hey guys i have a quick question about changing my oil. my car has been parked since thanksgiving and it needed an oil changed a little over a month ago and i was 50 miles under the time to change it. i want to change my oil now but my question is should i start my car to warm the oil up even though the oil is old or should i just drain it cold. thanks in advance

 

I always warm it up before I remove it. Might want to do the next change a little earlier than usual though.

 

Definitely start your car and warm up the oil before you drain it.

 

I was taught to always warm the oil up before changing it.

 

Warm it up, get those nasties up off the bottom of your pan and circulating so they can be drained.

 

I've always driven my cars before changing the oil, that's why I have a permanent scar on the top of my right hand. My wife's Vette has the oil filter next to the exhaust down pipe right side, it's a juggling act between removing the filter (not spilling a drop) and staying away from that hot pipe....Ouch!
Gary

 

I learn something new everyday on G35Driver.

 

gary try changing the oil on a 350z ugh.


the filter is like all the way down, esp since theres a intake running on top of it.



but yeah, i always change my oil after i drive my car, i usually pop the hood and let it sit for 5-10 mins though

 

yes i always warm up my car to change it. the only thing i was worried about is that the oil is old.

 

Just did the oil for the first time since I got the car (7 months/3k miles ago). I ALWAYS change my own oil in my cars and for several years now I have done it COLD. I figure that all the "nasties" are already settled in the pan and it makes the job alot quicker (and burn free). Of course the OP has not driven in awhile so I would go ahead and run it for a few minutes to warm it up.

I have had worse luck running the motor for a few minutes as the excess fuel never completly burns out and most of the time, the next time you start it, will run like CRAP for the first few miles.

I always get well over 100k with ALL of my cars (the champ is my 93 Aerostar @175k). I have noticed (and probably good arguement for the 3k change intervals) is the oil comes out very dirty looking after 3k. My old Mazda MPV V6 was the worst as the oil was almost sludgy and motor was noisy when first starting it (that was the car that taught me NOT to just run for a few minutes as I had to do an "emergency" oil change after starting it for a minute each over a long weekend, thought it was going to throw a rod on Monday morning).

As for the filter, again, if you change the oil every 3k, the filter should always be fine no matter what size (or brand) it is.

IMO, the main reason to change the oil is NOT that the oil "wears out", rather to get the dirt and crap out of the engine and replenish any "additives" that the oil provides.

 

How old it is isn't an issue, you want it all to drain and if it's warm it flows easier especially if it's not synthetic. Pop the hood and remove the dipstick and oil fill plug, after you've pulled the drain plug let it sit for 1/2 hour or more. Hard part's done....
Gary

 

^ +1