Customer Reviews

Mityvac 7201 Fluid Evacuator Plus

5 star:		(83)
4 star:		(33)
3 star:		(12)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(23)

 

 

Works great. The dispensing feature is the key feature that sets this apart from other tools. It's makes it extremely easy to get the used oil into containers for recycling. No more funnels/towels for spills etc.

Granted, instructions may not be completely detailed, but this is a TOOL not an appliance. One shouldn't expect a wrench to come with 10 pages of instructions.

For those of you complaining about slow suction, here are some tips:

1) Warm up the engine.
2) Use the largest tube that fits down the dipstick
3) Remove the oil fill cap!!! Modern crankcases are airtight. If you don't remove the oil fill cap, then the only way for air to get in to displace the oil you're sucking out is the tiny space between the dipstick and the tube. You're forming a vaccuum that is working against the tool.
If you've imploded your tool, you've overpumped it, there was something else that was holding up your suction that you did not address.

If you doubt the speed, first practice using the new tool with plain water (clean unit only please: don't mix water with your oil) to get an idea of how everything works, and make sure you don't have any leaks in your connections.

I really enjoy the Mityvac 7201 Fluid Evacuator Plus. I can't say that it makes changing the oil much quicker than using the drain plug or even that much neater but it certainly does make it easier.

If you have a car with the oil filter located where you can access it without getting under the car, I would recommend the evacuator without hesitation. If you have to get under the car or truck to change the filter you might as well just drain the oil with the plug.

I bought the evacuator about a year ago specifically for use on my 2007 Mercedes E320 Diesel which has the drain plug in a very awkward location. Since then I've used it about a dozen times on both the diesel and my 2002 E46 BMW 330i. I have never had a problem with the performance and my only complaint is that it does not have enough capacity for the Mercedes. This car holds 9 quarts of oil and I have to stop halfway through the evacuation and empty the reservoir. Once the evacuator has been filled, the film of dark oil clinging to the walls prevents seeing the oil level under any lighting conditions. So, I always evacuate about 3 quarts, empty the evacuator, and then evacuate the remainder. This is not a problem with the BMW since the evacuator can empty this car in one step.

Before I purchased the evacuator I read some reviews that warned that their evacuator did not come with a gasket between the lid and the side walls. I took mine apart on arrival and it did not have a gasket either. However, the plastic parts fit tightly together and make an air tight seal. It is my theory that some of the people that could not get their evacuators to empty their crankcases have a problem with the length of the suction tube inside the evacuator. For the evacuator to work in pump mode, versus vacuum mode, there is a tube that extends to the bottom of the evacuator, much like drinking a milkshake through a straw, that allows you to pump out the evacuator contents. In my evacuator the tube has very little clearance with the bottom of the unit. I believe in some units the internal tube may actually touch the bottom of the evacuator and prevent or limit the vacuum pulled in the tank from drawing the oil through the suction tube. If you should order an evacuator and then find that it does not work (I suggest testing it in the sink first using water) you should try taking it apart and checking the internal tube length. There of course are many other reasons the units may not work but I thought this tip was worth passing along.

Many other reviewers have commented on this as well but I also wanted mention that the unit works much better when the oil is warm. However, I changed my oil once on a 40° day when the oil was at ambient conditions and with a little patience I was able to suck every last drop out. So, it can be done but I would not recommend it.

I also wanted to give a couple of tips on tubing. In my cars, the largest tube which will go down the dipsticks is ¼". I buy it in bulk at my local Ace hardware for $0.12 a foot. I only use the ¼" tube one time, discarding it after each use in order to prevent the introduction of dirt into the engine internals and also to avoid the mess of storing an oily piece of tubing. I feed the ¼" tube from the spool it is supplied on into the dipstick until it touches the bottom of the oil pan. I then cut the tubing off the roll, leaving about 6" of tube sticking out of the dipstick tube. I have shortened the length of the factory large diameter tube that is directly connected to the evacuator so that it reaches just from the evacuator when it is sitting within 1' of the fender to the dipstick. The 2 different size pieces of tube are then connected with the included rubber adapter. This gives me the shortest possible run of tubing with the largest diameter tubing possible for each section of the run. I have had very good success with this setup.

I do not clean my evacuator after each use but I also don't leave oil in. I immediately switch it into pump mode and pump the oil, using only the large diameter tube, into a container to transport the oil for recycling. Once the evacuator is emptied I will stretch out the large diameter tube to a rag on the ground and allow the oil in the tube to gravity flow out over night. The tube can then be wrapped around the evacuator and it will snap into clips on the side of the unit. I don't like to use the drain plug on the top of the evacuator to empty it. The plug is difficult to get out even when lubed with oil and is it is difficult to pour the oil into other containers.

The evacuator should allow you to change the oil with the minimum of mess possible. However no matter how careful I am, I always seem to drip or spray 1 or 2 drops of oil onto myself or the floor. This can be an improvement over the drain plug and pan method though. For example on my Explorer you must carefully control the flow from the drain plug or it comes out with such force that it splashes or sprays the under car components. With the evacuator you also don't have to worry about sloshing oil out of an open pan, oil splashing on the top of one of the closed-top funnel-type pans, or spilling when you transfer oil from a pan into another container.

For those car enthusiasts who have a true passion for their cars and this type work, I would recommend having your oil tested periodically by a lab. I recommend Blackstone-labs. Their testing service is very affordable and they can help you determine the true required interval between oil changes for your driving habits and vehicle.

For hard to find oils like the Mobil 1 Type M ESP used in all new diesel Mercedes, I would recommend mail ordering your oil from AVlube. This oil is available through the dealership and at Pep Boys but I have found it to be less expensive and more convenient to mail order the oil in bulk.

Properly set up, I have found the evacuator to be an indispensible tool for service on my German cars.

If it works, it works pretty good. Chances are you will get one with a missing O ring though. Several people on car forums I am a member of receive defective items including myself. I called customer service after multiple emails went unanswered. I told them I think it was missing an o ring because it would not hold a vaccum. They said "yep it might be" and that was it, no "we will get one right out to you" or ship it back for an exchange. They were very rude. I just sealed it with some gasket maker and it works now but looks terrible. I would go with a different unit with beter quality control.

Mityvac 7201 Fluid Evacuator Plus

The MityVac 07201 sold by Amazon was not functioning from the start. I have heard other reviews where this happened. The pump creates no vacuum at all. If you have this problem too, check the following. While pumping with the hose plugged, listen around the top lid for a wheezing sound. If so, then it is possible that the top lid is missing the top rubber seal (P/N 822821) like mine was. It looks like a reasonably designed product for the price, but c'mon... they gotta have all the parts to start with to make a go of it! I will be ordering another one from Amazon again. I will keep everyone posted on the next one I get.

I ordered this item to use on among other vehicles a 2005 Ford F-150. On the F-150 I slid the smallest tube down the dipstick tube just like the instructions said and when I went to pull it back out it would not come. I pulled hard enough to risk breaking it off (which I did not want to do). I called the tech support line and the guy said "Yeah, some vehicles have a flap or other similar item that it can catch on, just depends. You'll have to drop the oil pan to get it out" No warnings, let alone a list of problem engines are in the enclosed manual. In case a waste of money. The manufacturer will not give me a refund and the return period has expired with Amazon so a total waste of my money.

The unit is built to last. The documentation is acceptable, but I took a star off for it. Other reviews cover the gaps, though, so I won't repeat those- if you get stuck, just look through comments to date. In my case I had the hose pushed too far down and I couldn't get the oil to flow. Once I lifted it half and inch, though, I cleared the oil in less than 5 minutes. Very reasonable. The unit seals up well for transport to the local oil recycler, and I'm happy I made the purchase. Due to the poor documentation, I haven't rushed to try the unit for bleeding brakes, etc. To the manufacturer: a picture is worth a thousand words. But if you can't get pictures, than DO THE THOUSAND WORDS. A leaflet doesn't cut it.

Straight out of the box, this looks like a quality unit. The plastic seems fairly thick and well molded. There's only three moving parts and the directions are simple (if you bother reading them).

So what could go wrong?

Ahhhh, as some people have already noted it appears the manufacturer produced a number of these without inserting the gasket/seal/o-ring/whatever between the black plastic top and the main body. So, it won't hold a vacuum. You will find this out as you're pumping like a MAD MAN and all you get is a hissing sound from the top. If you remove the screws holding the black top down, you can see where the gasket/seal/o-ring/whatever WOULD BE if you had one.

Bottom line - hold off on buying until they work through this bad lot. I received mine on April 11th, 2009. Give it a good six months.

This device is commonly used to change oil in Mercedes. It does not, however, work on all makes and models. I have a 2002 explorer that apparently has a screen prohibiting the evacuator from reaching the oil pan. It would be nice if the description would include a list of vehicles that the device would work on.

The Mityvac appears to be a sturdy, well-built piece of equipment. I've used it twice and it is foolproof and fast. I really hated lying on the concrete garage floor in the past...this tool has eliminated that.

This unit works great. So far tried it on my Uncles 2001 Toyota Camry, 1997 Toyota Tercel, and will use it on my Mercedes which will be smooth as Mercedes designed the cars to have oils changed this way. I like many said WTF?!! The tubes came bunched together and the smallest one got crimped and looked like it was going to be falling apart. Good thing is..I ran into the same plastic piping at OSH or Orchard Supply Hardware store for $3.99 for 6 ft. Which is way too much. The tubes all say chemically safe so for those of you who need replacements tubes they sell the small and large diameter tubes in the pipe fitting section of the store. The larger diameter tubing is $5.99 or so. Still not bad in price. There were other sizes as well so if the factory tubes dont fit. Dont worry...OSH sells other sizes as well that will fit your cars dipstick tube. Hope that helps everyone out as it helped me to find a cheap replacement tube for this pump.

This pump does work best when the engine is semi warm and the oil filler cap and oil filter is removed to allow air from the atmosphere to push down on the oil and force it up the vacuum in the tubes.

Bought this in Feb of 2009 and did not use until now- May 2009. Cost was $69.09 with free shipping from Amazon.com Now the same item is $76 bucks with free shipping.

One more thing after you pump the machine 10 times and nothing is happening pull the tube out...like many have said I too have inserted the tube too far in causing it to not work. The instant I pulled it out an inch and a half the oil started flowing at high speed into the tank. It was awesome. Make sure you do this on a flat surface as it will not work well on tilted surfaces. Good luck to you all.