Any harm to changing your oil when full hot?

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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.
 
I wondered the same thing for many years.

I drain hot, but wait 2 hours to fill with 'cold' oil.
 
I always change my oil when hot, its more broken down and flows easy with all the stuff that harms ur engine. No harm what so ever if u change ur oil hot just becareful not to get burned
 
Originally Posted By: ARB1977
I've always drained mine hot. After installing fumoto drain valves on both vehicles I don't worry about hot oil.


What is a fumoto drain valve and how does it work better than taking off an oil pan bolt??
 
Originally Posted By: Trav
Not a problem. What happens when you hit a puddle of water with your hot oil pan?
Engines are not fragile.


This. The only thinkg I won't do to a hot (or warm) engine is pressure wash it. Don't want the cold water possibly cracking something when it contacts a hot engine part.
 
I have wondered about pouring cold oil into a hot engine block due to thermal shock on the head.

I also wonder if there has ever been a study of cold engine oil changes (in a mild climate) , I bet its not much different than hot oil changes as far as removing dirt etc.

cold change is easier esp the filter
 
Originally Posted By: edwardh1
I have wondered about pouring cold oil into a hot engine block due to thermal shock on the head.


More or less my exact thought as well, but does not the oil run down through the head and into the block, only touching the head in a certain area (the fill hole) and for a certain amount of time?

And what is "Fumoto drain valve"
 
Originally Posted By: edwardh1
I have wondered about pouring cold oil into a hot engine block due to thermal shock on the head.

I also wonder if there has ever been a study of cold engine oil changes (in a mild climate) , I bet its not much different than hot oil changes as far as removing dirt etc.

cold change is easier esp the filter


As far "Thermal shock" is concerned I think you may be overthinking this.

The oil you pour into the engine is not going to be cold unless you stick it in the fridge beforehand.

I think the reason there is not much data about this out there is because there is nothing to be concerned about.


But if you want to spend much more time than normal to drain your oil and possibly not get all the old oil out then go for it.

I will stick to draining it out with the engine at operating temperature.
 
Some Fumoto Threads for you.

valveanimation.gif


cutaway.jpg

*Don't install the valve if it looks like the second picture.
 
You are over analyzing this IMO. If your engine is damaged by thermal shock from pouring a bottle of oil in the fill hole, you have bigger problems than what an oil change can help.
 
How many billions of oil changes have quick lubes done where this isn't a problem?

Answer: Many, many billions. Therefore, not a concern.

Originally Posted By: Coprolite
Some Fumoto Threads for you.

valveanimation.gif


cutaway.jpg

*Don't install the valve if it looks like the second picture.


grin.gif
I love that site.

Can't believe so many people have never heard of a Fumoto valve.
 
Remember that what you as a human being consider cold is not the same as what will cause thermal shock to an engine component. Even if your oil fill is via the head, the point inside the head where the cooler-than-the-head oil contacts is small and the difference between the oil temperature and the head temperature will not be great enough to cause thermal stresses of any significance.

In other words, the rate at which the portion of the head where the cooler oil is contacting (maybe a bearing cap or the cam) transfers heat will be low compared to how quickly that same contact point can transfer heat from the surrounding, warmer areas of the head to itself. If the rate of heat transfer is low, then the difference in thermal expansion is low, meaning almost no change in thermal stresses between different, bound or unbound components. By bound, I mean retained by bearings or anything else that would try to prevent two metals from expanding in opposing directions. By unbound, I mean internal stresses caused by a difference in thermal expansion between, say, the internals of the cam and the outside diameter, whihc could cause permanent deformation, i.e., it gets bent.

Finally, oil is not like water, which will remove heat at a much greater rate. For very hot surfaces, water will also vaporize, extracting even more heat energy due to latent heat losses. Oil will absorb heat from the engine much slower and its ability to coat surfaces will also help to distribute the heat it absorbs while being poured over the head to other portions of the head, causing even less of a thermal gradient.

So, to make a long story short, waiting 2 hours before pouring "cold" oil into your warm engine isn't necessary.

With respect to the "Fumoto drain valve" questions: Really? You're already on the internet, for crying out loud! There are many things that would require extensive searching or advanced degrees to fully understand, but searching for "Fumoto drain valve" is a 5 second chore and its purpose apparent.
 
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Originally Posted By: gathermewool
snip

So, to make a long story short, waiting 2 hours before pouring "cold" oil into your warm engine isn't necessary.

With respect to the "Fumoto drain valve" questions: Really? You're already on the internet, for crying out loud! There are many things that would require extensive searching or advanced degrees to fully understand, but searching for "Fumoto drain valve" is a 5 second chore and its purpose apparent.


It's because people like to be fed with one of these.

Dessert_Spoon.jpg
 
Originally Posted By: JAM25
No harm what so ever if u change ur oil hot just becareful not to get burned

The taxi fleet always had oil changes when hot, for obvious reasons. I'm terribly messy when changing oil, and I haven't burned myself yet. The only times I have had to be cautious with a filter or a drain plug was when they were in close proximity to an exhaust system component.
 
One thing I wouldn't recommend is pouring -15 or -20C oil into a hot engine. I keep my oil in my shed and did a winter change on the Neon and was so proud how my 0W40 T5 was still sloshing around in the jug after a very cold night. Didn't even think about it until I poured the oil into the motor and heard a sharp "Crack!" I thought I had cracked the head, but nothing happened when I started it up or since and this was a few years ago.
 
Originally Posted By: Garak
Originally Posted By: JAM25
No harm what so ever if u change ur oil hot just becareful not to get burned

The taxi fleet always had oil changes when hot, for obvious reasons. I'm terribly messy when changing oil, and I haven't burned myself yet. The only times I have had to be cautious with a filter or a drain plug was when they were in close proximity to an exhaust system component.


I have done some very very HOT oil changes and the only time I burned my fingers is when holding on to a drain plug for more than 3 seconds, as in, trying to get it on/off when it is HOT with no gloves.
 
Originally Posted By: IndyIan
One thing I wouldn't recommend is pouring -15 or -20C oil into a hot engine. I keep my oil in my shed and did a winter change on the Neon and was so proud how my 0W40 T5 was still sloshing around in the jug after a very cold night. Didn't even think about it until I poured the oil into the motor and heard a sharp "Crack!" I thought I had cracked the head, but nothing happened when I started it up or since and this was a few years ago.


I also twice heard a clear "pop" when oil was poured on a hot engine (1992 Grand Am, and another old car with a GM 4-cyl) but it did not seem to be a negative noise as judged by subsequent operation.. weird.
 
My daughter will be driving in from PA this weekend for Mother's Day. Her drive will be ~3.5 hours and I'd like to change the oil when she pulls in the driveway(after a BIG HUG!)

This engine will be at full ))HOT!!!((
I don't think there will be any issues with doing this!
The engine will be cooling down slowly as I drain the oil and change out the filter along with my visual inspection of the whole car of course!
 
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