Engine oil won't drian

Maintenance/Repairs
21

Removing unfamiliar drain plugs?

The transmission is on the left side (drivers side in the U.S.), it appears the OP drained the transmission.

1 Like
22

First step, determine if the drain plug you removed is actually the engine oil drain plug. Itā€™s a pretty common thing to for diyā€™ers posting here to drain the transmission or something else while attempting to drain the engine oil. Inspect the top of the engine & determine where the spark plugs are located. Right below those, but at the bottom of the engine, is where the oil pan is. Somewhere on that oil pan is where the engine oil drain plug is almost always located.

Some common-sense advice about oil changes: Check the oil level on the dipstick right after the job is purportedly complete, and before starting the engine. It should be right at the top mark on the dipstick. Then start and idle the engine and look underneath for signs of oil leaks. Then do all the same things above, after driving a couple miles. Then again the next morning. If you poured oil in but it doesnā€™t register on the dipstick, check the transmission fluid. If it is way overfilled, you accidentally poured it in the wrong fill port.

23

Good advice from George, as usual. Iā€™d suggest that before you do anything else you get a repair manual for your vehicle and verify exactly what you drained. Then bring everything back to where it needs to be.

If it turns out that it was in fact the oil drain plug that you removed and nothing (or less than a quart) came out, you have more serious problems. Stick a stick (or screwdriver of whatever) up the hole (do not force it) and see what happens. Post the results.

24

Removed because I wanted to.

25

VDC driver: Yes, this is a very important point.

It does sound like the transmission oil. Isnā€™t the front of the engine on the passenger side on Jetta? So, the transmission would be on the driverā€™s side. He said he drained a plug on the driverā€™s side.

26

How long has it been since u changed the oil, and if u already stuck wire in through plug u might consider removing oil pan!!

27

Remove oil pan

28

Youā€™re 3 years to late to the party.

2 Likes
29

I have this exact same issue on a 2019 Nissan rogue. I remove oil filter and drain plug less than half a quart comes out. I turn on engine and all the rest comes flooding out I let run for like 10 sec then turn off and wait for full drainā€¦ I doubt this is the correct way to do it but thats the only way I could find to drain the oilā€¦ hence why Iā€™m online looking for other solutionsā€¦

30

Justin, that will destroy your engine if you keep doing that.

3 Likes
31

Even just for 10 sec? What other way can I drain oil?

32

Next time remove the oil fill cap and see if the oil drains directly.

4 Likes
33

Changed oil on my lawn mower today and first I took the dipstick/cap off and then unscrewed the oil plug. Ran out fine. Just something Iā€™ve always done like checking that I have oil on hand before draining it.

34

Exactly what I was thinking.

35

You have an expensive vehicle and what you are doing can cause serious damage to the engine . Just take it to the dealer and let them do the oil and filter so you will have a record that it was done . That way if there is an oil related engine problem the warranty will still be good.

3 Likes
36

Warranty is still good if the dealer does the oil change or an independent or if you do it yourself. I prefer doing it myself because I know itā€™s done right.

37

Nooooooooooooo! Stop this at once.

@Nevada_545ā€™s suggestion to remove the oil fill cap is a good start. Iā€™d also make sure the oil and the engine are warm when you drain it, with the car having just been driven at full operating temperature.

I also like @VOLVO-V70ā€™s suggestion to pay someone to do your oil changes so you donā€™t have to worry about it.

2 Likes
38

This used to be something some old time mechanics did regularly years ago. The reasoning was it would get more of the dirt to drain out. I remember hearing several stories about this practice when I worked in gas stations in my youth.

My uncle did this all the time for years. He stopped doing it after his engine seized up during an oil change.

I would not do it.