Oil Change: Hot or Cold?

[camrydriver111]

When doing an oil service is there any difference between draining the oil when it's cold or draining it when its up to operating temperature?

I always made sure the engine is hot, but does it actually make any difference?

How about in the winter, when it is cold outside? 0W20 seems to flow very easily even at 0C. Do I need to warm up the engine first?

 

[JeffKeryk]

I prefer not too hot when pulling the plug and swapping the filter, but hot is better when sucking it out with the MityVac.
That's just what I do.

 

[Tman220]

I always give the cars a good warmup. The oil drains quicker and more completely if you are limited in time. There is also an argument that running the engine will help put any contaminates in suspension to then be drained more thoroughly.

 

[kschachn]

A few existing threads to this oft-asked question:

Hot or Cold oil change?

I was always told to do an oil change when the oil was hot or warm, I think the logic was that more contaminants were in solution and the oil drained out faster. But now I think on that logic, if the oil needs heat to keep contaminants in solution then I should have changed the oil long ago...

bobistheoilguy.com

Better to change oil hot or cold?

I bet this has been covered before... probably many times - but I couldn't find it, so if you guys have an opinion or can give me some search terms or links that would be great. My Q has been sitting for 4-6 weeks untouched, and is in need of an oil change. Should I start it up and drive it for...

bobistheoilguy.com

Oil Change : Hot, Cold or Warm, or does it matter?

There are pros and cons to changing your oil when it Hot, or when it's Cold or somewhere in between. Is the any data to show more contaminants are removed from the engine when the oil change is performed when the oil is Hot? or Cold? or Warm? Sometimes my only real option is to change it when...

bobistheoilguy.com

Oil Change - Hot or Cold and Oil Level Check - Hot or Cold?

Hello my fellow oil enthusiast! Hope you all are having a wonderful day. I have a couple questions that I was thinking about and they have my curiosity. Question #1. Is it best to change your vehicles oil when it’s cold or when the oil is hot from the engine getting up to operating...

bobistheoilguy.com

Draining oil hot or cold questions?

1. Do you normally drain your oil hot, warm or cold? 2. If oil thins when cold and thickens when hot, why does hot oil drain quicker? * I drain my oil hot.

bobistheoilguy.com

Any benefit to changing oil when engine is warm???

A lot of OC procedures say to let the engine warm completely up before change the oil, but is that really necessary? Does it matter if you're using syn vs. dino? Most of the time, I either move my car into place at the house or it's already in place for the change, so the engine is pretty much...

bobistheoilguy.com

your oil change temperature?

So guy's my seaching skills kinda sucks. vehical has not run in a week, so I'm guessing 90% plus oil is in the pan. Should I heat her up, or change it cold. Info. New to me 2007 Buick Rendezvous 145,000 KM 3.5 Letre engine Penzoil YB and M1 oil filter. no info on maintains from pervious owner...

bobistheoilguy.com

Engine temp before oil change?

I'm due for an oil change soon. I have a 2019 Ram 5.7L with under 10k miles. Wondering if it is best to change the oil while the engine is still hot (after it's had 5 - 10 mins to drain back into the pan) or after letting it cool off and sit overnight? I have heard several theories on the...

bobistheoilguy.com

Thinking it would be good to not warm up before oil change.

OK, 2018 Panigale V4S. I'm one of those oil freaks, but I have never had bike over heat, seize, get lower hp on a dyno after years etc. So my amputation had me on a little break then the weather came. Bike has been sitting for a month at least. I feel like warming it up is just gonna flush all...

bobistheoilguy.com

Hot vs cold oil change observation..

Normally, I'm a hot oil change guy. I change the oil after driving. My most recent oil change I did after the car sat overnight. When removing the oil filter in a hot oil change, a substantial amount of oil runs out (some from the filter, but I think a fair amount from inside the engine). I...

bobistheoilguy.com

Warming the oil for oil change

I know many, self included, will take a short drive or idle the engine prior to an oil change so that the oil will drain more quickly. I have a magnetic heater that goes on the oil pan to warm the oil during the winter. Wondering if I can use this to warm the oil prior to changing it? Only...

bobistheoilguy.com

Hot engine, cold oil change, thermal shock

This winter I was doing an oil change and when pouring the oil into the warm engine I could hear it creaking. I stopped and waited a few minutes before slowly pouring the rest of the oil in. Sometimes I will store oil in my garden shed and it gets down to 0 degrees F here in the winter. Gotta...

bobistheoilguy.com

oil changes when engine oil is room temp?

anyone ever done it over an engine life time or seen any tests of cold (room temp) oil changes? my guess is its not much different in effect on the engine as hot oil changes.

bobistheoilguy.com

How long do you let it cool before draining oil?

I just came home from a drive and I pulled the car up onto the ramps before I shut it off in preparation for changing the oil. How long to you usually let a fully warm car cool down before draining the oil? I'm pretty sure it's still too hot to touch anything on the bottom of the engine right...

bobistheoilguy.com

Oil change - drain hot, warm, or cold?

Sorry if this has been discussed before....Something my grandpa always told me was to drain your oil when the engine was hot. After thinking about it shouldn't you drain when all of the oil is in the drain pan? It just seems that when the engine has just been turned off it could take hours for...

bobistheoilguy.com

Oil change with Mityvac question

Most car/engine manuals say to run the engine to warm up the oil before draining it. If one is using a 0-40 oil, wouldn't it drain or vacuum out just as easily cold since it is @0 wgt? If you warm it up, doesn't it become a 40W by definition? I have done it both ways but I mostly use the vacuum...

bobistheoilguy.com

Drain oil hot or cold........

on a bike that has been sitting for a week or so? I could drive it around for 1 minutes and get it hot. Or would it be better to drain cold sence the oil has been sitting for a week and is in the lowest part of the engine? Thanks!

bobistheoilguy.com

Dumb Oil Change Questions???

Morning all! Could not sleep last night and for some reason I was pondering a few things about my planned oil change today. So here it goes. 1) Is it better to change the oil after the engine as sat overnight so most of the oil can settle in the drain pan along with the "junk" you want out? Or...

bobistheoilguy.com

Oil change with warm or cold oil?

This car has been parked since November in a non-heated cement floor garage in central PA. My past practice has been to start the car and drive until up to temp and change the oil. Is that recommended? Or is it wiser to drain the cold oil out of the pan over the next few days and refill with...

bobistheoilguy.com

Cold oil change?

First off, I apologize if this has been covered elsewhere. My search abilities must have failed me... I'm planning to do an oil change today. The car has been sitting in the garage for a couple days. Ambient temps in the garage this weekend have been around 80 (fracking hot here this week.)...

bobistheoilguy.com

Can I change the oil when the oil is cold?

I change oil on many vehicles from pickups to cars to heavy equipment for my family. Often it is hard to get to change the oil after it has been running for a while to get it hot. I would like to change some of the oil when the engines are cold. Will that leave a lot of problem materials in...

bobistheoilguy.com

Any harm to changing your oil when full hot?

As in, let's say the engine is fully warmed, and driven on. Is it safe to take off the oil pan bolt, and change the oil? I know Jiffy Lube and its clones do this all the time, but I am paranoid about gasketing and hot/cold expansion issues.

bobistheoilguy.com

 

[4WD]

A few existing threads to this oft-asked question:

Hot or Cold oil change?

I was always told to do an oil change when the oil was hot or warm, I think the logic was that more contaminants were in solution and the oil drained out faster. But now I think on that logic, if the oil needs heat to keep contaminants in solution then I should have changed the oil long ago...

bobistheoilguy.com

Better to change oil hot or cold?

I bet this has been covered before... probably many times - but I couldn't find it, so if you guys have an opinion or can give me some search terms or links that would be great. My Q has been sitting for 4-6 weeks untouched, and is in need of an oil change. Should I start it up and drive it for...

bobistheoilguy.com

Oil Change : Hot, Cold or Warm, or does it matter?

There are pros and cons to changing your oil when it Hot, or when it's Cold or somewhere in between. Is the any data to show more contaminants are removed from the engine when the oil change is performed when the oil is Hot? or Cold? or Warm? Sometimes my only real option is to change it when...

bobistheoilguy.com

Oil Change - Hot or Cold and Oil Level Check - Hot or Cold?

Hello my fellow oil enthusiast! Hope you all are having a wonderful day. I have a couple questions that I was thinking about and they have my curiosity. Question #1. Is it best to change your vehicles oil when it’s cold or when the oil is hot from the engine getting up to operating...

bobistheoilguy.com

Draining oil hot or cold questions?

1. Do you normally drain your oil hot, warm or cold? 2. If oil thins when cold and thickens when hot, why does hot oil drain quicker? * I drain my oil hot.

bobistheoilguy.com

Any benefit to changing oil when engine is warm???

A lot of OC procedures say to let the engine warm completely up before change the oil, but is that really necessary? Does it matter if you're using syn vs. dino? Most of the time, I either move my car into place at the house or it's already in place for the change, so the engine is pretty much...

bobistheoilguy.com

your oil change temperature?

So guy's my seaching skills kinda sucks. vehical has not run in a week, so I'm guessing 90% plus oil is in the pan. Should I heat her up, or change it cold. Info. New to me 2007 Buick Rendezvous 145,000 KM 3.5 Letre engine Penzoil YB and M1 oil filter. no info on maintains from pervious owner...

bobistheoilguy.com

Engine temp before oil change?

I'm due for an oil change soon. I have a 2019 Ram 5.7L with under 10k miles. Wondering if it is best to change the oil while the engine is still hot (after it's had 5 - 10 mins to drain back into the pan) or after letting it cool off and sit overnight? I have heard several theories on the...

bobistheoilguy.com

Thinking it would be good to not warm up before oil change.

OK, 2018 Panigale V4S. I'm one of those oil freaks, but I have never had bike over heat, seize, get lower hp on a dyno after years etc. So my amputation had me on a little break then the weather came. Bike has been sitting for a month at least. I feel like warming it up is just gonna flush all...

bobistheoilguy.com

Hot vs cold oil change observation..

Normally, I'm a hot oil change guy. I change the oil after driving. My most recent oil change I did after the car sat overnight. When removing the oil filter in a hot oil change, a substantial amount of oil runs out (some from the filter, but I think a fair amount from inside the engine). I...

bobistheoilguy.com

Warming the oil for oil change

I know many, self included, will take a short drive or idle the engine prior to an oil change so that the oil will drain more quickly. I have a magnetic heater that goes on the oil pan to warm the oil during the winter. Wondering if I can use this to warm the oil prior to changing it? Only...

bobistheoilguy.com

Hot engine, cold oil change, thermal shock

This winter I was doing an oil change and when pouring the oil into the warm engine I could hear it creaking. I stopped and waited a few minutes before slowly pouring the rest of the oil in. Sometimes I will store oil in my garden shed and it gets down to 0 degrees F here in the winter. Gotta...

bobistheoilguy.com

oil changes when engine oil is room temp?

anyone ever done it over an engine life time or seen any tests of cold (room temp) oil changes? my guess is its not much different in effect on the engine as hot oil changes.

bobistheoilguy.com

How long do you let it cool before draining oil?

I just came home from a drive and I pulled the car up onto the ramps before I shut it off in preparation for changing the oil. How long to you usually let a fully warm car cool down before draining the oil? I'm pretty sure it's still too hot to touch anything on the bottom of the engine right...

bobistheoilguy.com

Oil change - drain hot, warm, or cold?

Sorry if this has been discussed before....Something my grandpa always told me was to drain your oil when the engine was hot. After thinking about it shouldn't you drain when all of the oil is in the drain pan? It just seems that when the engine has just been turned off it could take hours for...

bobistheoilguy.com

Oil change with Mityvac question

Most car/engine manuals say to run the engine to warm up the oil before draining it. If one is using a 0-40 oil, wouldn't it drain or vacuum out just as easily cold since it is @0 wgt? If you warm it up, doesn't it become a 40W by definition? I have done it both ways but I mostly use the vacuum...

bobistheoilguy.com

Drain oil hot or cold........

on a bike that has been sitting for a week or so? I could drive it around for 1 minutes and get it hot. Or would it be better to drain cold sence the oil has been sitting for a week and is in the lowest part of the engine? Thanks!

bobistheoilguy.com

Dumb Oil Change Questions???

Morning all! Could not sleep last night and for some reason I was pondering a few things about my planned oil change today. So here it goes. 1) Is it better to change the oil after the engine as sat overnight so most of the oil can settle in the drain pan along with the "junk" you want out? Or...

bobistheoilguy.com

Oil change with warm or cold oil?

This car has been parked since November in a non-heated cement floor garage in central PA. My past practice has been to start the car and drive until up to temp and change the oil. Is that recommended? Or is it wiser to drain the cold oil out of the pan over the next few days and refill with...

bobistheoilguy.com

Cold oil change?

First off, I apologize if this has been covered elsewhere. My search abilities must have failed me... I'm planning to do an oil change today. The car has been sitting in the garage for a couple days. Ambient temps in the garage this weekend have been around 80 (fracking hot here this week.)...

bobistheoilguy.com

Can I change the oil when the oil is cold?

I change oil on many vehicles from pickups to cars to heavy equipment for my family. Often it is hard to get to change the oil after it has been running for a while to get it hot. I would like to change some of the oil when the engines are cold. Will that leave a lot of problem materials in...

bobistheoilguy.com

Any harm to changing your oil when full hot?

As in, let's say the engine is fully warmed, and driven on. Is it safe to take off the oil pan bolt, and change the oil? I know Jiffy Lube and its clones do this all the time, but I am paranoid about gasketing and hot/cold expansion issues.

bobistheoilguy.com

That’s all ? Be done by Saturday

 

[4WD]

I prefer not too hot when pulling the plug and swapping the filter, but hot is better when sucking it out with the MityVac.
That's just what I do.

Those things have a temperature rating ?

 

[JeffKeryk]

Those things have a temperature rating ?

Cold oil takes forever to extract. I have to think hot offers a more complete drain.
I used to be a naysayer; now I love my MityVac.

 

[loneryder]

Cold oil takes forever to extract. I have to think hot offers a more complete drain.
I used to be a naysayer; now I love my MityVac.

I just slightly overfilled my 3.5 with HPL Euro 5-40. Mityvac just wouldn't take much out cold. Mine is run by air compressor. Need to have it hot to take any out.

 

[The Critic]

It is always best to replace your engine oil at operating temp. Contaminants are potentially better suspended and hot oil will drain quicker.

Those things have a temperature rating ?

Yes, the tubing.....and the internal components of the Mityvac.

 

[twX]

Another reason to change the oil with a warm engine is that it can take several seconds for oil pressure to build up after a filter change.

If the engine is cold, the oil pump will be in pressure relief, and it will take longer to build pressure on the first start after the oil change. If your jug of oil is stored in freezing temperatures, it would be best to bring it up to room temperature before dumping it in as well.

I wouldn't get the engine so hot that you risk burning yourself, but I'd get it well above room temperature.

 

[BHopkins]

Take a few minutes hours and read through some of the other discussions on this very subject, and you will find that, even here on BITOG, where there are all the self proclaimed experts on car maintenance, there is no consensus on this subject.

That said, I'm a hot oil change kind of guy. Not real hot, like just home from a 30 minute drive kind of hot. But more of taking the car for a 5 minute drive to get it warm before oil change, kind of guy. I use a mityvac on my E350, and trying to extract cold oil will drive one insane. The wife's Outback has a Fumoto valve, so cold oil will drain. But I still prefer the oil hot. It really speeds up the process.

 

[BHopkins]

@JeffKeryk, how long have you been using your Mityvac?

 

[Kestas]

I'm not gonna waste gas just to warm up the oil.

If I can time it, I'll change the oil after a long hot trip, if I can do it without burning myself.

 

[JeffKeryk]

@JeffKeryk, how long have you been using your Mityvac?

Maybe 4 years? I generally do 5K max OCI and swap the filter every 2nd or even 3rd service. I pull the plug when I swap the filter. Generally. I think. All good. I love my MityVac. Trans services, Master Cylinder, whatever.

There are some engines that are not appropriate.

 

[dnewton3]

When doing an oil service is there any difference between draining the oil when it's cold or draining it when its up to operating temperature?

I always made sure the engine is hot, but does it actually make any difference?

How about in the winter, when it is cold outside? 0W20 seems to flow very easily even at 0C. Do I need to warm up the engine first?

Been here nearly 10 years, and don't know the answer to this by now?
And probably never heard of the "search" button either ... LMGTFY ... oh, wait ... Kschachn pretty much did that for you.


If, after reading those 22 threads, and all their associated pages, you can't figure it out, I guess you'll need this one to continue also ...

SMH

 

[LouC]

If you are using a vacuum pump if the oil is too hot it can collapse the plastic hoses and make the whole job take longer. For vacuum pumps warm is good, hot not so much, but cold won't work at all.
Now if you HAVE to use a vacuum pump on a cold engine, you can CAREFULLY use a heat gun to heat up the oil pan and that will help.
I have had to do that twice, once when the engine in my boat blew the head gaskets and I had to drain out all the water, didn't want to run it with no water, so heated the pan and was able to suck out the oil
Second time was when the main filter on the 545 RFE auto trans on my 07 Jeep clogged, I wanted to suck the oil out of the trans pan, so it wouldn't make a big mess when I cracked the pan loose. It was 32* the day I had to do that. Worked just fine, I use an IR temp gun to keep an eye on the temps and don't let it get too hot (like 150* or so is OK). That, was not a fun job but it turned out well.

 

[wpod]

Vaccing it out hot is better cause the oil is thinner . I worked on forklifts and there were lots on accounts that had 10 or 20 forklifts run pretty much constantly . During service time the driver would line up the forklifts [some companies had pick ups and sweepers] we would do ] in a row and when we arrived to the location the forklifts were room temperature . We would send out a journey man and 2 oil change guys as we had a 4 hour window when the machines were idle . We would start at one end and work to the end of the line ,the engines lasted as long as the ones we changed with hot oil. Doing fleet work was fun because of high hours and miles,, we could see what actually worked and what was wives tales. Clean oil and sealed air filters made stuff last as long as possible. Clean oil did not keep stuff from breaking.

 

[4WD]

It is always best to replace your engine oil at operating temp. Contaminants are potentially better suspended and hot oil will drain quicker.


Yes, the tubing.....and the internal components of the Mityvac.

I’m finding 176°F on MV website … my oil can reach 228°F …

 

[shortyb]

I’m finding 176°F on MV website … my oil can reach 228°F …

I have an over 20 year old Pela that on several occasions just rolled the car into the garage after a long drive, and started sucking. Uh, oil. Top side filters on all my cars so change that while extractor does it's extracting thing. Refill and button it all up after about 15 minutes. Never had issues with tubing (it's thick wall HPDE plastic) or internal pump/valves/seals etc.

 

[Nukeman7]

I prefer not too hot when pulling the plug and swapping the filter, but hot is better when sucking it out with the MityVac.

Another reason to change the oil with a warm engine is that it can take several seconds for oil pressure to build up after a filter change.

I wouldn't get the engine so hot that you risk burning yourself, but I'd get it well above room temperature.

The magnetic tool shown below is worth every penny because it will allow you to drain extremely hot oil without scalding yourself. I bought one last year and don't know how I changed oil for 35 years without it!