. You are not the only one out there on this issue.

[Mark_H]

Update and closure to this.

After removing the dipstick and an hour of twisting, rotating, etc I had not luck. I tried the coat hanger down the tube but it hit a definite end and would not straighten out the hose. Another bit of that and I gave up. I pulled as much as I could and cut. I was left with 41 inches of the tube and from what I can find the Topsider comes with a 48 inch tube. So there is 7 inches left in the oil pan in some form of knot.

I don't think it can get sucked up by the oil pump, if it was to somehow get grabbed by the spinning internals, I don't think it would damage them and would get chewed up into smaller pieces, again probably too large to get sucked through the screen of the oil pump. Perhaps they then come out during future oil changes via the drain tube.

Thats what I'm going with anyway :)

[parrothd]

Update and closure to this.

After removing the dipstick and an hour of twisting, rotating, etc I had not luck. I tried the coat hanger down the tube but it hit a definite end and would not straighten out the hose. Another bit of that and I gave up. I pulled as much as I could and cut. I was left with 41 inches of the tube and from what I can find the Topsider comes with a 48 inch tube. So there is 7 inches left in the oil pan in some form of knot.

I don't think it can get sucked up by the oil pump, if it was to somehow get grabbed by the spinning internals, I don't think it would damage them and would get chewed up into smaller pieces, again probably too large to get sucked through the screen of the oil pump. Perhaps they then come out during future oil changes via the drain tube.

Thats what I'm going with anyway :)

For future reference start the engine and let the oil warm up the tube. It will cover the the tube with oil and make it softer. I wouldn't leave that section in the engine, remove the dipstick tube and heat it and get the remaining out.

[996scott]

Sorry to hear it wouldn't come out, that sucks. I would be uneasy about leaving it in the oil pan. Not sure if it would be a problem or not, but i'm way too ocd to leave it.

[parrothd]

If the tube broke off in the pan, I'd pretend that didn't happen and move on. :)

[UNSTUCK]

The chewed up pieces won’t get through the pick up tube screen but they will defiantly plug the screen. You’ll loose oil pressure. Engine will come out for sure then.