I’m not mechanically inclined.
But after watching the second half of this video of a guy using the HV-FLEX to change the oil filter on his Saab, I think I could change the oil and filter in an aircraft (or my car) with a minimum of oil spillage.
As the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words.
“The tool’s sole purpose, when used along with manual or pneumatic vacuum pumps, is to extract fluids such as engine oil, diesel fuel, and hydraulic fluids from spin-on filters prior to removal,” HV-FLEX creator Wayne Swanson wrote to me via email.
Wayne’s background is in the marine industry.
But there’s nothing special to marine oil filters. They spin off just like all spin off filters.
In fact, Tom Sherwood, who has been an A&P for more than 50 years and is the owner of Aero Specialties of BVY at Beverly Regional Airport (KBVY) in Massachusetts, told me the HV-FLEX works great.
“There’s no mess to clean up,” Tom told me. “I bought an 8-quart vacuum pump off Amazon. I set up the clamp, turn on the pump, go grab a cup of coffee, and when I come back, the filter is empty.”
Spin off the old filter, spin on the new filter, and he’s on to the next task.
No oily mess to clean up.
“I’ve seen a lot of tools that try to make changing an oil filter not messy. This one actually works.”
It comes in four diameter sizes: 2.5 inch, 3 inch, 3.5 inch, and 4.5 inch. The 4.5 inch is priced at $94.95, the rest are $89.95.
Pretty cool and clean.
For more information: HV-FLEX.com
What if it sucks up metal contamination that will never be discovered?
Yup, that could happen if the particles are less than the size of the hole size.!!
So, heavy metal particles could be lost, vs stuck to the paper media.
A must for all service departments.
AA473 Tempest easy drain is designed by an aviation company for aviation filters and the price is half of the tool in this article
Very improved way to change oil and filter.
Very impressive way to change oil and filter.
. Should be standard tool in all service ships and new and used and leasing companies.
I don’t have a problem with oil spill from the filter on my TCM engine with a filter adapter.
I can catch the oil ok. It’s all the oil that flows out of the adapter and the accessory case once the filter is removed that is hard to catch. I use a piece of 4 inch dryer vent pipe, left open in a ‘U’ shape to direct all the dripping oil to the catch pan.
And, it a lot less costly than $95.!!
On one of my cars, the filter is on the rear of the engine which has to be removed by ‘feel’. You can’t see it. So, the oil flows to a catch pan, if positioned properly on the ground..
The other car has the oil filter housing as part of the head casting, with a spin-on cap. So, the filter is just a paper element , and absolutely no oil spillage, and takes about 2 minutes to change.!! [ one of Chevy’s good ideas, and the filter element is $2 ].