Half way through oil change - help! | FerrariChat

Half way through oil change - help!

Discussion in '456/550/575' started by belfry, Apr 16, 2021.

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  1. belfry

    belfry Formula Junior

    May 14, 2015
    390
    UK
    Full Name:
    Robert Batt
    I’ve been doing a ‘get to know you’ service on my 456. I’ve change the spark plugs, filters, pollen filter already and I am midway through doing the oil change.

    I got about 5 L or more of oil from the Front oil tank, and about another litre when I changed the oil filters, however, a previous owner has rounded off the sump plug. Ultimately I will order a new sump plug which will take up to a week to arrive, so I am going to proceed with the oil service and tackle the rounded off sump plug next oil change (in 12 months). Is it possible to suction out the remaining 4 L of oil through the oil filler cap? I would really like to be able to refill the car with fresh oil rather than have a mixture of old and new.

    Any thoughts about suctioning out the oil would be very much appreciated
     
  2. Extreme1

    Extreme1 Formula 3

    Jun 27, 2017
    1,212
    Santa Clarita, CA
    Will vice grips clamp onto the rounded off drain plug? It shouldn’t be that tight.
    Reinstall it the same way and leave it that way until the next oil change.

    Idk if you can suck oil out of that car.


    Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat.com mobile app
     
    white out likes this.
  3. JC1720

    JC1720 Karting

    Jan 21, 2016
    102
    UK
    I’d definitely try to get old plug out / expedite a new one in preference to trying to suck it out!
     
  4. belfry

    belfry Formula Junior

    May 14, 2015
    390
    UK
    Full Name:
    Robert Batt
    Vice grips could work but I’d rather keep the leak free sump plug in place until I have a replacement In my hand.
     
  5. rhern213

    rhern213 Formula Junior

    Jan 8, 2021
    576
    Miami, FL
    Full Name:
    Richel
    You won't be able to suck out everything, not to mention hugely annoying, messy, and would take hours upon hours bent over under the hood to do so.
    But why even try to do that and go an entire year worried about old oil and a bad drain plug? And since it's stripped it was probably not torqued to spec either.

    The simplest thing you can try first is using what's called a twist socket, they're specifically made to remove stripped sockets and you can get them at any auto parts store. I will recommend also using an impact gun with the twist socket, trying it by hand will increase the probability of just stripping it more.

    If that doesn't work and I were in your shoes I'd just put back in those 5-6 liters you took out now with new oil of the same brand and viscosity that it was last done. Then as soon as you get the new drain plug take it to the mechanic to have the old plug removed and replaced and do the full oil change. Sure it'll cost an extra $150 do the oil change again but I think it's hardly an issue for the annoyance and piece of mind of having it fixed properly.
     
    Il Tifoso likes this.
  6. Salami

    Salami Karting

    Oct 31, 2020
    219
    Oregon
    I’m guessing you haven’t used an oil sucker, they are not any work at all, and in fact way easier than the traditional method. Yes you can suck out the dry sump tank, but not the engine. Also, you can put back whatever oil grade and viscosity you want, regardless of whatever is installed now. Oils are all cross compatible. I’d vise grip the plug out and match it up at the local auto parts store and proceed as usual.
     
    F456M likes this.
  7. rhern213

    rhern213 Formula Junior

    Jan 8, 2021
    576
    Miami, FL
    Full Name:
    Richel
    I have used oil suckers many times, just used one a month ago to suck out overfilled oil in my 550.
    Yes I agree, if you're using a professional oil extractor you find at a mechanic shop it's easy and little work, but I don't think that's what the OP is asking. I was referring to a typical diy using a small hand pump which is a big mess and very time consuming to extract whatever the remaining 6-7 liters are.

    My overall point it's just unnecessary work to suck the oil out either way, much easier to try a vice grip or twist socket and if that doesn't work just refill the bit of oil and take it to a shop with better tools to extract the plug.
     
  8. belfry

    belfry Formula Junior

    May 14, 2015
    390
    UK
    Full Name:
    Robert Batt
    I do have a 1 litre syringe for sucking out oil left from my days of sucking out f1 fluid from my 360. However I have ordered a twist socket set. I won’t be able to use with my impact wrench as there’s a cross member 4 inches in front of the plug.

    Does anyone know the size of the thread on the sump plug please. My usual source won’t ship till end of next week.
     
  9. ColGraves

    ColGraves Karting

    Aug 1, 2017
    100
    Cos Cob, CT
    Full Name:
    C.T. Graves
    Correct me if I am wrong, but an oil sucker won’t work as it is a dry sump system. The low point on the dry sump system is that drain plug. The sucker would get a lot out, but definitely not enough. In the 550, if I open the oil reservoir first and let it drain, when I open the belly plug, I still get a lot of oil. It’s in the routing from the oil pump to filters and around that area, which from diagrams I don’t think will drain out the oil reservoir. You can look in the WAM and see what I am saying. Hell, I would bite the bullet and go to my dealer to get a new plug. Or have Ricambi expedite a delivery.

    If the previous owner did that, who’s to say he did it the last time he changed the oil? There is a good chance he also skipped a few changes. You want that oil out, I would think. V-12’s aren’t Honda 4-cylinders, and need some good lubby love!


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  10. belfry

    belfry Formula Junior

    May 14, 2015
    390
    UK
    Full Name:
    Robert Batt
    Thanks for the replies. I’m all set to remove the old sump plug but I need to buy a replacement sump plug this weeke weekend. I won’t be able to get the OEM sump plug I’m in time. Will a generic sump plug do, or is the Ferrari one special in some way?

    It looks like the thread size is meant to be 14mm but I thought I’d better check check on Ferrarichat first!
     
  11. rhern213

    rhern213 Formula Junior

    Jan 8, 2021
    576
    Miami, FL
    Full Name:
    Richel
    Nothing really special, just that the head of the plug sort of flares out to cover more area, maybe you can find something similar, but a generic plug of the same thread should be fine. Just in case I would also get one of the same length.

    Sorry Idk what the thread size is.
     
  12. belfry

    belfry Formula Junior

    May 14, 2015
    390
    UK
    Full Name:
    Robert Batt
    I took the damaged plug out and replaced it with a new magnetic one and a new copper washer.

    For anyone else in my position in the future the thread is 14mm
     

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