Drain Oil First or Change Filter First?

[GoldenRod]

Either way will get the oil change done just fine; however, I am always coming up with these frivolous curious questions. So then in the spirit of curiosity. . . . What say you?

 

[Tosh]

The longer the oil drains, the more comes out. Do the math.

 

[tamu_man]

I do both at the same time because I have two oil pans. I usually let them drip for an hour or so, then I cork it up and usually get to put an extra half quart of fresh oil in.

 

[55Test]

My brother has a certain way of changing his oil, he'll open the drainplug, let it drain for 15 minutes, reinstall the plug finger tight, remove the filter, then remove the drainplug again. I do mine this way too now. Don't know if it accomplishes anything though.

 

[GoldenRod]

Tosh: We already did a thread about how long to let it drain. I wanted to know if you pull the drain plug first and let it drain, or replace the filter first, and THEN pull the drain plug. tamu_man: Having 2 drain pans and doing them both at the same time is a good idea. I thought about getting 1 giant drain pan that would catch the both filter AND the plug.

 

[Huhwhye]

Don't you know if more oil comes out the drain? I pull the drain. Let it drip. Pull the filter. Walk away and get the materials ready while it drains. I'll put some oil in the new filter, let it soak in, then add a little more to the filter. By then the oil has been draining for a while and it only drips once a minute or so. Put the plug in, put the filter on and refill the pan.

 

[Tosh]

quote:

---

Originally posted by GoldenRod: Tosh: We already did a thread about how long to let it drain. I wanted to know if you pull the drain plug first and let it drain, or replace the filter first, and THEN pull the drain plug.

---

Did I say anything about how long to drain it? If you begin one event before another, but end them both at the same time, which event lasts longer? I think you need to learn both to formulate your questions better and to understand what someone is saying in their reply.

 

[GoldenRod]

Tosh: The one you started with first?

 

[Tosh]

Ahh, Grasshopper, so it seems you figure out conundrum on your own.

 

[Largelarry]

I've always done the pan first, and never wondered why until now. Probably because thats how Dad did it. Love my 5.3 GM because the filter drains into the catchpan without having to move it. After the pan drips awhile I pour a half quart or so of cheap dino thru it with hopes of flushing out some pan crap. Can't hurt, right? And it makes me feel better.

 

[GoldenRod]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Largelarry: After the pan drips awhile I pour a half quart or so of cheap dino thru it with hopes of flushing out some pan crap. Can't hurt, right? And it makes me feel better.

---

That brings up an interesting maneuver that I might try.

 

[Shannow]

I drain the pan, then work on the filter, then fix the drain plug gasket, then put the filter back on, then the plug. It's the longest I can drag out the process without feeling that I've lost outage time.

 

[GoldenRod]

Shannow: outage time?

 

[Shannow]

GoldenRod, my employer makes a consumer commodity, 24/7. We have a number of performance measures, including: * "availability", which is the amount of time that we ARE producing against when we COULD be producing; * "forced outage", which is the time that a maintenance issue drags us out of production; * "planned outage", which is planned down-time for maintenance. * "breakdown", which is stuff that is serious enough to turn the plant off, but not serious enough to do it for a few days. Thus, I think of the time that a vehicle is not available as an "outage", i.e. a failure of the device to be available for the wife and kids to get to the shops. It's a sickness.

 

[Titan]

I do LargeLarry's trick, but, I don't use cheapo oil, I use whatever oil I'm about to add. My cars take 4.5 quarts to fill, and they don't consume oil between fillups, so, that 1/2 quart is used as a "rinse".

 

[GoldenRod]

Shannow: HOLY SMOKES!

 

[martyi]

I have a Fumoto valve installed but have not had a chance to change oil with it yet. I plan on openning the valve and let the oil drain through the attached hose into the disposal jug. While that is going on I'll remove the filter, then go get my new oil and filter. I will install the new filter and when no more oil comes out of the Fumoto I will close the valve and put in the new oil - end of story.

 

[Kestas]

I drain the crankcase until it starts dripping, then move the pan under the oil filter. At the same time I add a small container to catch the drips from the crankcase, essentially using two drain pans so I can walk away and let them drain as long as I want. This way it doesn't matter which order you drain the two. The small container is essentially an old quart oil bottle with the top cut off.

 

[UncleS2]

On Neons, the oil filter is so close to the drain plug the same drain pan position works for both. With engine warm, oil filler cap loosened, & car on ramps w/drain pan positioned on newspapers, 1st remove the drain plug, then unscrew the filter partly, then remove filter. While things drain: check the CV boots, wipe off grease fittings, take a general look around under the car. Now wipe clean the filter seating surface, fill, oil gasket, & install new oil filter. Wipe clean seating surface on oil pan & plug, replace drain plug. Use only small ~6" long 3/8" drive Craftsman ratchet to avoid too much torque on the steel plug in aluminum oil pan. Fill with oil- while a quart drains well, remove drain pan, get under & grease both lower ball joints. Proper fill: 4.5 qts with factory recommended size filter, 4.75 qt with oversize filter. Start engine, get out & look under car for leaks, then get back in & back car off ramps. Pour old oil in jug, set old filter to drain in funnel in jug, gather up newspapers & oil bottles, put ramps away. Now, drive like H___ !

 

[Tosh]

quote:

---

Originally posted by OriginHacker21: Do any of you guys think there is an advantage to pouring half a quart in after draining to kind of "flush" things out?

---

It depends on where the return oil galleries drain into the pan (or even how the car is tilted at that moment). If upstream opposite from the drain plug, there might be some rinsing action. You could catch this rinse oil in a clean container, and decide for yourself if it's worth it for your case. To me it seems as if there's actual crud on the bottom of the pan, it would be best dislodged during the main first drain, when the flow is fastest. And if there is some glob of dirty oil hanging by surface tension onto the drain hole lip, a little clean oil upstream would force it out. Is it worth it?