Warm up engine for oil change?
 

I was reading the service manual about the oil change and it saids to atleast warm up the car. How many of you guys do this? Because after you start the car it engine would be all fired up and burning. Though I know it will up thin the oil and help it drain better. I feel like a noob all over again...

Hint: You don't turn off the car and then drain it. You wait 15 minutes or more.
If the oil filter is too hot then wait longer.

If cold, fire it up, then turn it off once it hits 9:00. Then wait.

The difference between a cold engine, and an engine that was at running temp, and not been running for 20 minutes is enough to give you freer flowing oil.

Yes you want to change the oil if the engine had been recently warmed up to get as much old oil out as possible. If you do it cold a lot of the old oil will stay in the engine.

Oil flows very nicely when cold, otherwise it would not easily pour from the container when you refill the oil.

I prefer to let the car sit overnight before doing an oil change. No oil will be in the filter that way, and there is less mess. Letting it sit overnight also allows more oil to drain into the pan. It is much easier and safer to work around a cold engine than a hot one.

Why do you think that?????
That makes no sense.

Woops I guess I worded it wrong, :lol: but think of it this way, an expensive insurance for the motor.

What I meant to say however, is that when the engine is warmed up when doing an oil change, it allows you to get most of the old oil out, as well as old gunk like carbon in the engine. And when it's warm most of the oil because it was heated will drain and drip off the inner parts in and out the oil pan. When it's cold and then you change the oil it is thick like you said it drains out slowly, and also tends to stay itself on most of the parts.

Also, most people suggest that once you use a specific oil brand that you always use that oil on a regular basis. I guess its not a good idea to mix oils. Especially going synthetic to regular vice versa.

as long as you change it often enough, i dont really thing it makes a difference. personnaly i do warm mines up but not on purpose (i use ramps and i dont shut it off till its nice and warm to prevent flooding). i do let it sit for like 5-10 mins though becuase draining it when its at operating temp is like sucide haha :)

That doesn't make sense either. I change my oil after it has sat overnight. That means that the car WAS warm when I last drove it. Then I parked it, and everything had at least 12 hours to drain from a warm engine, instead of one hour, or 15 minutes. Which is likely to have more oil drain into the pan? A warm engine that drains for a short time, or a long time. Either way, you start with a warm engine.

Regarding cold oil, what I said was that cold oil drains just fine. If it didn't you would have trouble getting new oil to pour from a new container.

You're suppose to put it in the oven before you refill it. ;)

I've changed mine both hot and cold. I didn't specifically warm it up for the change, it was just warm from coming back from the store to get my replacement oil. :) I didn't make any more or less of a mess warm or cold.

If you don't run it at all prior to draining the oil, I'd recommend priming the system before you start it up with fresh oil. All the bearings are "dry" and the filter is empty. Maybe that's too anal, but nothing is to good for the seven. :)

(to prime it, just push the accelerator to the floor, crank for 10-15 seconds and then start like normal.)

How is that any different than when you start it up in the morning? My OEM filter is always empty when I let it sit overnight.

Mahjik,
Oven or mircowave?? ;)

i do whatever is ready at the moment.. if i was using the car the day im ready to do the oil change, ill have the hood up cooling it down for about 20 min. if not, i would just drain the oil after the car has been sitting overnight.

from past experiences, i think its better to drain it after the car sits overnight, you have a cool cool engine to deal with, the oil is all in the pan (or pretty much) and it flows out easy..

But even if I was to do it overnight the engine had to be atleast at operation temps right?

well you can do it right after warmup but you might have to go to the hospital due to severe burning :)

Maximum caution. So is it suggested that I don't try to change the oil after warm up even after 10-30 mins?

Just drain it cold. If you do it warm, you won't get as much oil out. Why? Just because it's warm doesn't mean it's going to flow like water. It's still going to be in passages and especially the filter. You do it cold, it will have had time to drain back into the pan. If you're really worried about whatever gunk that's settled at the bottom of the pan or caught in the filter anyway, change the filter more often or drop the pan and clean it out.

Have a jack on the driver side since the plug is on the pass side too.

ok I'll try that and see how that works thanks. How long should I drain it cold? And while we are on the subject of oilds. What oil should I use for my auto trans at la temps or does that not even matter?

Drain it until it stops draining.

I always end up draining mine hot but that is because I usually do something stupid like take it to get replacement oil just before changing it. I prefer to let it sit overnight so I dont burn myself. When you think about all the oil left in the oil coolers, in the turbos, and in the engine there really isnt alot you can do that would be any better or worse than any other method. Heck, you dont even need to drain it until it stops draining. The 2 ounces you get out of waiting that last 10 minutes pales in comparison to the quart left elsewhere in the engine.

I agree with Tom. Drain it until there are 2 ounces left :).

:rlaugh:

haha alright alright i'll trust you guys. Now what about my auto trans oil! Any special techique for that?

My understanding is that with the oil warm, you will get more of the contaminants out. If your oil is cold from the car sitting for a while, the contaminants will have settled on the bottom of the pan and won't come out as well with the oil. I always get the car nice and warm from a drive before I change the oil. I'm not sure if it really matters, but I learned to drain the oil warm (hot). I thought everyone did it that way.

-Max