MaxxVolume
Lunatic Member
The time element doesn`t bother me....it gives me time (and a reason) to sample a beer or two while the oil`s draining....
Change oil cold or warm- which is better?
- Thread starter restorer-john
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savatage1973
Addicted Member
Unfortunately, most of those scenarios apply to me and my vehicles. I own a construction company and live in a climate that can range from nearly 100 degrees in the summer and sub-zero temps in the winter, and do heavy towing and hauling. I agree that just good oil and a proper, consistent maintenance schedule is most important--even "cheap" oil and filters can last 3K under most circumstances with no issues.
I spend the extra money on the synthetics, but I get double service life out of them--I am "old school" where you changed the oil and filter every 3K and the air filter every other oil change. For the last couple decades with synthetics, I change the filter only at 3K and then the oil, filter and air filter at the next interval--so I get 3K out of each oil filter, 6K out of the oil, and 6K out of the air filter--so economically, it works out about even, or maybe a bit in my favor, and a lot less wasted oil to be disposed of/recycled.
My Silverado diesel is on its own schedule--when the DEF light comes on, I just change the oil, filter and air filter--and fill the DEF tank. It needs DEF about every -5-6K, so I just do all service when the DEF "low" light comes on--and I run full synthetic in it because it is a beast that truly "works for a living"--my living.
usedto
Lunatic Member
There used to be a reason/theory behind warming the engine before changing the oil. Back in the old days, engines didn't operate as clean as they do now, oil wasn't made the same, and people didn't change it as often, leading to sludge building up in the engine. When the engine was shut down, any particles suspended in the oil would sink to the bottom and form the thicker sludge. Pull the drain plug when it was cold, and the thinner oil would run out, leaving the goo behind. Running the engine would agitate the oil and heat it up enough for some of that goo to get suspended in the oil again. Pull the drain plug, and it would flow out with the oil.
Rislone used to be the big fixit for sludgy engines. You added a quart before changing the oil, drive the car for XXX number of miles, then change the oil and filter. It loosened up some of the goo so it could drain out.
Rislone used to be the big fixit for sludgy engines. You added a quart before changing the oil, drive the car for XXX number of miles, then change the oil and filter. It loosened up some of the goo so it could drain out.
MaxxVolume
Lunatic Member
Auto trans fluid does the same thing, and was the time-honored cleaning agent of choice among the old-school mechanics that I grew up with.
usedto
Lunatic Member
Lots of the old farmers would let their pickup engines idle around the ranch all day and get carboned up. A local repair shop I hung around would start the engine, buzz it up to about 2500 RPM, and drizzle a quart of ATF down the carb throat to knock some of the crud loose. Made one hell of a smoke show!!
MaxxVolume
Lunatic Member
War Story:
My friend`s father (a CHEAP son of a bitch) had bought a new `65 Chevy with a 283 engine. I don`t think he ever got the revs above 3 grand, and as a result, the rings never seated properly, and it burned quite a bit of oil.
After he complained several times, the dealer agreed to "do something"....they removed the air cleaner, one guy got in the car, started the engine, and held the throttle to the floor while another guy poured an entire can of Bon Ami powdered cleanser down the carb (!). They ran it at a fast idle for a bit, drained everything, and put fresh oil and filter in it. Voila ! No more oil burning !
I typically have at least 5 vehicles at any given time. I have always changed oil at 2,000 miles. I change when the motor is at ambient temperature. I let it drain for at least 12 hours before I put the drain plug back in. Been doing it like this for 45 years with no oil-related problems. And, the average time I keep a car is probably 20 years. Once, I had to pull the heads on a '71 Monte with about 94,000 miles on it. The motor looked like new inside. And, that was with conventional oil. I only have ever used Valvoline.
My Mark VII went 180K on conventional before the previous owner switched it to synthetic. Changes every 3K miles from new. I've had the intake, valve covers, and timing cover off of it at various points and you wouldn't believe how clean that thing is inside. I bought the car with 225K on it. It was just starting to seep oil from the original cork valve cover and intake gaskets at that point. No oil burning either.
Yes it is. Rebuilt the motor about 4-5 years ago, and fitted a T5 transmission. If I can ever be bothered to plumb in the intercooler and fit the TurboCoupe computer, I could make some more power, as the head was ported and had bigger valves fitted while everything was apart.
The warmer the better ideally. Frankly though, it's unnecessary with modern engines and oil. The reason to change it warm is that any buildup in the engine will be loose and hopefully flow out with the oil. It's a good theory and probably has some merit but if the oil is that bad, you probably should have changed it earlier and/or used better oil.
And yes, synthetic oil has real benefits in terms of cold starts and resistance to sludging. A lot of modern cars specify it.
And yes, synthetic oil has real benefits in terms of cold starts and resistance to sludging. A lot of modern cars specify it.
SoCal Sam
Lunatic Member
I have to admit, I didn't read the article. I went with what my friend recommended based on his research of the site. I got a positive result from switching from regular Mobil 1 to Extended Service. I have only lurked there a few times. They do a lot of oil analysis and the forum is active. Much like AK, there is a ton of collective knowledge. I will go with that, much like I go with the collective here at good ole AK.
EDIT ADD: That's Extended Performance, not Extended Service.
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That was always important with the turbo in that car--in fact, if I recall, the owner's guide stated that was the proper way to "prime" the engine before starting it up after an oil change. That was the "clear flood" mode for the injectors. In addition, I had heard that it was good to let the engine run a minute or two after parking, to let some (slightly) cooler oil circulate through the turbo. I pretty much started buying synthetic oil early on, as it avoided the "coking" that would happen with standard fossil oils (where the oil broke down into carbon, and gummed up or blocked the oil passages in the turbo).
Then again, that damned Merkur left me stranded so many times...
(And I'd purchased it brand new, in '85.) Funny thing is, I think the turbo was the only thing in that miserable car that never gave me a problem. Even the leather seats sucked--comfortable as heck (they were a Recaro design, built by Kuyper), but all the stitching disintegrated after a few years.I guess you can tell my ownership experience was, shall we say, less than favorable...
I had read about that transplant back in the 80s when mine gave me so much grief. The T5 was used on the T-Bird Turbo Coupe and Mustang SVO, so all it needed was the T5 and the bell housing to bolt up in place of the stock 5-speed. Mine basically ate itself from leaking so much. Multiple times to the dealer, even a rebuild at one point. It had a recall on the leak even. Got $600 for that thing after owning it 7 years (and having paid $16,700 for it, under the Ford S-plan).
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