Oil Change - Hot or Cold and Oil Level Check - Hot or Cold?

[Eddie]

1. I change when the oil is warm. Only time to drive onto my ramps.
2. I put in the amount recommended for an oil change
3. I check after ~ 15 minutes of engine off but, also check with a cold engine.

 

[NitroM3]

Ok so things I am adamant about ...
I always personally on my own vehicles ... and require it of my Technician's and Mechanic's in the shop when I assign an oil service to always use a new drain plug washer. And if during the removal of the drain plug if there is resistance to replace the drain plug to "chase" the threads before reinstalling the drain plug. Also torque the drain plug to exactly what the SERVICE MANAUL calls for. I even have the service tech look them up and note it on the work order. LOL They are use to me, I am also the one that inspects all work and at times through out the service to make sure things are done correctly and nothing humanly missed and then test drives the vehicle after they service anything on it before I call the customer to pick it up. Then lol I go over in detail the work done show them the old parts and the customer and I go on a short test drive. Yup! Even with an oil and filter service ! I am not going to be THAT SHOP that someone claims burgered up a service job! LOL

 

[BlueOval83]

I've never been accused of this personally, but did you ever wonder if your dipstick is too long?

Nope. It’s the factory one that feeds straight down into the motor and not on a angle. Vehicle is a 2008 Ford Fusion with a 2.3 Liter Duratec.

 

[BlueOval83]

Ok so things I am adamant about ...
I always personally on my own vehicles ... and require it of my Technician's and Mechanic's in the shop when I assign an oil service to always use a new drain plug washer. And if during the removal of the drain plug if there is resistance to replace the drain plug to "chase" the threads before reinstalling the drain plug. Also torque the drain plug to exactly what the SERVICE MANAUL calls for. I even have the service tech look them up and note it on the work order. LOL They are use to me, I am also the one that inspects all work and at times through out the service to make sure things are done correctly and nothing humanly missed and then test drives the vehicle after they service anything on it before I call the customer to pick it up.

Any chance you could look up the drain plug torque on the 4 vehicles I’m gonna list here for me?

2008 Ford Fusion 2.3 Liter
2008 Saturn Aura 3.5 Liter
2010 Chevy HHR 2.2 Liter
2015 Chrysler Town N Country 3.6 Liter

Ive never torqued down with a torque wrench the drain plugs before. Usually just snug them down with a wrench really good.

 

[NitroM3]

engine-oil-drain-plug-torque-chart-1997-2016.pdf

file:///C:/Users/Lynn/Downloads/engine-oil-drain-plug-torque-chart-1997-2016.pdf


You may want to also consider for your most "PRIZED" vehicle a Dimple Magnetic Drain Plug?

Dimple Magnetic Drain Plugs – All magnets are not created equal

drainplugmagnets.com

 

[kschachn]

If we just followed the owner's manual, BITOG would be a very boring place.

There would be no "thick vs thin" or changing transmission fluid or any "lifetime" fluids.

So rather than measure it in accordance with what the manufacturer of the vehicle says to do we should all post to Bitog and go with a crowdsouced answer?

 

[tasch72]

engine-oil-drain-plug-torque-chart-1997-2016.pdf

file:///C:/Users/Lynn/Downloads/engine-oil-drain-plug-torque-chart-1997-2016.pdf


You may want to also consider for your most "PRIZED" vehicle a Dimple Magnetic Drain Plug?

Dimple Magnetic Drain Plugs – All magnets are not created equal

drainplugmagnets.com

FYI You can't link files hosted on your computer. You'll need to upload that to a fileshare service (like Google Drive) and then share the link to that file from there

 

[kschachn]

FYI You can't link files hosted on your computer. You'll need to upload that to a fileshare service (like Google Drive) and then share the link to that file from there

I wonder who Lynn is?

 

[BlueOval83]

So rather than measure it in accordance with what the manufacturer of the vehicle says to do we should all post to Bitog and go with a crowdsouced answer?

Sometimes the manufactures get it wrong though and I e read about that here on this forum way more then a few times in the past.

 

[Cripes]

You may want to also consider for your most "PRIZED" vehicle a Dimple Magnetic Drain Plug?

Dimple Magnetic Drain Plugs – All magnets are not created equal

drainplugmagnets.com

I do something close to what Lynn recommended. I stick strong magnets on the side of my oil filter to grab and hold whatever metals it can. The strongest magnets Ive found for this are old computer hard drive magnets.

 

[NitroM3]

I wonder who Lynn is?

tasch72​

LOL sorry didn't notice it when I grabbed it to post.

Lynn is me !

 

[Astro14]

Sometimes the manufactures get it wrong though

But the set of random Internet opinions gets it right?

That‘s a stretch. We are talking about oil level here. Just level.

 

[BlueOval83]

But the set of random Internet opinions gets it right?

That‘s a stretch. We are talking about oil level here. Just level.

You never know. I have read on this forum in the past about a vehicle manufacture saying to fill with 5 quarts of oil and the vehicle took more then that cause at 5 quarts it barely showed on the dipstick so saying the manufacture is always right is a far stretch as well wouldn’t you think?

 

[NitroM3]

I do something close to what Lynn recommended. I stick strong magnets on the side of my oil filter to grab and hold whatever metals it can. The strongest magnets Ive found for this are old computer hard drive magnets.

I use Neodymium ring magnets magnets in all my personal oil pans and for fun the bottom of the oil filter.

 

[svtrit]

Depends on what else I have going on. I’ve changed oil hot and cold. Generally I prefer to drive it a bit and let it cool a little before pulling the drain plug

Filter size makes a huge difference. I can put a Motorcraft FL-1A filter on my Jeep 2.5l and hold almost and extra quart!

I check the oil cold after the vehicle has been sitting for a while, generally before church each Sunday morning. If I check Hot, I know it will appear too full and keep it in mind. Cold is the only way to check the level.

 

[NitroM3]

You never know. I have read on this forum in the past about a vehicle manufacture saying to fill with 5 quarts of oil and the vehicle took more then that cause at 5 quarts it barely showed on the dipstick so saying the manufacture is always right is a far stretch as well wouldn’t you think?

Rule of thumb look at the pan you catch the oil in, look at what you are suppose to refill, common sence get close less maybe a quart then check and add.

You know there is reasons why when checking oil in automatic transmission they generally always indicate check when hot. LOL
So when did engine sump oil become different unless the dip stick or manufacture requires how they want the oil to be checked?
In either case over filling can create problems.. even in small amounts.
The fudge lines are between add and full so it can't be that difficult to fill in the middle or slightly above the middle of the 2 lines then you are 100% covered for doing it correctly checking hot warm cold or really cold !

 

[BlueOval83]

Rule of thumb look at the pan you catch the oil in, look at what you are suppose to refill, common sence get close less maybe a quart then check and add.

Always do. I take out 4.5 and refill with 4.5 on the Fusion. It’s always at the full mark when cold which is good.

 

[Supersonic]

I check it when cold and only add or fill when the engine is cold or cooled significantly after draining hot for an oil change.

Draining it hot with a cordless ratchet that I can back the plug out and be plenty far away, little more difficult on the 4Runner type as the drain plug is straight down and makes a mess all over my ratchet.

A tilted plug has gotten easier with practice as you can turn it up and draw it away as it clears the threads, and when it isn't dropped in the drain pan the rest goes fairly well, as I usually wait for some cooling before removing the filter.

 

[BigCahuna]

So based on what everyone here has done, Hot, cold, warm, it doesn't matter what temp it is when you change it. Moving along, next question.,,,

 

[BlueOval83]

So based on what everyone here has done, Hot, cold, warm, it doesn't matter what temp it is when you change it. Moving along, next question.,,,

So I guess the answer would be “whatever floats your boat” right? Lol