Hot or cold oil change?

jeff · Feb 8, 2014

Hi All,
I expect along with almost all of you I have always done my oil changes after thoughly warming the engine first.
However i read a magazine artical last week and it advised to do oil changes cold!
The reasons behind this were:
Modern semi and fully synthetic oils do not thin to the same degree (if at all) as older oils do when hot, and doing it cold means all the oil possible is in the sump.
then finally there is no chance of burns.
It kinda made sense to me but still think i'll end up doing it the "old" way.
Any thoughts from those in the "Zone"

Jeff.

Kiwi_rsvr · Feb 9, 2014

I always do warm oil changes , not hot. I also only ever use Motul 5100 (10w40) and find that I always get it to drain better when warm.

badapple1 · Feb 9, 2014

I read the same article and wondered if I've always been doing it wrong! I use 10w40 and drain warm and once done I just fire her up it also said to crank the engine and not start till the oil light goes out. I may be a bit thick but how do you crank the engine without starting it????

jeff · Feb 9, 2014

badapple said:
I read the same article and wondered if I've always been doing it wrong! I use 10w40 and drain warm and once done I just fire her up it also said to crank the engine and not start till the oil light goes out. I may be a bit thick but how do you crank the engine without starting it????

I would imagine you have to pull the plug leads off.

Jeff

Kiwi_rsvr · Feb 9, 2014

Because our bikes run dry sump you cannot apply the rules of a standard wet sump procedure.

jeff · Feb 9, 2014

Kiwi_rsvr said:
Because our bikes run dry sump you cannot apply the rules of a standard wet sump procedure.

This was in the back of my mind when I originally posted this thread, Warm up and change tomorrow then.

Badshot · Feb 9, 2014

I think warming it up will only allow it to flow quicker and easier. By doing it cold it will just take longer for the oil to drain but should all still come out. Either way you're not doing any harm in my opinion. I'd say biggest thing is to pre oil the oil filter.

Tifa1 · Feb 10, 2014

I usually drop mine when warm.
Then leave it overnight to drain properly.
Just get as much out as you can (within reason)

I see from your avatar, that you have a GenI, I have a GenII and that's pretty much impossible to fully drain it unless you actually pull off the oil coolers.

jeff · Feb 10, 2014

Tifa said:
I usually drop mine when warm.
Then leave it overnight to drain properly.
Just get as much out as you can (within reason)

I see from your avatar, that you have a GenI, I have a GenII and that's pretty much impossible to fully drain it unless you actually pull off the oil coolers.

Not going to go to the extent of rermoving the oil coolers.
It will be draining for a day or two until the new engine drain plug arrives, (see seperate thread "broken bolt extractor...help!" )
so will have as much as possible out.

Jeff

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Hot or cold oil change?

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