Oil Sampling Kit & Methods
 (Oil sampling instructions for engines and transmissions)

Oil Sampling Kit

OilMedic supplies you with all of the necessary equipment to sample, identify and mail your samples for analysis. Here's what you get in every sampling kit (click on any image to a larger image):

  • Clear sample bottle & black shipping container for each test ordered

  • Sampling syringe syringe and Clear tubing (3')  are also included in each test kit to help you extract the samples

  • Disposable gloves, which are included with the kit, protect hands from potentially harmful chemicals

  • Shipping Label & Sample bottle label Note:You may want to have a cloth towel or paper towels available to clean up any spills during the sampling process.

Methods

Method: Sampling with a syringe
Step 1
  • Open the hood of your car.
  • Identify your oil or automatic transmission dipsticks.
  • Check your fluid level. If the fluid is low, top off with additional fluid.
  • Start up the engine and bring the engine to normal operating temperature. You can tell that it is at the correct temperature when the water coolant gauge quits rising. If you do not have a coolant gauge, 5 minutes of running the engine is usually sufficient.
  • Shut off the engine.
  • Remove the dip stick from either the engine or automatic transmission.
(Click on any of the images below to see a larger image)
Step 2
  • Insert the supplied clear tubing into the dipstick port. You can identify the approximate length of tubing required by comparing the clear tubing to the length of the dipstick. This length will vary with the make and model of your vehicle. You have been supplied with a sufficient length of tubing for any possible vehicle. You may desire to cut the tubing to length to simplify the sampling process.
  • Attach the syringe to the tubing.
  • Begin to draw suction on the tube by withdrawing the syringe plunger. If no oil appears, try it again. If you are using the syringe, this will require disconnecting the tubing, replacing the plunger, reconnecting the tubing and withdrawing the plunger. If no fluid appears you may either have too much or too little of the tubing in the engine. Withdraw the tubing, compare again to the dipstick and reinsert.

    Tips: The syringe only collects 2 ounces of sample. So, you have to fill one syringe, disconnect it from the tubing, empty that into the bottle and then reconnect the syringe and collect a second sample. This is a relatively simple process for the engine oil. However, automatic transmission fluid is less viscous than motor oil. Sometimes the automatic transmission fluid will not stay in the tube by itself. If this happens, you should try to pinch the plastic tubing to keep the transmission fluid from slipping back into the transmission. A paper clip, clamp or some other similar device may be very helpful in this instance.

Step 3
  • After you have filled the clear sample bottle; then place the sample bottle into the container bottle, seal the container bottle, fill out the bottle label and affix the label to the container bottle
  • Place the bottle(s) in the envelope provided and drop the envelope off at the nearest post office or mailbox.

 

Cleanup: You can then either properly dispose of the syringe and tubing, or just clean them with a water and dishwashing type detergent mixture, just as if you were washing dishes. Your equipment is now clean and ready for the next use.
Method: Vacuum Pump (Not standard to the Oil Sampling Kit)
The vampire fluid sampling pump is a small, hand-operated vacuum pump, which has brought a new level of performance to fluid sampling. Their durability, simplicity, versatility and ease of operation gives them a distinct advantage over competitive models. The X-model features a distinctive yellow head made of lightweight, injection-molded nylon. The pump is equipped with all aluminum parts to make a great looking, durable pump. Vampire pumps draw a vacuum of 27 inches of mercury.
The patented tube-coupling device accepts any sampling tube (with an outside diameter of 3/16" through 5/16") without changing fittings. The sampling tube is inserted through the coupling device until the lower end extends below the top of the sample bottle. When the knurled knob is turned to tighten the seal, the vacuum will draw fluid directly into the bottle without coming in contact with the pump. This patented feature allows multiple samples to be taken without cleaning the pump between samples.
Step 1
  • Open the hood of your car.
  • Identify your oil or automatic transmission dipsticks.
  • Check your fluid level. If the fluid is low, top off with additional fluid.
  • Start up the engine and bring the engine to normal operating temperature. You can tell that it is at the correct temperature when the water coolant gauge quits rising. If you do not have a coolant gauge, 5 minutes of running the engine is usually sufficient.
  • Shut off the engine.
  • Remove the dip stick from either the engine or automatic transmission.
Step 2
  • Insert the supplied clear tubing into the dipstick port. You can identify the approximate length of tubing required by comparing the clear tubing to the length of the dipstick. This length will vary with the make and model of your vehicle. You have been supplied with a sufficient length of tubing for any possible vehicle. You may desire to cut the tubing to length to simplify the sampling process
  • The sampling tube is inserted through the coupling device until the lower end extends below the top of the sample bottle. When the knurled knob is turned to tighten the seal, the vacuum will draw fluid directly into the bottle without coming in contact with the pump
  • Begin to draw suction on the tube by withdrawing the vacuum pump's plunger. This pump allows multiple samples to be taken without cleaning the pump between samples.

    Tips: If no fluid appears you may either have too much or too little of the tubing in the engine or transmission. Withdraw the tubing, compare again to the dipstick and reinsert.
  
Step 3
  • After you have filled the clear sample bottle; then place the sample bottle into the container bottle, seal the container bottle, fill out the bottle label and affix the label to the container bottle
  • Place the bottle(s) in the envelope provided and drop the envelope off at the nearest post office or mailbox.
Cleanup: You can then either properly dispose of the syringe and tubing, or just clean them with a water and dishwashing type detergent mixture, just as if you were washing dishes. Your equipment is now clean and ready for the next use.
Method: Draining the Oil

Engines and Automatic Transmissions

These samples are obtained after completely shutting down the engine. The most common method of sampling is from the drain plug while changing the oil. Begin taking the sample about half way through the drainage cycle.
 

Reference Oil

Our ability to provide you answers on your vehicle are dramatically increased if you can provide us with the type of oil that you are using or have used in your car. This is often shown on the oil change decal affixed to your car during its last oil change. Often, the actual type of oil is unknown.

You can find out if OilMedic has your oil on record by checking our listings.

OilMedic retains records on most of the base oils manufactured. However, many oils are currently being produced locally and have not been available to us for testing. If you identify a base oil that we have not tested, OilMedic will send you a sample bottle that you can fill with that oil. Send it to us and we will have it tested and add that information to your file as well as to our own. There is no charge for this service.

Prices To Purchase
Prices To Purchase


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