Apparatus and method for changing oil in an internal combustion engine and simultaneously determining engine oil consumption and wear

An apparatus for the automatic evacuation and transfer of a fluid contained in a first containment area from the first containment area into a second containment area, including replenishment of the first containment area with a reconciliatory amount of new fluid from a source containing new fluid, the apparatus comprising:

• means for automatically evacuating and transferring said contained fluid from said first containment area into said second containment area, said evacuating and transferring means including:
• a) a conduit defining an evacuation inlet end and an evacuation outlet end, said evacuation inlet end having first means for releasably connecting said evacuation inlet end with said first containment area so as to be in fluid communication therewith;
• b) a pump disposed in said conduit for generating a suction pressure at said evacuation inlet end;
• and
• c) means for sensing a condition of said contained fluid passing within said conduit, said sensing means disposed within said conduit between said evacuation inlet end and said pump providing output indicative of the conditions within said conduit;
• means for automatically filling said first containment area with a reconciliatory amount of new fluid after said first containment area has been evacuated, said filling means including a filling inlet end and a filling outlet end, said filling inlet end in communication with said new fluid source, and said filling outlet end having means for releasably connecting said filling outlet end to said first containment area so as to be in fluid communication therewith;
• control means in communication with said evacuating and transferring means and said filling means for controlling the evacuation and transfer of fluid from said first containment area into said second containment area and the automatic reconciliatory replenishment of new fluid into said first containment area from said fluid source while said evacuating and transferring means and said filling means are in communication with said first containment area and said second containment area;
• and
• sampling means in communication with said automatic evacuating and transferring means for obtaining a sample of said contained fluid during evacuation and transference of said contained fluid from said first containment area and for transmitting a data signal.

An apparatus for changing oil in an internal combustion engine, the apparatus comprising:

• oil withdrawal passage means having means for establishing disengageable fluid connection with an oil reservoir of the internal combustion engine, said oil withdrawal passage means connectible with a spent fluid storage receptacle external to the internal combustion engine;
• replacement oil supply passage means having a coupling device, the coupling device capable of disengageable fluid connection with an internal oil lubrication distribution passage system of said internal combustion engine, said fluid supply passage means connectible with an oil storage receptacle external to the internal combustion engine, said fluid storage receptacle containing replacement oil;
• a pump device having inlet passage means and outlet passage means;
• a first valve system positioned between said pump inlet passage means, said oil withdrawal passage means and said replacement oil supply passage means, said first valve system selectively and sequentially connecting said pump inlet passage system with said oil withdrawal passage means and said replacement oil supply passage means;
• a second valve system positioned between said pump outlet means, said oil supply passage means and said fluid discharge passage means, said second valve system selectively and sequentially connecting said pump outlet passage with said fluid supply passage and said fluid discharge passage;
• and
• sampling means in communication with said apparatus for generating a data signal corresponding to a characteristic of oil withdrawn from said internal combustion engine.