Coldest Oil Change Done Outside

[Brian123]

I have done some oil changes when it was cold outside, back in the days of the 3000 mile OCI thing.

There was 1 day where it was late November back in 1997 where the weather here was about like 55 degrees and I was at like 2950 miles. It was a sunny day, but no, I had to do the 3000 mile thing. Well when it hit 3000 miles, it was a day where the temps were in the mid 20's with some Light Snow coming down. Luckily a mile up the road there was an old Texaco Gas Station with a 2 bay garage where the Mechanic that I knew let me use his lift in a warm garage for $15.00 2 change my oil.

The lift he had was the old type where the big cylinder in the center lifted up, I think this Gas Station was built back in 1959! What is ironic, is even though I wished I had changed the oil when it was warmer out, it was worth the $15.00 2 stand underneath the car changing the oil versus laying on the ground at my place.

Now I just change my oil when it is warm outside. LOL

 

[tcp71]

Spring and Fall changed for our 3 cars. Late March/Early April and Late Sept/Early Oct. Sometimes you win and it's nice and sometimes you lose and its well below freezing and there's snow.

 

[PF52]

When I was driving 45-50K miles a year, invariably there would be some oil changes in the dead of winter. Ten degrees F? Absolutely. Below zero? Probably. I know there were plenty where the driveway was covered with patchy ice, not a drop of liquid water. I was working in construction so my regular wintertime work clothes (IE, heavy coveralls and layers of insulated pants and thermal underwear) kept me warm.

 

[atikovi]

Not sure what the big deal is. Takes maybe 3 or 5 minutes to drive up some ramps, pull the drain plug and spin off the filter. Then go inside for 20 minutes while the oil drains. Then another 3 or 5 minutes to spin on a new filter and dump in the new oil. I've probably done it when it was in the teens, but it's a rare winter day when it doesn't get out of the 20's so I can wait until it does.

 

[totegoat]

Coldest was about 75 degrees.

 

[eljefino]

Did my MILs car once when it was 16 degrees out. All I wore was a ratty hoodie because I didn't want to get my winter coat dirty. It was still a nice crisp, dry 16'F.

I don't like doing car work below that temperature as it leads to more snapped fasteners. IDK if, metallurgically, the stuff gets more brittle or my nerves don't give me appropriate feedback. Even in winter I can find a 20-25 degree day nearly every week to get some car work done if needed. And, honestly, it's nicer at that temperature as ice stays put when I lean on it. Get closer to freezing and there are gross puddles everywhere.

 

[weaponoffreedom]

-41

In my garage in Moorcroft, Wyoming 2010. Changed the front diff oil and went to 0w30 Mobil from 10w30. Big difference in cold start.

 

[atikovi]

Changed the front diff oil and went to 0w30 Mobil from 10w30. Big difference in cold start.

Never knew diff oil effects cold starting.

 

[weaponoffreedom]

Never knew diff oil effects cold starting.

Yeah that did not come out right.

Of course I changed the ENGINE OIL to 0w30, savvy?

I had to drive quite a bit in the snow in the mornings, and had never changed the front diff fluid, glad I did, a bunch of metal shavings came out........this was with 100k. Totaled the truck with 230k and never had an issue.

 

[Marcozi]

A bit OT: I once washed my car when it was snowing! The place where I was washing the car was covered.

 

[BrianF]

Maybe -15c. Just warmed it up a bit and parked on the ramps. No issues but that's about the coldest I like to not wear gloves.

 

[Triple_Se7en]

MityVac or Pela Oil Extractors let us remove the oil in any temperature. I had no idea when we purchased our 2.4 GDI Hyundai and 2.0 MPI Kia that our Pela oil extractor would work perfectly in both engines.

I used the Pela last January and I'm guessing the temp outdoors was in the 30s. Obviously I left the (under the vehicle) oil filter on, for another 3.5k run.

 

[userfriendly]

Minus 35C @ Hinton, Alberta.
After a shift at the pulp mill I went to Walmart and bought enough M1 0W40 to do two railroad trucks.
Cautionary tale; fast lube oil change bulk 5w30 won’t pump at minus 40, M1 0w40 will.

 

[himemsys]

I have done some oil changes when it was cold outside, back in the days of the 3000 mile OCI thing.

There was 1 day where it was late November back in 1997 where the weather here was about like 55 degrees and I was at like 2950 miles. It was a sunny day, but no, I had to do the 3000 mile thing. Well when it hit 3000 miles, it was a day where the temps were in the mid 20's with some Light Snow coming down. Luckily a mile up the road there was an old Texaco Gas Station with a 2 bay garage where the Mechanic that I knew let me use his lift in a warm garage for $15.00 2 change my oil.

The lift he had was the old type where the big cylinder in the center lifted up, I think this Gas Station was built back in 1959! What is ironic, is even though I wished I had changed the oil when it was warmer out, it was worth the $15.00 2 stand underneath the car changing the oil versus laying on the ground at my place.

Now I just change my oil when it is warm outside. LOL

This is one of the reasons why I switched to a twice a year oil change on two of our cars. It gets in the 100s in the summer and the 20s in the winter. I used a site called weatherspark.com to get historical weather for our town and figured out that April 20 and October 20 are the best equidistant days of the year in my town. Average highs and lows on those two days are both 68F / 50F. Of course, I don't religiously change oil on those specific days, but that's a good place to start, then I work with my schedule and try to change the oil close to those days.

 

[Brian123]

This is one of the reasons why I switched to a twice a year oil change on two of our cars. It gets in the 100s in the summer and the 20s in the winter. I used a site called weatherspark.com to get historical weather for our town and figured out that April 20 and October 20 are the best equidistant days of the year in my town. Average highs and lows on those two days are both 68F / 50F. Of course, I don't religiously change oil on those specific days, but that's a good place to start, then I work with my schedule and try to change the oil close to those days.

Back in 1997 I did not have a Computer or a Cell Phone or know about any Apps, and there was no BITOG back then. Looking back since that Mechanic has passed on, I am glad I changed the oil when I did, best $15.00 I ever spent. To be in a warm garage changing oil and seeing Light Snow Fly outside was Memorable.

Now things are different, now I have a garage with a Lift, and I change the oil whenever. But if you change your oil outside you do need to look at the Weather before you change your oil.

 

[SHOZ]

I have but usually when the oil is cold too. Neither of my cars do I have to jack up to get under and open the drain or take the filter off. But they both drain better with the nose lifted a couple inches. But I let it drip all day usually when I do this. And the filters don't leak out near as much oil if it's been sitting all night.

Done the same with my manual transmissions. Let them drip for a day.

 

[andrew_j]

50F, I did in fall or late sprint never winter. I’d pay someone or defer it.

 

[64bawagon]

When I was still working we had several incidents where one of the engines needed an oil change during the winter. Several of them would not fit into the small bay that we used for repairs so we had to do the work on the concrete driveway while it was snowing. You know youve done something when youve changed the oil and filters on a Detroit diesel 12.7L series 60 (40 qts) AND greased the chassis when it below freezing. So much for the theory of a cushy Govt job.

 

[mjk1967]

I've done oil changes in the single digits. You become more organized...

 

[Zee09]

I never did the 3000 mile thing.