LX2610 50hr shop vac question

[mrrlyoung]

People use a shop vac to create suction so that they can, for example, change out an oil drain plug without having to drain the oil first. One filter gushes hydraulic oil on the lX2610 when it's change and people have suggested using the shop vac trick to minimize oil loss. Many videos show the vac hose fitting tightly in the fill port, but some say to leave a gap so that it's not real tight. Tight would create more suction, but 'might' suck up oil? I'm kinda thinking it won't, but wonder if anyone has any real world experience that would bear on the 'tight or not-so-tight question?
Thanks

 

[chim]

It worked for me. Unless you stuff the hose deep enough to get into the oil, no problem. Not much suction is needed to keep the oil in the tractor.

 

[Rcflyer330]

On my b2650 (previous gen to the lx2610 but basicly the same machine) I tried the vac trick with a gap and it sucked fluid into the vacuum. This was with a flex battery powered portable vacuum on low power. It did work to keep oil from making a mess but I also spent the next week cleaning the oil out of the vacuum hose.

The first time I did the filters was without a vacuum I just plugged the vent hose and lost just over a quart of fluid. I also fumbled around with the new filter a little bit so that didn't help.

Next time my plan is to loosen the old filter just enough to be able to unscrew it by hand. Then with one hand unscrew the old filter and with new filter in the other hand quickly get it on as fast a possible.

 

[Russell King]

Physics says it needs to build a low pressure above the oil so it won’t drain. That means the tube needs to be above the oil and fairly tight in the opening. It will suck some air through the vent.

I would get the filter loosened before turning on the vacuum. Then it will start sucking air through the oil through the filter opening.

 

[mrrlyoung]

Physics says it needs to build a low pressure above the oil so it won’t drain. That means the tube needs to be above the oil and fairly tight in the opening. It will suck some air through the vent.

I would get the filter loosened before turning on the vacuum. Then it will start sucking air through the oil through the filter opening.

And what about that breather vent? If it is un-pinched (open) doesn't that mean it will reduce suction at the filter port? Good? Bad?

 

[Russell King]

the vent will reduce the amount of vacuum that is held but will not allow the vacuum to be so great as to suck up oil into the vacuum. If you can pinch it off it might slow down leakage out the filter port. I don’t know if it would be a significant change or not, it probably depends on how powerful of a vacuum you use.

 

[mrrlyoung]

Sound like there is no one size fits all, but you have to work with your variables, such as vacuum strength, to get it just right.

 

[JasonW]

It’s best to have a helper using this method. The only time my shop vacuum pulled oil into the hose(did not make it into the shop vac itself) was on my ZD331.

 

[William1]

I changed my filter on a steep incline. No fluid loss, BX25D, filter on the front bottom side of the HST

 

[RMS]

I plugged the breather vent and had the new filter ready to go on at 50 and 200 hours, There was a little fluid lost but not too bad. Fortunately my upcoming service is at 400 hours and I will be draining it all.

 

[BBFarmer]

Shop vac works great. In my case, I had a hand hold the shop vac on the filler tube while i quickly blew off my HST filter with my air hammer. Quick and painless.

I reckon you could just tape it on if you were by yourself.

 

[dirtydeed]

I plugged the breather vent and had the new filter ready to go on at 50 and 200 hours, There was a little fluid lost but not too bad. Fortunately my upcoming service is at 400 hours and I will be draining it all.

Ditto. I've tried both methods. Plugging the breather vent works good enough for me.