Extreme extended drain time: How much oil drips out over a week?

[jmaster]

I did not want to start a new thread but I did test this. Overnight or over a whole week (what this sample is) would be the same which doesn't amount to much oil to make any difference. Car was a 2007 Mkz 153,000 miles, Quaker State 5w-30 Synthetic is what came out @ 8,000 miles on oil. Car was supported at front with jackstands rear tires on ground, drain hole facing rear of vehicle. After initial drain and couple minutes of drip I put a water bottle under and came back to my shop one week later. This is what it collected:

Under 3oz.

 

[TimeFlies]

You are a patient person.
By the 10 minute mark, I have the plug back in.

 

[Lubener]

What are you trying to accomplish? As already stated, 10 minutes is more than enough time to drain the oil. Anything left in the engine is insignicant.

 

[Jetronic]

What are you trying to accomplish? As already stated, 10 minutes is more than enough time to drain the oil. Anything left in the engine is insignicant.

I think what he wanted to accomplish is understanding how much oil is left behind, for no other reason than he could

 

[demarpaint]

Interesting, I typically leave the drain plug out about 30 minutes while doing other tasks or chores. I've heard about people leaving the plug out overnight etc. often these same people would say they use their oil filter for two intervals, when those threads popped up. In all honestly, I'd SMH. Those three ounces in the grand scheme of things won't matter much over the life of the vehicle. Oh last thoughts, that amount would vary by different engines.

 

[Jetronic]

When i did services at the dealer, I'd pull the drain plug when the car was on the lift and undertray removed, remove the filter as soon as the flood calmed down so the recepticle could cover both, then went over the rest of the car, did brakes if needed etc... and last thing I did before putting the tray back on was a new filter and the drain plug. so anything from 5 minutes drain to 1 hour, depending on the situation. 1 hour extra if we had to stop for the noon break.

 

[Oldwolf]

I typically drain about 15 minutes, myself. Enough to get the old filter off, the new one on, and clean up my work area a bit.

 

[Wingo]

Thanks for that, interesting to know. I always wondered if there was much left or not, as I don't have the patience to wait that long. I usually let it drain for as long as it takes to vacuum and clean the inside of the car.

 

[jtay2024]

That's an interesting test! I've always wondered how much more would come out if left long enough. I tend to wait around 30 minutes when doing my own changes.

I like to use the 30 minutes or so drain time to do other little things. Clean the engine cover, remove leaves from all the gutters, change air filter / pollen filters, check the other fluids etc.

 

[SC Maintenance]

I found your post very interesting. Thank you for sharing.

 

[k1xv]

I think I will open a Jiffy Lube for patient people wanting a thorough oil change. Drop off your car on a Monday, come back to pick it up the following Monday.

 

[AZjeff]

Worth it. We fret the tiniest detail about the best oil and filter and OCI then leave that nasty stuff in there.

Sign me up k1xv.

 

[4WD]

oil stream gets small>>tiny>>drips>>plug …

 

[Kira]

drips

A guy once said to me, "...not drip, drip drip.....but ddddrrrriipp -10 second wait- ddddrrrriipp. Now it's OK to plug".
I thought he was nuts. Still do.

 

[atikovi]

With some of the OCD people here on BITOG, I'll bet a few of them will do a 1 week drain now. And that oil looks pretty nasty. 8000 miles is way too long.

 

[Jetronic]

I think I will open a Jiffy Lube for patient people wanting a thorough oil change. Drop off your car on a Monday, come back to pick it up the following Monday.

You say that as a joke, but that's what it used to be like. Drop car off on monday, collect on friday for a sheduled service. Obviously it didn't spend 5 days draining the oil, but likely some stuff needed ordering and replacing.

It's still that way for the exclusive cars, but people who can afford those obviously have the means to own multiple cars.

 

[jhellwig]

I think I will open a Jiffy Lube for patient people wanting a thorough oil change. Drop off your car on a Monday, come back to pick it up the following Monday.

Only if it is complete BITOG style with lots of worry about what filter to use as you look at you vintage shrink wrapped desiccant dried climate controlled filter stash while your oil somalia discuss the HTSsaeapiwhatever of various oils from the massive warehouse of only on sale purchased oil.

 

[gfh77665]

Interesting, I typically leave the drain plug out about 30 minutes while doing other tasks or chores. I've heard about people leaving the plug out overnight etc. often these same people would say they use their oil filter for two intervals, when those threads popped up. In all honestly, I'd SMH.

Well, if you think about it, a longer time draining (30 min+) would help assure most all the old oil gets out at least every other change.

 

[JeffKeryk]

Yeah, I used to be anal about getting every last drop out. Now I'm in the MityVac camp and 2 (or 3) services for the filter...
The younger me would go bananas over such a thing...

 

[Triple_Se7en]

You are a patient person.
By the 10 minute mark, I have the plug back in.

Nowadays, as soon as the oil flow turns into a drip, I install the drain plug. I learned that practice from my late Uncle Ed, who did this same work for a living. He liked to wear yellow and always bought Pennzoil.

Besides, who wants to stick around underneath those vehicles anyways? Today's new concrete driveway technology is a-lot harder than the old, cracked rocks-divoted stuff I used to lay on. This new concrete used today stays whiter much longer and it feels colder also. The pure white stuff used today really shows oil spills for longer times.

My 72 year-old body wants to end this oil change hurriedly anyways & exit from under that vehicle as quickly as possible. Maybe saying the word 'quick" is wrong, for it takes me longer to exit underneath, than to do the entire oil change.