Pela Extractor leaks with Synthetics?

[brich]

So I've never changed my own oil before and after seeing this Pela Oil Extractor and how easy a job it looks to be, I'm thinking I may go this route, as well as convert to Synthetic...

In looking/shopping around the web, I noticed a competitor brand, MytiVac or something and in reading reviews, I came across a user who complained that the Synthetic Oil ate through the seals on his extractor and made it useless. Has anybody who has been using the Pela AND uses Synthetic oil for a while, have you seen any issues with leaks in the extractor?

Thanks

[schwejo]

Hi, I have been using the MityVac 7400 for the last few years on three cars mostly with synthetic and haven’t had any problems. The unit itself is a pretty sturdy piece of Chinese plastic, but I'm only guessing that the Pela is as well. If you Google MityVac vs Pela you will find that at least according to this type if research, there seem to be more Mityvacs out there and folks who have had problems with both of them and others who haven’t. There seem to be some complaints of Pela's suction tubes collapsing from overly hot oil but then again you may be getting what you pay for with internet research. If there are more Mityvacs out there then Pela's that would certainly would affect the number of posts good or bad. Mityvac has been in the automotive tool business for a long time. I think I paid $45 a few years ago for the Mityvac when the comp sized Pela was $ ~65. Haven’t seem then side by side, so perhaps you do get what you pay for, but consider me happy with my Mityvac. Something to research if it’s important to you is that the MityVac is compatible with brake fluid and the Pela may not be. There are also several other manufactures of similar looking units such as the one from Groits Garage, but that one is even more expensive. In the end, guess all I’m qualified to say is that my MityVac works very well.

[5S Dude]

Originally Posted by brich

So I've never changed my own oil before and after seeing this Pela Oil Extractor and how easy a job it looks to be, I'm thinking I may go this route, as well as convert to Synthetic...

In looking/shopping around the web, I noticed a competitor brand, MytiVac or something and in reading reviews, I came across a user who complained that the Synthetic Oil ate through the seals on his extractor and made it useless. Has anybody who has been using the Pela AND uses Synthetic oil for a while, have you seen any issues with leaks in the extractor?

Thanks

Hi Brich,

I’ve used our Pella 650 for the latest round of oil changes using Castrol Syntec API* 5W-20 in my 06 Ridge and the wife’s Highlander, API* 5W-30 in our son’s two Civic Si’s and daughters Corolla without any leakage issues regarding the Pella Extractor. It is a very high quality tool and money very well spent IMHO. I've even left the spent oil in the container for a few weeks until I had the time to pour it into the reclamation containers and drop them off at the autoparts store. Keep in mind, It is plastic and must be handled accordingly.

[brich]

Just an update....
As I've been hummin' and hawwin' over changing my own oil, I finally went for it. I actually picked up a Moeller extractor at my local Marine shop near my house. $59 and I could take it home and didn't have to wait for it to be shipped.... Hit the local Wal-Mart and picked up Mobil 1 and Autozone for the filter...

So I gave it a shot last night after work. The extractor worked like a charm. Very easy and convenient. The Moeller unit seems very well constructed and it did a great job.

The only difficulty I had was releasing the dang filter Honda must have put on with a power tool. My filter wrench wouldn't budge it. As I was quickly losing light in my driveway, I opted to drive a screwdriver through the side of the filter. Made a little mess and the filter tore up pretty good but I was able to torque it off....

Put on my new Mobil 1 filter, dropped in 4.5 qts of the 5w20, all sealed up tight as a drum and ready to roll...

Thanks to all for the great insight on these extractors and promoting the ease of such a job. This weekend I'll be doing the oil on my wives minivan... It sure is nice to do these jobs at home...

Thanks ROCers!!

[guitar88]

Hmm. This is just my two cents, but if a vehicle is going to leak from synthetic oil eating up seals, it's not going to be noticed for a good LONG while. It wouldn't happen the first, or possibly even the 50th oil change. Maybe the 51st.
That being said, I use Mobil 1 Synthetic myself. I used to work in a couple of mechanic shops in college with some pretty brilliant technicians who I learned a lot from. Here was their philosophy. Use standard oil for the first 10K or so (the engine break in period), then use Synthetic. They would always recommend starting synthetic oil use somewhere between 10K and 40K. The key is if you start synthetic use, NEVER go back to regular oil. That is when, IMHO, the trouble starts. Seals get used to synthetic, and if you go back to regular, your seals can shrink, causing leakage.
I think that is where the "synthetic makes you leak" myth comes from. It can happen, but usually only if you revert back.

[Smokin Ace]

Anyone know where you can find some published reports about oil leaking if you switch back. Any research done on this some place?