Oil Change "trick" or smart technique....

[F15E_WSO]

On the phone with my College Kiddo yesterday and he was changing the oil in his car and a buddies at the same time (economy of effort) last weekend. Well the buddy drains his oil and removes the filter. Waits a few minutes then drops one fresh quart of oil into the fill and lets it just drain/run through the engine picking up whatever it might as it works its way to the bottom and back out. THEN he puts the drain plug and filter on and fills normally.

At first glance this seems like a good idea, costs 3-5$ for the extra quart and takes 3-5 minutes more. Granted you can't run the engine, the oil will take the path of least resistance. My son said he watched the process from below, the "extra" oil came out black at first as it picked up extra gunk and by the end the new quart was flowing more gold than black (remember it ALL goes along the same basic path I suspect).

Thoughts on this technique, worth the extra time and nominal expense?

 

[Joe Dirt]

I guess it wouldn't hurt anything, for a buck or whatever cheap oil you could run through it, why not? It's probably just 'rinsing' the bottom of the pan though...

 

[F15E_WSO]

I guess it wouldn't hurt anything, for a buck or whatever cheap oil you could run through it, why not? It's probably just 'rinsing' the bottom of the pan though...

Joe, I think I'd stick with the same wt and brand I'm using and I agree it is just a rinse.

Do you run the engine before you change the oil, warm it up or do it from a cold stand-still after over-night (Saturday morning for example)?

 

[Joe Dirt]

I always change it when warm, as the oil is thinner and drains better... Also- fill your new oil filter before screwing it back onto the bung.

 

[2TimingTom]

Joe, I think I'd stick with the same wt and brand I'm using and I agree it is just a rinse.

If it is a rinse, then cheap oil would work just as good as expensive oil. Most of that rinsing oil is going to get drained out and there's no harm in mixing an ounce or 2 of cheap oil with a couple qts of good oil.

Interesting idea though. I like it.

 

[1AJeremyD]

I have done that occasion when someone has skipped over an oil change for a bit. Would I recommend doing it all the time? No not really, because the waste and the benefit is minimal. The oil you end up pouring down the engine only goes one way but the sediment at the bottom of the pan is what normally moves. Best way to clean the oil out is it do oil change sooner than you normally would. If you go 10K on an oil change then just do the oil change at 1K instead of 3k, 5K, or whatever interval you normally do.

 

[2TimingTom]

I bet even if you did it every change, 1 qt of cheap oil would last 2 maybe 3 changes. I doubt you'd need to pour the whole qt in.

 

[F15E_WSO]

I bet even if you did it every change, 1 qt of cheap oil would last 2 maybe 3 changes. I doubt you'd need to pour the whole qt in.

I think you'd need the whole quart, thing is you can't "wash down" the inside like with a hose, it goes in one way and is just going to flow straight out via the path of least resistance. Some corners will remain untouched. I think the point of changing after 1K might be more effective but you also would spend more $$ and would want the sediment suspended in warm oil like Joe said.

 

[sean99]

I've always used about 1/3 qt of cheap oil...If you are going to use a whole qt then put the plug back in first to better rinse the pan, otherwise it would be a waste.

 

[Hartman]

That's a waste of a quart of oil if you ask me. It's not going to flow around in the engine, it will simply drop straight down.

 

[F15E_WSO]

I've always used about 1/3 qt of cheap oil...If you are going to use a whole qt then put the plug back in first to better rinse the pan, otherwise it would be a waste.

Yep, I think that is an improvement on the technique; the single quart waits/fills up the bottom of the pan and "maybe" pulls up and out a bit more dirty oil when you remove the plug again.

 

[sean99]

With the plug in, 1/3 to 1/2 qt should be plenty to rinse the pan.

 

[KingstonX]

What about just using a little diesel fuel? My Grandpa always told me that trick but hes a old timer.

 

[herebyproxy]

Why not take it a step further and "rinse" it with 5 quarts? That makes 5 times as much sense. (5 x 0 = 0)

 

[2TimingTom]

Your equation doesn't match your statement.

 

[FarmTruk]

I always change it when warm, as the oil is thinner and drains better... Also- fill your new oil filter before screwing it back onto the bung.

x2 on both counts.

pre-filling the filter saves your engine severalo precious seconds when it restarts from "dry-starting". By doing this, the oil pump doesn't have to fill the filter before oil begins to circulate to the expensive bits.


I've heard of diesel being used to "flush" a dirty engine, but never had a reason to use such drastic measures.

A quart of ATF, being that it is "high detergent", will do much the same, and seems much less destructive on the internals.

YMMV.

 

[ThePhoenix]

cudos for use of the word BUNG

 

[1AJeremyD]

x2 on both counts.

I've heard of diesel being used to "flush" a dirty engine, but never had a reason to use such drastic measures.

A quart of ATF, being that it is "high detergent", will do much the same, and seems much less destructive on the internals.

YMMV.

I wouldn't recommend anyone putting anything flammable in their engines because of the blowby from the engine could ignite everything inside on fire.

As for the ATF, I have actually heard of a procedure done by the Mazda dealers on engines with oil light problems. I believe the millenias had a issue with sludge building up and they would throw a quart through the engine for I believe it was a couple hundred miles and then the customer comes back and do a full oil change. I wouldn't do this on a normal car/truck because the ATF could balloon out all the rubber seals and gaskets in the engine.

Just my 2 cents.......

 

[herebyproxy]

Of course the equation doesn't match the statement......the statement was sarcastic. My meaning for those of you who are a little thick......Running a quart of oil through an engine after an oil change makes no sense.....so 5 quarts makes no sense x 5. Still no sense.....

 

[F15E_WSO]

Of course the equation doesn't match the statement......the statement was sarcastic. My meaning for those of you who are a little thick......Running a quart of oil through an engine after an oil change makes no sense.....so 5 quarts makes no sense x 5. Still no sense.....

herebyproxy,
Welcome, your opinion here is highly valued what with your 18 posts and counting. If you take a moment to read my original post you will see it is designed to spark debate. Since I am apparently "thick" I just don't grasp things as quickly as I would like--a byproduct of hurling myself around the world at +500 mph I guess, just kind of slow. One could debate that as the fresh oil comes out dark (while picking up old oil) and then runs clear again it must wash away some contaminants, question is if it is worth the effort and the $$. There is no need to put your opinion on us as if we were children.

BTW I changed the oil in one of our Explorers this weekend and elected NOT to try this; just didn't feel that strongly about the benefit it might prove to a truck we owned for 2 thousand of it's 93K miles.