Hot or cold engine oil change?

**bavaria75** · 05-01-2008 04:27 PM

What is recommended, better.

The car is sitting since about 2 weeks in the garage unmoved, so all the oil
and dirt should have settled nicly down in the oil pan and can be flushed out?

or

Dirve the engine hot and flush the oil hot as it flown better out of the engine?

Shouldn't matter but its for my wifes 1.8T.
Thank you for your opinion or input.

**Mike02A4** · 05-01-2008 05:03 PM

I always do it when its hot on both of my cars.

**tdn** · 05-01-2008 06:40 PM

you make a nice point about all the dirt being settled at the bottom. with that point in mind, i'd drain it cold. throw some cheap oil in there (non synthetic is ok for this), drive it around for a little while, 50 miles or so with some seafoam in there. drain it hot, and put in some quality full synthetic 5w40 oil in there such as elf/quartz 9000.

it'll cost a little extra to do this obviously, but would be a nice flush for the engine imo.

**Pete4 1.8t** · 05-01-2008 06:44 PM

I usually like to do it after the car has cooled off a little so I don't burn myself, but maybe that's just me. I personally don't think that it makes that big of a difference but I'd wait at least like 15 minutes after you drive the car for a while for it to cool a little bit and so all the oil will go back down to the oil pan.

**SportSter** · 05-01-2008 11:21 PM

IMO ^^^^ I secound that

what oil would you put in the car to clean out the oil from sea foam before you changed it again with synthetic?

**vinny.dtw** · 05-01-2008 11:28 PM

warm

**3ohAvant** · 05-02-2008 02:38 AM

as hot as you can stand. for me, its pretty warm, but not hot.

do it after a 10+ minute drive. then by the time you have it jacked up, and belly pan off, it should have cooled down enough to not be freaking scalding.

the reasoning. you want the particles suspended in the oil when you drain it. if its settled. its settled, and its not gonna pull the crap from more than an inch from the drain hole. so everything that has settled will still be there.

**absolutegtr** · 05-02-2008 04:16 AM

Changing the oil cold is the worst idea...ESPECIALLY after the car jas been sitting for two week.

All the residue and sediment have settled at the BOTTOM of the oil pan, its not like they are suspened in it. The only bit of sediment that will come out, is the unlucky bastard that is right over the drain hole. Always, always, change the oil when it is hot (after a loong drive)

But once you have drained the oil, after that, wait for everything to cool down before going in for the oil filter, if you dont want to burn yourself

**Dos::Avants** · 05-02-2008 08:07 AM

Also, after two weeks, there may be some condensation that NEEDS to be burned off.

The particles are suspended when hot, as well as the ease at which the oil drains will save time. I usually wait about a half an hour for it to drain with the oil cap off.

**KJIV** · 05-02-2008 08:54 AM

Get the oil hot before you drain it... don't worry about "dirt" or other particles going through the engine, that's what the oil filter is for.

**IceMole** · 05-02-2008 09:01 AM

I change it hot, then again I use a fluid evacuator so no chance of burns.

**bavaria75** · 05-02-2008 10:07 AM

Thanks for all your input.

With your arguments above It came pretty clear to me that an engine should always be drained hot/warm.

I changed it late last night run it for 15min and drained it and good to go again.
Thankns again.

**vdubstreets** · 05-02-2008 11:04 AM

it also drains better when its warm

**doublezero30** · 05-02-2008 03:10 PM

it honestly doesnt matter one bit. the only difference will really be that hot oil is thinner and will drain faster and leave less "sludge" than thick, slow draining cold oil will.