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Simple Oil Change question for you do it yourselfers....

Iron Indian

Iron Indian

New member
Hey guys,

A friend and I were talking about this the other day and I figure i'd bring this here to discuss. When changing your oil, do you do it on a warm motor or a cold motor? It sounds dumb I know. But my friend has done it both ways without issues.

I personally do it when its warmed up, I think thats best IMO. I pull it in my garage yank off the plug and filter and let it drain for sometime generally till its barely dripping. Then I usually dump half to a full quart of fresh motor oil in and let it flow out till theres damn near nothing coming out. Then I finish up. Its worked for me for years.

So the question is, do you change your oil on a warm engine or a cold engine?
 


Well I have done both, But i'm assuming you could get more of the old oil out when it is cold due to drain back from it sitting so long...but then again when it is hot the oil is thinner and if you let it drip till it stops i'm assuming it would be the same.


Why do you ask anyway Shawn?

Is there a reason you do it when it's hot rather than when it's cold?
 
I have always done it with a warm engine. I have never thought to run a little oil threw it before putting the plug back in. I will do that when I do my LIM gasket, to make sure that there is no coolant in there.
 


I have done it both ways. But if possible, I prefer to have it warm. Having the engine warm will mix all the dirt and stuff through the oil and have it suspended in the oil. Then when you drain it, the contaminants will come out with the oil. If you drain the oil from a cold engine, the contaminants will have settled to the bottom of the oil pan and all the dirt and stuff may not drain out.

In the end, it is more important to change your oil on a regular basis than worry about hot vs cold or flushing vs not flushing. Little things help, I am sure, but in the long run, changing it will make the most difference.
 
I learned to do it warm in my auto class a ways back, before i put it on the ramps i make sure i drive it first to get it warm, then once on the ramps i take the oil cap off and the dipstick out, let it just sit for maybe 5-10 min so it all drains back and when i pull the plug it runs out thin,
 
Why do you ask anyway Shawn?

Is there a reason you do it when it's hot rather than when it's cold?
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Only reason i'm asking is a friend and I were talking about this the other day. We were just BSing about mechnical stuff and we happened to touch on this subject. Basically he had similiar thoughts you have as far as oil drainback. However I was always tought to do it when it was warm and let it drain for awhile because you'll get out more dirt this way. I couldn't quite explain that last night (couldn't put together the words), but I think Zef did a damn good job with his post I quoted below....


Having the engine warm will mix all the dirt and stuff through the oil and have it suspended in the oil. Then when you drain it, the contaminants will come out with the oil. If you drain the oil from a cold engine, the contaminants will have settled to the bottom of the oil pan and all the dirt and stuff may not drain out.
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Uh huh, exactly how it was explained to long ago. Glad you could spit that out for us.


In the end, it is more important to change your oil on a regular basis than worry about hot vs cold or flushing vs not flushing. Little things help, I am sure, but in the long run, changing it will make the most difference.
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Yeah, and I think you're 100% right too. Frequent changes is the key. I'm one of those strong believers that has to change there oil every 2,500-3,000 miles or every 4 months (if the car sits). I can't leave my oil in any longer than that, its just not right. But thats my opinion...
 
I have always done it with a warm engine. I have never thought to run a little oil threw it before putting the plug back in. I will do that when I do my LIM gasket, to make sure that there is no coolant in there.
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I forgot to mention this earlier. When doing a LIM gasket job, the absolute best way to flush out any coolant out of the motor. Is with the plug pulled on the pan (obviously) and before reinstalling the LIM, dump 1 or 2 quarts of fresh motor oil into the lifter valley and let it drain out. This has always worked out great for me to prevent spun bearings. Coolant + bearings = bad.

I personally use 2 quarts of oil when cleaning out the lifter valley, oil is cheap, a motor + my time and labor ain't. Do this and you shouldn't have any problems at all.

Good luck....
 


i have done both .dont think it really matter if its done on a regular basis. . BUT how many of you add alittle oil to your filter before spinning it on .. remember the center hole of the filter is the NON-filtered side and we all know we fill it that way ;) LOL i also check my filters for extras like metal when they cut the threads i have seen a few filters have some extra metal in the threads .
 
Zef_66 said:
I have done it both ways. But if possible, I prefer to have it warm. Having the engine warm will mix all the dirt and stuff through the oil and have it suspended in the oil. Then when you drain it, the contaminants will come out with the oil. If you drain the oil from a cold engine, the contaminants will have settled to the bottom of the oil pan and all the dirt and stuff may not drain out.
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X2, this is the main reason to do an oil change while the oil is warm.


NEONNIGHT34609 said:
i have done both .dont think it really matter if its done on a regular basis. . BUT how many of you add alittle oil to your filter before spinning it on .. remember the center hole of the filter is the NON-filtered side and we all know we fill it that way ;) LOL i also check my filters for extras like metal when they cut the threads i have seen a few filters have some extra metal in the threads .
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Neon, you gotta stop using those Fram oil filters!!!! :th_mischievious::th_biggrin2:
 
dirt in your oil ? are you not using a filter LOL sorry had to .. yes oil get contaminated but its the additive that break down is the real reason for changing your oil .. i wont argue with people that change there oils more frequently but if your car is in tip top running condition your oil should be good for 5-6000 miles depending on driving conditions as your service manual states . oil and cars have come a long way . i run synthetic and let it go about 8000 miles before my change
Zef_66 said:
Having the engine warm will mix all the dirt and stuff through the oil and have it suspended in the oil. Then when you drain it, the contaminants will come out with the oil. If you drain the oil from a cold engine, the contaminants will have settled to the bottom of the oil pan and all the dirt and stuff may not drain out.
Click to expand...
 
Iron Indian said:
Yeah, and I think you're 100% right too. Frequent changes is the key. I'm one of those strong believers that has to change there oil every 2,500-3,000 miles or every 4 months (if the car sits). I can't leave my oil in any longer than that, its just not right. But thats my opinion...
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How long do you think oil sits on a shelf before it's put in your car???
Time doesn't change viscosity...

I don't change my oil, I take it to Valvoline to have it changed...
I started with conventional oil, changed it at 4-5k, started mod'n and went to semi synthetic and went up to 5-6k, broke into the 13's and went full synthetic.
Now I go 7-8k, never change oil by date... Always have it changed HOT.
Everyone I know, Dad, Uncle, Friends, Mechanics, etc. have told me it's best to be changed hot, and I just didn't argue.

So, to answer your question... Hot
 
As far as the sitting part-


Since Motor oil does not absorb moisture you are correct. Brake fluid however does so that would be a different story.
 


i have done both .dont think it really matter if its done on a regular basis. . BUT how many of you add alittle oil to your filter before spinning it on .. remember the center hole of the filter is the NON-filtered side and we all know we fill it that way LOL
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I figured this was common sense... yes I always fill up my filters as full as I can get them without making a mess.


i also check my filters for extras like metal when they cut the threads i have seen a few filters have some extra metal in the threads .
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Never had that ever happen, and i've always used AC/Delco filters. Sounds like something Fram would do.


How long do you think oil sits on a shelf before it's put in your car???
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We're not talking about sealed containers, its in the motor.


Time doesn't change viscosity...
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Thats true.

But i've personally seen motors that sit some time undisturbed and there oil can discolor (which I know doesn't mean much). To me, oil is cheap and i'll gladly change it especially if its been sitting for some time. Its about the easiest mechanical thing that can be done for good maintence. Thats my opinion though.

I do mine between 2,500-3,000 miles and since i've been DD the car lately I do an oil change every 2-3 months.

When I worked my old job, I used to change my oil every month like clock work and the motor would have about 2,800-2,900 miles on it...
 
so you fill your filters though the non filtered part of the filter ? huge no no when it comes to spin on fuel filters .i realize we are talking oil here BUT i have seen people take out diesel injectors and pumps but filling filters the wrong way .since some of the filters filter down to 3 microns they tell you not to prime fuel filters anymore on diesel engine . it was delco filters that i have found the metal in .. i use only wix filters now in everything i own . even know i work on a fleet of over 300 vehicle's we use fram filters i have never seen metal in them. i would never use fram on my own stuff . i am just speaking from my own experience
 
Never have found metal in my filters, and I inspect them before I buy them. I usually buy them a few at a time. I have 3 on my shelf now, I checked them and there all good.

I've seen a Fram collapse on itself before, ever since seeing that i've stayed far far away from Fram anything...
 
I have never seen that with fram filters like i stated before i would not use them on my own stuff but we use them at work and synthetic oil and run them for 25,000 miles before changing with no ill affects .
Iron Indian said:
Never have found metal in my filters, and I inspect them before I buy them. I usually buy them a few at a time. I have 3 on my shelf now, I checked them and there all good.

I've seen a Fram collapse on itself before, ever since seeing that i've stayed far far away from Fram anything...
Click to expand...
 
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