Does not make a difference as long as you change it enough...
change it hot or cold?
- Thread starter sasilverbullet
- Start date
- Status
Originally Posted By: DreamerGT
Hot, then I let it drain over night.
A foolish idea.
Hot, then I let it drain over night.
A foolish idea.
Originally Posted By: Jakegday
i say cold. when i check my oil in the morning before i start my car, its always much darker then it is after its warmed up. i wanna drain that dark stuff out, as opposed to be being circulated throughout the engine when i change the oil
Darker when cold is because it is thicker,hot oil drains out quicker.
i say cold. when i check my oil in the morning before i start my car, its always much darker then it is after its warmed up. i wanna drain that dark stuff out, as opposed to be being circulated throughout the engine when i change the oil
Darker when cold is because it is thicker,hot oil drains out quicker.
Originally Posted By: rslifkin
I usually change it hot, and if it's not already warm when I'm ready to change it, I'll take it for a 4-5 mile drive to warm things up a bit. I usually let it sit for 15 - 20 minutes or so, then drain it, and let it drain for a good 20 minutes or a little more if it's still dripping oil out. By then, the filter and other hot stuff around it has cooled enough to remove it safely.
pull the plug change the oil filter and by then the oil should have drained enough. No more needed. There should be no Voo Doo involved in changing oil.
I usually change it hot, and if it's not already warm when I'm ready to change it, I'll take it for a 4-5 mile drive to warm things up a bit. I usually let it sit for 15 - 20 minutes or so, then drain it, and let it drain for a good 20 minutes or a little more if it's still dripping oil out. By then, the filter and other hot stuff around it has cooled enough to remove it safely.
pull the plug change the oil filter and by then the oil should have drained enough. No more needed. There should be no Voo Doo involved in changing oil.
I will input and after working on fleet vehicles for 23.5 years and knowing what is good for long life is no matter hot or cold drains regular oil changing has let me see many very high mile fleet type vehicles
Originally Posted By: Steve S
Originally Posted By: Jakegday
i say cold. when i check my oil in the morning before i start my car, its always much darker then it is after its warmed up. i wanna drain that dark stuff out, as opposed to be being circulated throughout the engine when i change the oil
Darker when cold is because it is thicker,hot oil drains out quicker.
Yeah, the oil is thicker when cold, so you got more oil on the dipstick and it appears darker.
Originally Posted By: Jakegday
i say cold. when i check my oil in the morning before i start my car, its always much darker then it is after its warmed up. i wanna drain that dark stuff out, as opposed to be being circulated throughout the engine when i change the oil
Darker when cold is because it is thicker,hot oil drains out quicker.
Yeah, the oil is thicker when cold, so you got more oil on the dipstick and it appears darker.
Cold is fine with me since I don't worry about getting burned on the exhaust.
Warm,you don't get burned and flow is good.
Doesn't matter.
I do it cold, usually after I pull the vehicle into the garage because I don't feel like getting burnt.
Have yet to have an engine blow up on me.
I do it cold, usually after I pull the vehicle into the garage because I don't feel like getting burnt.
Have yet to have an engine blow up on me.
Triple_Se7en
$50 Site Donor 2024
I change it when the oil is hot. I wear a pair of old dollar store work gloves and no scalding issues.
I don't think it really matters. The thought of driving around for no other purpose than to warm up the oil in order to change it seems wasteful to me. Yeah, it flows better when warm, but it will still drain when cold.
Originally Posted By: DreamerGT
Originally Posted By: Steve S
Originally Posted By: DreamerGT
Hot, then I let it drain over night.
A foolish idea.
why is that?
Well obviously you like to get as much of the old oil out as possible, so I wont call it foolish, but let me say why some might consider it a bad idea.
Firstly it drags out a very simple operation over two days, whereas I like to just get in get it done and clean up as quickly as possible.
Secondly it leaves your car undrivable overnight, and in the worst case scenario someone might (in an emergency in the middle of the night for example) forget that it's got no oil and drive it.
Originally Posted By: Steve S
Originally Posted By: DreamerGT
Hot, then I let it drain over night.
A foolish idea.
why is that?
Well obviously you like to get as much of the old oil out as possible, so I wont call it foolish, but let me say why some might consider it a bad idea.
Firstly it drags out a very simple operation over two days, whereas I like to just get in get it done and clean up as quickly as possible.
Secondly it leaves your car undrivable overnight, and in the worst case scenario someone might (in an emergency in the middle of the night for example) forget that it's got no oil and drive it.
Originally Posted By: bigdawg74
I don't think it really matters. The thought of driving around for no other purpose than to warm up the oil in order to change it seems wasteful to me. Yeah, it flows better when warm, but it will still drain when cold.
I can usually find some small errand to run (pick up milk or bread) just to warm it up a bit. I happy enough just getting it warm, I don't need it fully hot where I'd only have to wait for it to cool a bit before working on it anyway.
Besides the fact that it drains more freely there's actually another reason I like to do it warm. I do it reasonably quickly, probably 15 to 20 minutes tops. So if it was warm at the start it's still a little warm at the end, and there's no cold start with the oil pump and passages possibly not fully primed.
I know that sounds a bit paranoid (and not all cars behave this way) but in the past I've had cars that were a little slow to get oil pressure straight after a drain and refill and it could get pretty ugly noisy for the first few seconds. So I do feel better to know that it's already a bit warm and that there's recently been oil fully circulated everywhere when I restart after an oil change. I actually prefer this piece of mind over the alternative of draining for a very long time to get an extra cup full of old oil out.
I don't think it really matters. The thought of driving around for no other purpose than to warm up the oil in order to change it seems wasteful to me. Yeah, it flows better when warm, but it will still drain when cold.
I can usually find some small errand to run (pick up milk or bread) just to warm it up a bit. I happy enough just getting it warm, I don't need it fully hot where I'd only have to wait for it to cool a bit before working on it anyway.
Besides the fact that it drains more freely there's actually another reason I like to do it warm. I do it reasonably quickly, probably 15 to 20 minutes tops. So if it was warm at the start it's still a little warm at the end, and there's no cold start with the oil pump and passages possibly not fully primed.
I know that sounds a bit paranoid (and not all cars behave this way) but in the past I've had cars that were a little slow to get oil pressure straight after a drain and refill and it could get pretty ugly noisy for the first few seconds. So I do feel better to know that it's already a bit warm and that there's recently been oil fully circulated everywhere when I restart after an oil change. I actually prefer this piece of mind over the alternative of draining for a very long time to get an extra cup full of old oil out.
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: Steve S
Originally Posted By: rslifkin
I usually change it hot, and if it's not already warm when I'm ready to change it, I'll take it for a 4-5 mile drive to warm things up a bit. I usually let it sit for 15 - 20 minutes or so, then drain it, and let it drain for a good 20 minutes or a little more if it's still dripping oil out. By then, the filter and other hot stuff around it has cooled enough to remove it safely.
pull the plug change the oil filter and by then the oil should have drained enough. No more needed. There should be no Voo Doo involved in changing oil.
Steve - it's a little tough to do that, as the filter on mine sits on an angle, so it dumps oil out of the filter, across the starter, and onto the exhaust y-pipe when you pull it, which spreads the drips enough that you can't also have the drain pan under the drain plug without it dripping on the garage floor. Plus, it needs a little cooling time first, as you're reaching past the y-pipe and up above the starter to get to the filter, and usually burn yourself a little anyway from dripping oil down your arm.
Originally Posted By: rslifkin
I usually change it hot, and if it's not already warm when I'm ready to change it, I'll take it for a 4-5 mile drive to warm things up a bit. I usually let it sit for 15 - 20 minutes or so, then drain it, and let it drain for a good 20 minutes or a little more if it's still dripping oil out. By then, the filter and other hot stuff around it has cooled enough to remove it safely.
pull the plug change the oil filter and by then the oil should have drained enough. No more needed. There should be no Voo Doo involved in changing oil.
Steve - it's a little tough to do that, as the filter on mine sits on an angle, so it dumps oil out of the filter, across the starter, and onto the exhaust y-pipe when you pull it, which spreads the drips enough that you can't also have the drain pan under the drain plug without it dripping on the garage floor. Plus, it needs a little cooling time first, as you're reaching past the y-pipe and up above the starter to get to the filter, and usually burn yourself a little anyway from dripping oil down your arm.
This:
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Warm, the oil flows better than when it's cold, especially during the winter time. I take about a 20 minute ride, drive up the ramps, and by the time I get all the things together for the oil change, and prefill the filter, the engine and oil is safe enough to work on w/o getting burnt. I also wear latex gloves, I've grown tired of having oil on my hands, they also help a little to protect from cuts and burns.
Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Warm, the oil flows better than when it's cold, especially during the winter time. I take about a 20 minute ride, drive up the ramps, and by the time I get all the things together for the oil change, and prefill the filter, the engine and oil is safe enough to work on w/o getting burnt. I also wear latex gloves, I've grown tired of having oil on my hands, they also help a little to protect from cuts and burns.
I change mine when it's nice and hot. Use gloves and loosen the the drain plug by hand until it's almost off. Then use a box end wrench until it comes off. Sometimes I can catch the plug with the wrench sometimes I let it fall into the pan.
- Status