Oil Change Question
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Tourer
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 404
Likes: 3
From: St Louis, MO
I did a search on the internet the other day about cold vs. hot oil changes. I know one cannot believe everything on the internet but I wanted to see what type of discussions/opinions were out there.
From what I found, the primary argument for warm/hot changes seems to be that you will get all the stuff that settled to the bottom mixed in with the oil and that this will ensure a more thorough removal of contaminants. Obviously the oil will drain faster because it is a little thinner.
The argument for draining cold is that you allow the engine oil to return to the oil pan overnight and that you will be getting more of the oil out that would have been sitting in various places inside the engine.
So, which is better...draining warm/hot oil that has just been mixed or draining cold oil that has been allowed to settle to the oil pan all night...
I can see where both arguments may have some validity. One comment that I did find in my search was that if you are warming up the oil to mix all the contaminants then you might have something wrong with your engine. The oil filter will take out anything larger than the filter media (5 to 20ľ depending on the filter). Anything smaller than that is probably going to stay in suspension and drain whether the oil is hot or cold.
If your garage or wherever you have your bike stored is fairly warm, I'd go ahead and change it without running the bike. I do my own oil changes and I always allow the bike to sit overnight before an oil change.
Decide which you think makes the best sense to you.
From what I found, the primary argument for warm/hot changes seems to be that you will get all the stuff that settled to the bottom mixed in with the oil and that this will ensure a more thorough removal of contaminants. Obviously the oil will drain faster because it is a little thinner.
The argument for draining cold is that you allow the engine oil to return to the oil pan overnight and that you will be getting more of the oil out that would have been sitting in various places inside the engine.
So, which is better...draining warm/hot oil that has just been mixed or draining cold oil that has been allowed to settle to the oil pan all night...
I can see where both arguments may have some validity. One comment that I did find in my search was that if you are warming up the oil to mix all the contaminants then you might have something wrong with your engine. The oil filter will take out anything larger than the filter media (5 to 20ľ depending on the filter). Anything smaller than that is probably going to stay in suspension and drain whether the oil is hot or cold.
If your garage or wherever you have your bike stored is fairly warm, I'd go ahead and change it without running the bike. I do my own oil changes and I always allow the bike to sit overnight before an oil change.
Decide which you think makes the best sense to you.
Like you said, I can see both sides. I also agree about dealer service. I had not really thought about that, but I am sure that they are not going to take the bike out and run it for 20 min to get it up to temp before changing the oil. It will get rode into the shop and then changed...
Thanks again for all the responses.
Phil
Supporter
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 4,419
Likes: 90
From: Vermont
I would think that changing it cold from where you are at this point will do the trick. Why run the engine at idle. You won't really get it warm enough to remove the moisture and any raw gas that you will generate from a short idle. Which do you consider the lesser of two evils?
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 3,871
Likes: 4
man you guys make it so frigin complicated wait till spring you don`t need to change it just for a few months of winter in the garage, these things aren`t so friggin fragil that you have to change oil to let it sit if it was for a year maybe just change it before you ride in march
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 2,172
Likes: 7
From: Clermont, GA, CSA
Just wait till you can ride it to get everything warm. Ain't gonna hurt anything to wait.
Hell, it ain't a baby's diaper thats gonna overflow and stink up your garage if you don't do it now!
Hell, it ain't a baby's diaper thats gonna overflow and stink up your garage if you don't do it now!
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Tourer
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 404
Likes: 3
From: St Louis, MO
You guys are right about it not hurting anything to wait. I guess I mainly wanted to do it, to get out there and turn some wrenches on her. I have a few other things that I need to do too, so maybe I will just put off the oil change until I can actually get out and ride it. Or if I get bored and want to do it, I will just do it cold. Just overthinking a simple thing.
Thanks again.
Phil
Thanks again.
Phil
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 3,212
Likes: 212
The engineer in me says change it warm. That's what the service manual says for a reason.
On the other hand, I have 800mi on the oil in my Sportster and it's been sitting for the last 5 weeks (got out on New Years Eve). Low mileage oil will pretty much not hurt anything at all. If it were more like 3000-5000mi on the oil I would change it before any storage.
The gunk in your oil will likely not cause any damage before you end up needing a rebuild anyways unless you really treat it like crap and store it for a long time with beat to hell oil.
On the other hand, I have 800mi on the oil in my Sportster and it's been sitting for the last 5 weeks (got out on New Years Eve). Low mileage oil will pretty much not hurt anything at all. If it were more like 3000-5000mi on the oil I would change it before any storage.
The gunk in your oil will likely not cause any damage before you end up needing a rebuild anyways unless you really treat it like crap and store it for a long time with beat to hell oil.
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Road Warrior
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,630
Likes: 17
From: Central FL
The only major advantage to starting it up is if you have an external oil tank and need to get the oil out of the engine back into the tank so you can change it. The plug is on the tank. The argument as to weather warm or cold is better is moot since your not changing all the oil anyway.
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