Drain "all" oil oil during an oil change or "most"

[CT8]

There is nothing to gain by toying with getting that last bit of oil out. But there is always a but I would do flush if lets say the head gasket blew and contaminated the oil with coolant etc.

 

[linksep]

Originally Posted By: ARCOgraphite

~1/2 qt staying behind is normal. But ramps for oil changes and uneven jacking might put you over 1qt stay behind which is not reasonable.

Try it. My owners manual lists 4.5 qts with filter change. When I change it flat (on a hoist) it takes 4.75 qts to get to the "Full" mark on the dipstick. When I change it on ramps it takes 5.0-5.25 qts to get to the "Full" mark on the dipstick (depending on how hot the oil was when I drained it and how long I let it drip). Hoist or ramps, my level check procedure is the same. Start it and let it run ~30 seconds to fill the dry filter (back it off the ramps if applicable), check level and top off as needed with the car sitting flat on the ground.

 

[ecotourist]

Originally Posted By: trouts2

... the only way to get it all would be to turn the engine a few times or tilt the car which would be impracticable.

I was taught by my much older father to turn the car over (briefly and without starting) once the oil had stopped dripping. There would be another gush of oil for sure. I now think doing that was counter productive. It presumably emptied the oil pump which then had to re-prime before pumping any oil. That "no oil pressure sound" definitely lasted longer. So I haven't done that in several decades and would advise anyone against doing so. The little bit of oil that is not drained is not worth worrying about. But not having oil pressure in a running engine is. Turning over the engine may have been considered good practice at some time (my father was born in 1903 so this practice could date back to 1915 - 1920 or so) but I've never heard or read anything to that effect.

 

[Finz]

Originally Posted By: bigt61

.... they barely let the oil stop draining before hitting the drain plug with an air ratchet.

 

[Bluestream]

Originally Posted By: 901Memphis

Every once in awhile after you let it drip til it almost stops, just pour in a jug of Supertech 5w30 and idle the car for 10 minutes and drain it again!

This is ridiculous BITOG paranoid mania!

 

[Dallas69]

You can do this all day long and still be right back where you started!!! Some of you guys should get together for some kind of party.

 

[KeithS_NW_Ohio]

After the oil stops dripping, give the engine a couple of squeezes, to get the last of the oil out.

 

[raytseng]

The other way to think of the old oil, What have you been driving on the miles prior to the oil change? the horror the horror.

 

[TiredTrucker]

Yeah, I have a heavy duty oil cooler on my motor. Sure not going to get all the oil out on a drain. I just never worried about such things.

 

[901Memphis]

Originally Posted By: ccap41

Originally Posted By: 901Memphis

Every once in awhile after you let it drip til it almost stops, just pour in a jug of Supertech 5w30 and idle the car for 10 minutes and drain it again!

When yo do this, for a temp filter, do you just find the cheapest filter you can get your hands on?

You can just re-use the old filter, since it's only holding like 1/4 quart of oil the fresh 5 quarts will dillute it to nothing and at least you don't waste a filter. You don't even have to waste a jug of oil, if you have a 4-5 quart sump you can just dump in 3 quarts and idle it since that will be enough to keep the system primed without a load.

 

[EdwardC]

I change my oil on ramps, so it's always tilted like that, I've never worried about it...

 

[slidetaker]

Slow drips sounds about right as long as is not a steady stream. For me, if I am changing the oil on Saturday, I will start draining after back home on Friday night. Take me a couple of minutes to unscrew the plug anyway.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

Originally Posted By: Malo83

^^^^^ Why!!! Talk about a waste of oil, all the tree huggers and tightwads are gonna yell to high heaven about the environment and wastefullness

That is really moronic and wasteful unless you had a coolant leak.

 

[geeman789]

Many drain plugs point towards the back of the car... if that is the case, jacking up the front of the car probably helps get MORE oil out...

 

[CELICA_XX]

I change my oil on ramps, and after all the oil has stopped draining, I will take a floor jack and lift one of the rear wheels for 5 or 10 seconds. Quite a bit more oil will start draining immediately.

 

[4wheeldog]

Raising the back of my Outback 1 1/2" (I back it on top of a 2x4) gets .25 quart more out, than dead level. The drain it on the back of the pan. But....It is a Subaru, so automatically quirky.

 

[camperbob]

Where is the drain plug? Not many vehicles have a drain plug flat under the fan. Most are either on a side or in the rear. If in the rear, jack the front up. On a side, jack the opposite side, or level it out. Though splitting hairs, its possible that the shop would have gotten more oil out the first time, if the drain plug was at the lowest point.

 

[camperbob]

Originally Posted By: slidetaker

Slow drips sounds about right as long as is not a steady stream. For me, if I am changing the oil on Saturday, I will start draining after back home on Friday night. Take me a couple of minutes to unscrew the plug anyway.

So you leave the plug out all night long? If so, aren't you more worried about dust and whatnot making its way to the pan?

 

[Whimsey]

If it's morning then I drain for 2 mugs of coffee. If it's PM then 3 beers will be long enough before it's substantially drained . Whimsey

 

[Yah-Tah-Hey]

.Less than six ounces from a drop every five seconds to every twenty seconds. My experience over more than fifty years of changing oil.