Brought up to warm the engine oil up before changing it. Today it was about 100 degrees in the garage and I was wondering how hot the ambient temperature had to be before you didn't need to warm up the engine. Does more oil drain out of a hot engine that has just been run, or a cold engine that has had all the oil drain down into the crankcase? Any comments?
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Oil changing question
- Thread starter DARKCLOUD
- Start date
blacque jacque shellacque
Member
It just drains faster. If your in a hurry to get it done, drain when hot. If not, drain with the engine cold and let it drip for a couple of hours or overnight.
A friend of mine wants to dump the oil before the vehicle stops "rocking" from coming to a stop......after a suitable long drive.
A friend of mine with a mobile lube service changes them "cold"- thousands of vehicles.
After watching both, I see no real advantage or disadvantage
I have always done a change hot...or at least real warm- personal preference. It just "seems" better to me
OM
classicvw
Active member
Definitely change when warm/hot. It flows faster, taking more dirt out with it. The dirt is already suspended in the hot oil and more of it will drain with the oil. When the bike's cold or cooled off, all the dirt is on the bottom of the pan/engine and there's no telling how much stays stuck there when that cooler oil slowly drains out.
I've read this mentioned in Owner's and service manuals.
I've read this mentioned in Owner's and service manuals.
gsaddict
Pepperfool
A friend of mine wants to dump the oil before the vehicle stops "rocking" from coming to a stop......after a suitable long drive.
A friend of mine with a mobile lube service changes them "cold"- thousands of vehicles.
After watching both, I see no real advantage or disadvantage
I have always done a change hot...or at least real warm- personal preference. It just "seems" better to me
OM
I'm on your side of the fence. On full warmed boxers I leave on the sidestand for min 5 min (to let the oil drain down from the cooler) and then on the centerstand and drain.
The dirt is already suspended in the oil, so it really doesn't matter if you drain it hot or cold. Just let it drain for awhile until it stops dripping. I think most of us like to have the oil warm but that is really just a personal preference. The main thing is to change the oil as required by the bikes specs. Hot oil can burn so be careful.
AntonLargiader
Active member
Actually it's not just a personal preference. It's what the repair manuals have said for many years..
akbeemer
SURVIVOR
I wonder if anyone has conducted any actual research on this topic. You know, like taking measurements to determine the level of contaminates remaining in an engine after changes done with the oil at various temperatures and at various time spans after the engine being run (agitation). It could be done by guys and gals with lofty degrees dressed in white lab coats, and outfitted with real expensive gizmos and computers that process data at impressive speeds. Who would do this sort of research? Who stands to benefit from knowing the ideal oil temperature and degree of agitation? And what would they do with this hard and expensively won information? Perhaps publish it in owner's and service manuals?
Know what you mean, had a couple Chevy's like that.
With oil at over $10 a quart and filters around $15 a pop I want to get the most miles out of my oil before changing. Starting with a clean crankcase seems to be the best way to start.
jandhumphreyme
Member
If this is your goal, you may want to begin a testing program with http://www.blackstone-labs.com/. Their testing will advise you exactly what is happening with your engine, transmission, final drive and oil. Their analysis will recommend optimum change intervals based on actual oil samples not conjecture.
lkchris
Active member
Then use synthetic and double the BMW recommended change interval.
How would this insure getting the most possible oil out of the engine? Required maintenance for and airhead is to replace the oil with kerosene and take a short ride to get all the crud suspended in the oil, then draining it is it not?
gsaddict
Pepperfool
Running under load with kerosene does not sound like the main and rod bearings will benefit. Not to mention the cams and followers.
How to get the residual out of the oil galleries and pump? This would contaminate the new oil added.
Do you have a link to where this is actually done?
How to get the residual out of the oil galleries and pump? This would contaminate the new oil added.
Do you have a link to where this is actually done?
jconway607
JohnWC
That sounds like an excellent way to drastically shorten the life of the engine. I think I'll pass.
snookers
DBLUPPR
I knew an old farmer who would clean out the engines in his tractors this way.....doing a kerosene flush. While running the units for about twenty minutes, he would say "leave'em running till I go round the barn twice"......then he would drain them. Next step was to refill with cheaper oil and change filter then run for a while longer. He would do this step two times and then finally install better oil and filter.I suppose this helped flush out most of the remaining kerosene from the engine. His tractors were old, can't remember make or models and they seemed to run mint. Not saying I would want to do this, but those old tractors seemed to be alright
gsaddict
Pepperfool
A BIG difference between an old tractor engine and a modern high output engine like the oilhead. (altho' sometimes my GS does move forward like a tractor
)
