Oil Change Procedure Question

[rp855T]

Sorry if this has been discussed before but I havne't been able fo find anything on it. Let's say you have a 5qt oil capacity (with filter) per your owners manual. What I do is drain the old oil, replace filter and plug and then fill the car with 4 qts of oil. I start the car to get the oil into the filter, then shut it down and add the other quart. On one of my cars I can't prefill the filter since it's upside down on the motor. Is that OK? Thanks!

 

[Dick in Falls Church]

Your car will automatically demolish, your hair will fall out, your fillings will fall out, your wallet and checkbook will totally empty. You could turn your car upside down and be able to fill the filter before you install it. Just drop in the 5 quarts and start it up. There is oil on the parts, and it will fill the filter in a couple of seconds at the most.

 

[hk33ka1]

The 4 quart then add one method is how I usually change my oil, and all the shops I know do this to avoid overfills. Being shy a quart for a minute isnt't gonna hurt anything at all. And usually when the filter goes on the bottom of the motor it will be prefilled by some techs, especially one models with larger filters.

 

[Al]

I just dump it all in in one shot. Like **** said it goes through fast. Not an issue. But everyone has their own method. I'mnot knocking hk's method. I've probably done it.

 

[rp855T]

Thanks everyone. I guess I've always done it that way because I wasn't sure if I'd overfill the drain pan by putting it all in at once. Dick...LOL that was funny. Next time don't sugar-coat it! hahaha

 

[GoldenRod]

If you know your car takes 5 quarts, why not put all 5 quarts in at once ? Am I missing something here ?

 

[Kestas]

GoldenRod, I believe the point is that for the very first startup, the sump is overfilled by one quart compared with normal startups. I'll admit that this never crossed my mind before.

 

[labman]

Modern QC theory teaches that the more chances you give even the best people to screw up, the more times somebody will screw up. KISS. A few seconds of over fill will never hurt unless you rev the engine up to build the oil pressure faster. Surely nobody here does that. Most important step is to put the plug in and tighten it up to a reasonable torque, before adding any oil. Can anybody post a bad result from dumping all the oil in at once? Remember, all the learned people believed Aristotle that heavier objects fell faster until that no good kid Galileo trudged up the tower with the big and little balls. Think less and observe more.

 

[Ray H]

D0es any0ne here seri0usly believe the aut0makers underfill the sump by 1 quart 0f m0t0r 0il 0n the assembly line, 0nly t0 add it later? Really? :r0lleyes: In the 3 0r 4 sec0nds (at m0st) that the crank thr0ws may be dipping int0 the 0il, there will n0t be sufficient churning t0 cause any seri0us f0aming. (Apparently this site's ever vigilant "th0ught p0lice" have determined that my use 0f the letter "0" den0tes abusive language and h0rrible, nasty th0ughts! All the suggestive letter "0"s were bl0tted 0ut with p0litically c0rrect "*"s. Makes sense t0 me! I had t0 substitute "zer0es" f0r the universally 0ffensive letter "0"s...) [ January 26, 2006, 01:51 PM: Message edited by: Ray H ]

 

[rp855T]

Kestas, that's exactly right. Do I do more damage putting too much oil in the pan, or running the car 1qt low for a few seconds? Or does it even matter?

 

[StressSolutions]

Ray, think you've got a problem there. Seeing all those 00000 mixed into the text is annoying.

 

[H2GURU]

KESTAS, All these posts we've read and THIS never crossed my mind either! I wonder how many BITOGERs will now only add that last QT. of oil after engine has been started??

 

[rp855T]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I guess the consensus is that it won't hurt anything either way. I'll probably underfill it just a little so I can top it off exactly when I'm done. Now what about leaving the A/C Recirc button on too long, will that cause my windows to explode? Just kidding, don't answer that!!! Serously, thanks for entertaining my question.

 

[Triple_Se7en]

Nothing wrong with saving that last quart of fresh oil for later with a 4-5 quart crankcase. The only difference in my oil changes is changing the filter first. To me, it's easier to slide a plastic oil catcher around on the ground over to the oil pan that has very little oil in it from the filter -- versus one that has 4-5 quarts in it -- in order to catch the filter oil overflow last.

 

[rp855T]

Triple, That's a good idea. Never thought of changing the filter first... By the way, I messed up the joke. It's supposed to be if you leave the recirc button on too long you'll run out of oxygen in the car...there goes my chances at a stand-up comic career.

 

[martyi]

My Honda takes 4 1/2 qts. with filter. I put in 4 qts. and ride around a bit. If I need to put more in I do. I think sometimes I don't get it all out.

 

[kschachn]

Also, even when the filter points down like on one of my cars, you can at least pre-wet the filter element with oil. Just fill it up and set it on the shelf, and while the oil pan is draining it will soak into the media. I figure this way the filter element is at least wetted with oil.

 

[Colt]

I fill the filter with oil,install it and add the rest of whats called for all at once.

 

[rp855T]

Never thought to do that. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[Shaman]

Think about the outrageous pressures put on the dry filter when you first start the car. It’s enough to make anyone prefill a filter. I wouldn’t worry about it. I under filled mine last time because the front end was about 4 feet in the air, and at that angle, it might very well get up to the crank. Plus I am following a suggestion for running a little low to help with getting oil up to temp faster.