Oil Changing Question

nh8260 · Apr 23, 2021

I've always wondered this so i thought i would ask and see what others say. I am in the process of changing oil in my tractors and was curious about getting the most oil out of the oil pan as possible, is it better to drain the oil after it has sat overnight and all ran down in the pan or after the tractor has ran awhile and the oil gets hot and thinner?? It might not matter but like I said i was always curious if one way was better than the other.

pcsaw · Apr 23, 2021

I think it's better to drain it when it's warm and have time to let it drain for a while just my 2 cents worth

rustred · Apr 23, 2021

after your days work pull the drain plug, even let it sit over night if you want. draining cold oil is useless.

rusty6 · Apr 23, 2021

I always figure to drain the engine oil when its hot enough to burn my hands.

jon f mn · Apr 23, 2021

I've heard both ways. I always get it grand warm then drain.

flying belgian · Apr 23, 2021

I drain mine hot. Don't know why, just always done it that way.

rustred · Apr 23, 2021

that is because the particles are suspended in the oil and not settled out on the bottom of the pan. draining cold oil you have the heavy stuff on the bottom and thats where it stays.

SVcummins · Apr 23, 2021

Drain hot let it drain over night

ss55 · Apr 23, 2021

I drain engine oil hot, unless the oil is contaminated by coolant or fuel then drain engine oil without starting the engine.

gmccool · Apr 23, 2021

I agree with changing oil while still hot but I disagree with leaving it set overnight. I don't like starting a engine that hasn't had any oil circulated in it & is cold from setting overnight. I would rather start a engine that hasn't had any oil circulated in it while it is still warm. That's just my preference.

fastfarmall · Apr 23, 2021

Why leave it sit overnite with out a plug in it,i don't want any dust blowing up there in the oil pan, that little bit of oil wont hurt anything when added to the new oil!

Steve@Advance · Apr 23, 2021

All the manuals say drain it hot.

Draining hot will get all that's going to drain in a few minutes. You'll never get it all out, but if done as scheduled it won't matter if some stay behind.

Steve@Advance · Apr 23, 2021

PS: Meant to add if the drain plug is to one side or favors the front or back, try to tilt the vehicle so the drain is at the lowest point.

sms · Apr 24, 2021

I drain when hot. I don't have any old manuals handy but didn't some of them say to fill with fuel oil and run a few minutes and drain again to flush?

showcrop · Apr 24, 2021

(quoted from post at 19:47:46 04/23/21) All the manuals say drain it hot.

Draining hot will get all that's going to drain in a few minutes. You'll never get it all out, but if done as scheduled it won't matter if some stay behind.

Steve at advance has it right. It is what every manual says. With hot oil an extended drain is not needed.

showcrop · Apr 24, 2021

(quoted from post at 19:47:46 04/23/21) All the manuals say drain it hot.

Draining hot will get all that's going to drain in a few minutes. You'll never get it all out, but if done as scheduled it won't matter if some stay behind.

Steve@Advance has it right. It is what every manual says. With hot oil an extended drain is not needed.

John T · Apr 24, 2021

I like to do it hot (when oil is thinner) PLUS still allow plenty of time until it stops dripping. Im in no big hurry and prefer to let as much as possible of the old dirt n oil to all drain out. Being parked so the drain area is downhill is another thing I like. Thats my way, you do it yours........

John T

Mike(NEOhio) · Apr 24, 2021

That was back in the days of non-detergent oils.

sms · Apr 24, 2021

Just checking my memory

Richard G. · Apr 24, 2021

Back in the late 80's, I traded for a 39 JD A and drove it home 3 miles.
Gauge showed 0 PSI but did not knock.
Pulled it in the shop and removed drain plug.
It had little globs of thick grease like stuff glug out for 2 weeks.
Took the top cover off and rigged a 5 gallon bucket of kerosene and an old La Case
oil pump with a drill to flush the crankcase.
Stretched an old T shirt over the bucket with a hole for the pump shaft.
Had to change the T shirt every little bit.
Flushed it for a couple of hours and got it super clean inside.
Had good oil pressure from then on.
Used that old A pulling a brush hog and a 10 foot smoothing harrow for years.
Richard in NW SC

John T · Apr 24, 2021

Richard, I bought this 1948 White Super Power at an auction in Stilesville Indiana yearsssssssss ago drove it home and it had good oil pressure, dipstick showed near full (was black n dirty however) .........Went to change oil removed the huge 1 1/4 pipe plug AND NOTHING RAN OUT !!!!!! I started looking and picking pretty hard up and in the big drain hole, ALL OF A SUDDEN HERE IT CAME OUT ALL OVER ME Wonder maybe it hadn't been changed in a while ?? maybe non detergent oil ???

A tag on the door stated 110 Brake Horsepower Certified. It was an inline 6 that had an oil bath air cleaner the size of a 5 gallon bucket and an almost that big carb. Oh those years when I was a farmer and used truck tractor and implement dealer, it was fun and I made a living. Times change Im too old for that now, the 1948 Ford was my first implement truck I drove all winter over 3/4 states buying used equipment, I was younger then......

John T

fixerupper · Apr 24, 2021

Hot oil runs out the drain plug faster doing a better job of flushing out the contaminants, both suspended and unsuspended.

Bruce(OR) · Apr 24, 2021

if it has been awhile or a new/used toy, heat it up, let drain overnight, run another quart through it with the drain plug out.
Really dirty? Another oil change in about 500 miles. Rinse it out again.

fusion1 · Apr 26, 2021

I have been a Ford Dealer for 50 years
don't micromanage this chore
drain oil, reinstall plug change filter and put new oil in
start engine check for leaks .
Done

showcrop · Apr 26, 2021

(quoted from post at 05:03:09 04/26/21) I have been a Ford Dealer for 50 years
don't micromanage this chore
drain oil, reinstall plug change filter and put new oil in
start engine check for leaks .
Done

Fusion, lots of good advise here and then yours.

SARG · Apr 26, 2021

(quoted from post at 19:21:11 04/23/21) Why leave it sit overnite with out a plug in it,i don't want any dust blowing up there in the oil pan,

Sometimes all you can do is smile.

SARG · Apr 26, 2021

And it is good to pay attention ..... a couple years ago I was doing the yearly maintenance on a T1530 NH .... having fun changing the fuel filter ... air filter and changing the oil .... cleaning and greasing all the zerks ......... and then a couple of our friends stopped by and we had a conversation while I'm diddling around cleaning this-n-that.
Sure enough they left and I proceeded to pour in a 5 quart jug of oil ........ I did not notice right away I had not put the plugs back in the pan ... spent an hour cleaning that mess up.

sotxbill · Apr 26, 2021

In the good old days... oils were full of wax and paraffin molecules that would settle out when the oil cooled down, and form sludge. It WAS critical with those types of oil that you drain it as hot as you can get it, to remove as much wax as possible.This oil also had thinner components that would vaporize out the breather and the oil would get thicker and thicker as you ran it.

IF.. your using a good modern multi-weight detergent oil, the oil is refined so that all the heavy wax and paraffin molecules are now stripped out, and the oil has a super base additive to fight acids. This base additive also has the effect of cleaning the engine. HD oils also have an additive that keeps particles suspended in the oil so they can settle out. Also all of the thinner components are stripped out so that the oil viscosity stays consistent through its life.

Just buy a good oil, and change it as required.

BarnyardEngineering · Apr 26, 2021

I got sick of the second-degree burns on my hands from the hot oil, so I drain them cold. When you get to that last thread of the drain plug it is nigh on IMPOSSIBLE not to get oil sprayed on you and maintain a grip on the drain plug so it doesn't end up in the bottom of a 5 gallon pail of boiling hot oil that you now have to reach into and fish around with your bare arm, causing even more 2nd degree burns.

showcrop · Apr 26, 2021

(quoted from post at 06:51:39 04/26/21) I got sick of the second-degree burns on my hands from the hot oil, so I drain them cold. When you get to that last thread of the drain plug it is nigh on IMPOSSIBLE not to get oil sprayed on you and maintain a grip on the drain plug so it doesn't end up in the bottom of a 5 gallon pail of boiling hot oil that you now have to reach into and fish around with your bare arm, causing even more 2nd degree burns.

WOW! Barnyard, I suppose if I had your difficulties I would have quit changing oil myself 60 years ago.

BarnyardEngineering · Apr 27, 2021

(quoted from post at 11:15:42 04/26/21) WOW! Barnyard, I suppose if I had your difficulties I would have quit changing oil myself 60 years ago.

I don't change the oil on any on-road vehicles anymore. The sadistic SOB that decides to run the exhaust pipe in a complete circle around the oil filter on EVERY vehicle I've ever owned sealed that for me.

Oil Changing Question

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