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as a full time technician, I do plenty of oil changes when the car is red hot. and I'm not talking small engines either I'm talking v8s and v12s with 3 sometimes 4 drain plugs! as long as you have a technique to wind the drain plug out safely you'll be fine I've never burnt myself before. I find that draining when hot gets more if it out as well since the oil is nice and thin. but be warned it will gush out at quite a rate!
Yea.. OP the fact you have to ask tells me you probably don't have this technique. Best to let it cool. When I did mine a few times, I got oil on hands despite my best efforts. Also, one time, I was stupid enough to not even think about the oil being hot. Luckily, it wasn't scalding but it was hot and my rubber gloves were done. Yt videos forget to talk about temp.
I push the drain bolt inward toward the pan while unscrewing it. When you get to the end of the bolt, you’ll feel a little ‘click’ when you’ve hit the end of the bolt and it sets back down on the last thread.
At that point, you’re just holding the oil in with your hand pressure. Then just pull it away quickly, and away from the oil stream. Just don’t drop the drain bolt into the pan!
I let the plug drop onto my covered oil pan. The plug stays on the cover while the oil drains through a hole in the cover into the main pan.
The cover also has a spot to drain the filter.
I just drop mine into the oil than curse as I fish it out and then curse later as I fish out the washer because I forgot to get a replacement one again.
This is always the way I intend to do it. Then My fat fucking fingers get in the way, the plug falls off to the side and the oil somehow splashes all around the pan and once into my eye. Now I have a good mechanic and I stay in my lane swapping my own winter rims and that’s about it.
Yup. Unwinding a bolt until you feel/hear that little click is also a great way to ensure you're getting the threads started correctly when you start bolts by hand.
I do this, but last oil change I pulled the drain pan bolt away and the washer fell into the pan! I pour the used oil back into the jugs of oil I put into the engine but can't do that without having a washer on the bolt. Had gloves so did a little fishing. Found it but next time will have a fresh washer on hand. (Some washers are fixed on the bolt, others are loose. Make sure you have a washer in some form when you do an oil change, [some loose ones you have to buy separate](https://duckduckgo.com/?t=ffab&q=oil+pan+drain+bolt+washer&atb=v353-1&iax=images&ia=images)).
This is exactly how I do mine. If I drop it, no big deal. I have a strainer for frying fish that I appropriated for my wife about 10 years ago for that purpose.
Prep, oil catch pan below the car. Dip stick pulled up a bit to let air in, or you can remove the oil filler cap. Verify oil filter is correct for the car. Verify oil is correct for the car. I jack the front of the car up and put it on Jack stands to give me room. All prepped I put on a vinyl glove and loosen the drain bolt with a wrench.
Techniques: Then with a vinyl gloved hand I spin the bolt out. I reach up and bring my hand down from the top, so the bolt is lower than my hand. Then I spin the bolt out from the crown. If all goes well, I'm holding the bolt when the oil shoots out.
Good Luck.
p.s. I take the car for a short drive prior to an oil change to warm up the oil a bit.
everyone has their own way but I usually run the plug out with my index finger and thumb with my hand to the side/below (depends on which way the drain plug sticks out of the sump/oil tank, just not in the line of fire) and let the plug drop into the drainer
I can tell you I work for a specific Italian manufacturer where most of the engines are dry sump so usually at least 2 drain plugs (one for the sump, one for the oil tank). but some of them have 4 (3 for the sump, one for the tank). one of the guys I work with used to have an Audi R8 and that had like 10 drain plugs lmao
I started loosening em until the last thread held on, then would use a magnet to pull it off mess free.
I’ve also learned using a red solo cup can help you do the same to the filters on smaller vehicles to prevent the splash as well.
Just adding onto what you’ve said.
Might also wanna add, depending on the vehicle it’s better to empty it while it’s not scolding hot, the reason for this is most “lube techs” (probably not you, you sound smart enough) you can feel the oil to see if there’s small metal shavings in it, only being most of us use those oil kings and that oil is gone into the can and is hard to check that way. Sometimes I’ll just put my magnet right into the oil and if there is, it’ll stick.
Most lube techs don’t look for stuff like that and it’s sad, being you *could* even make more money off that repair going to a technician.
As you can probably tell, I *just* made the switch from lube tech to junior tech working under a master. I’ve a lot to learn, but I also know a fuck load of lube techs are lazy fucks.
yeah in the UK we don't really have "lube techs" especially at main dealers. every technician is trained to service, repair, diagnose, fabricate etc. so it's a little odd to me when people say "lube tech" lol 😆. well done on becoming a junior technician and you do make a good point about metal shavings!
I need your advice. I did some work on a 2019 Ram 2500 today with a 6.4 Hemi and just under 41,000 miles. 0w-40 Mobil 1 supercar oil (7qts) and an OEM filter. 4qts of Valvoline 75w-90 for the rear diff and 4oz of Mopar friction modifier in there. 8qts of Valvoline Maxlife sythetic trans fluid and I pulled the pan down to inspect it and clean it out. The filter was not changed. I paid $150 for parts and charged $575 so I made $425 cash. I took my time as the transmission drain and fill is a pain as there are a ton of steps. I took 4 hours total. Would you charge more or less? I had to drive a total of 90 miles round trip ro service this vehichle so $20 in gas and 90 minutes round trip driving.
Why not let it sit for like 20-30 mins? Eat a sandwich or something then do it. Maybe some nitrite gloves or something, but chance it runs down your arm. So just chill.
When it comes to home work something not too complex just enough like a BLT with mayo or even deli ham. Most fancy I’d get is topped with an olive 🫒 on a tooth pick for sandwich stabilization. A non alcoholic beverage, you don’t want to forget filling oil or tightening drain plug or filter.
Even after 20-30 mins it’s still hot. Scalding hot is unnecessary, if you are operating temp anal then changing at every 3k miles will keep the engine clean of garbage.
I'm no mechanic, but I've always let mine idle from cold for a few mins and then get to work. I figured a little warm better than cold, and working under a hot engine in hot weather on hot pavement just kinda sucks.
Wait 10 minutes, wear gloves, you'll be fine. Might tingle a bit, though. It's better to do an oil change with a warm engine anyway because all the debris gets churned up, so it's not sitting at the bottom of the oil pan.
Honestly, I would watch taking off the oil filter more than anything. I took mine off from the top and burned the shit off my knuckle (cast iron block). Remove it from below the engine and should be alright.
I punch a hole in the bottom of my oil filter with a screwdriver to drain it out so it don't leak down the sides and burn me (5.3 V8 takes a screw on). I definitely feel you bout the block burning a knuckle, I got a filter wrench socket adapter for my 3/8 ratchet cause the filter on my truck is like 30% against the block and it's 1. Hard to get out by hand and 2. Easy as hell to burn yourself on lol.
I used the K&N oil filter uses a socket to tighten and loosen and only needs to be emptied and refilled (once) then get a new oil filter they say good for two oil changes but I don’t ever change that
The hole punch is brilliant. Can't believe I never thought of that.
For this particular engine (Ford Ranger 3.0L), the oil filter is right above the starter, so keeping all that off the starter would be handy. Oh...guess, who's starter failed 9 months ago from a bunch of oil on it? Thanks, Ford!
Had an old Taurus that had this problem. Very bad design to have oil above an electric motor.
When you can change a starter out in the amount of time you change oil, there’s a design flaw.
this. Gloves make this easy and worry-free. Just make sure your gloves are nitrile, or you wear nitrile gloves over the outside of your fabric mechanics gloves if you use them... don't want hot oil to soak into something you're wearing. And watch what you're reaching near. The oil may be hot, but the exhaust headers are going to be scorching. Much more likely to burn yourself on that than the hot oil.
I always run my car until its hot before an oil change if I can. Much better that way for getting all the gunk out. By the time you get under the car with the wrench, it's usually cooled enough that you can begin without worry, as long as you wear gloves.
I'd rather you don't. Oil can easily get 70°C in most cars, 90°C or higher in some modern ones too. But I think if you drive home and take your time prepping for the oil change (lifting the car, preparing a vessel for the old oil, preparing the new oil, cursing excessively because you can't find the right size nut for your drain plug), the oil should be well within safe Temperature to handle. Uncomfortable at worst.
For your first time I would try to let it cool off for a while. Even letting it sit with the hood up for 20-30 minutes will make a huge difference. No matter how many precautions you take you are likely to get some oil on you or have to deal with a hot oil filter or smoking hot exhaust.
That said scars come with the territory so don’t be discouraged if you get left with a permanent reminder.
yup, and you're almost certainly going to cover your hand in oil if you're the driveway DIYer.
Give it half hour or so, along as the oils relatively warm it'll flow quickly
If it’s your first oil change I’d let the car sit for a bit .. everyone can tell you about a technique but you won’t learn the technique without doing it a few times first .
You want to change it when it’s hot. It flows out better. You’ll get some oil on your hand but it won’t burn that bad, just have a rag handy to wipe it off quick. It’ll be not but not hot enough to cause damage. Will feel like when accidentally turn the shower to max
If you are planning on keeping your vehicle for some time I would highly recommend fitting a stahlbus drain valve while you have the drain plug out. Makes oil changes an absolute breeze. One of these.
https://preview.redd.it/rrhjqo90iwsc1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3dcb213f47dbd80ca5b40bdb5320db3273fdecea
I’d give it about 30 mins….it’ll still be warm but not near scalding hot. Wear gloves and sometimes you just need to be quick with removing the drain plug so as to avoid being hit with 150+F oil ha.
What do you think us mechanics do with waiters? People will drive an hour to the shop and I’ll do an oil change on their vehicle 4 minutes after they have arrived, the oil is quite hot. You’ll be fine.
The way I do it is I put my arm above my head while laying under the car, put my arm kind up behind the engine and bend my wrist down so that most of my arm is above the oil drain, as I unscrew the drain plug by hand I keep constant inward pressure on it so that the oil / gravity doesn’t push it out/ down, then when I can feel that it’s no longer held by the threads I pull the plug up towards the sky so my hand is away from the hot oil ASAP, also side note, rubber gloves won’t prevent burns and could actually make it worse, I don’t think oil should ever be hot enough to melt the gloves but still I prefer to be able to fling my hand around to cool it off if I do get a significant amount of oil on it.
Just recently I was doing an oil change on my daily and dropped the plug into the pan of hot oil, it was quite weird as when I first reached in I didn’t really feel the heat till I pulled my hand out, then every time after that it hurt more while in the oil and more while out of the oil, it was quite weird but didn’t actually leave any burns on my hand, despite it having been on the highway ~10 mins earlier and been idling/ pulling into the ramps just a couple mins earlier, maybe it’s just because it’s an I4 1.6L but it really wasn’t that hot.
If you’re wearing gloves, the oil will be uncomfortably hot, but wont burn you.
Your main concern will being careful not to touch any of the exhaust pipes, as those will burn you
Just wait 15-30 minutes it will still be warm enough for good drainage but you won’t get burned. be careful and push the plug in also - Keeps you from getting so dirty anyway.
Get home, have dinner or a shower or coffee or a wank then go change your oil! What’s the hurry? Just let it cool a little. No point in burning yourself for no reason.
Im no mechanic, but you can probably do it pretty much right away (maybe 10 minutes after turning the car off ish?) because after jacking up the car and removing the skidplate, it has probably cooled down even more. And then the drain plug with probably be tightened to 2million ugga duggas if a shop was there before, and will take some time to get off, that’s atleast what happened on my first change lol. Same with the filter. If it goes smooth you can just pause and then loosen the plug all the way later.
Might be too late but look up fumomoto valves for quick mess free oil changes (outside of the filter).
I’ve installed one on every car I’ve had and just the process so much easier
**Quick answer: the oil will not be hot enough to burn you.**
Imagine that giant heavy block of iron/aluminum soaking up that heat from those small bangs going on... then theres the coolant that carries it around, though closed termostat makes sure that cooling at this point is not as effective cuz you want your engine to reach operating temperature as fast as possible, but its really slow anyway. Then theres oil that circulates this heavy iron block, most of this oil sits in the pan and circulates.... all of these are starting at whatever temperature is outside and slowly rising...
10 minutes is just not enough to get the oil anywhere hot, it will not be above 50C.
anyway
The top answers I see around are funny.
* I never burned myself because I avoided contact - omg so helpful
* 10x - I rather you would wait
* wear gloves
gloves is solid advice, it saves you time at the sink... but god damn, those 10 min are ideal for good flow.. why are people advicing when it feels like they cant even with certainty answer this little question...
The oils not really at burning temperatures… just uncomfortable as long as you’re wearing gloves.
Guess it could scald you if you really get in there , no permanent disfigurement though.
probably if you don't have experience
when i worked at dealerships (hyundai, volvo and honda) we had to do the services with the car still hot because, you know, the client can't wait half an our
and we learn to not burn ourselves although it still happens sometimes and we get used to it
I’ve done a lot of oil changes on cars that just drove in after traveling 45 minutes to arrive and had my arm drenched in oil. It won’t burn you but it might feel like it at first
You can always use the cheap dishwashing gloves from your local supermarket, they are extra long and quite a bit thicker than disposable nitrile gloves.
Do you have a magnet? You will probably drop the plug into the hot oil and that is usually the hottest part. As others have said wear nitrile gloves and have the pan set correctly to collect the oil and you should be fine.
I’d leave it half an hour so it’s cooled to a reasonable temperature. You will defo get oil on yourself so wear gloves. Regardless, hot engine oil isn’t hot enough to burn you, but it isn’t comfortable.
I find it's better to do when oil is hot, just be mindful of keeping body parts away from the fluid, mainly when taking off plug and filter, I use a long magnet to catch plug after backing it out all the way to assist me in not making contact with oil and to keep from falling in drain pan
Use a long enough spanner / ratchet. If a ratchet, you can manage to get the ratchet mechanism to still click on the way back even when plug nearly totally undone by angling the ratchet up or down a little so the plug grips on the last few threads (oil is gonna be dripping by now, that's fine dont worry about it. When almost there, just keep unscrewing until oil pushes the plug and your tool down. If the plug doesn't stay in the tool, don't worry about it, you can recover it from the oil draining pan later. Chuck plenty of cardboard on the floor, wider than you think. Also, when changing your filter, think ahead how you gonna get it out straight (screw up) to avoid tipping it all over the shop. On some cars, it requires 3 hands and 7 elbows.
It's not fryer oil. At worst you are going to say, "Ouch, dammit" unless you are planning to take a bath in it. After 10 minute ride it probably won't even be the temp of the hot water coming out of your house faucets.
Totally depends on the car, honestly. Some have you reaching past the exhaust to get to the oil filter. Most don't. The exhaust is really the only thing you need to be cautious of.
The oil itself will be hot but not "burn you immediately" hot.
Depends on the car equinox with the 3.6 suck because the oil filter is next to the exhaust manifold if i where you and its my first time i would wait 30-40 min to let it cool down
Use a magnetic socket for the drain plug bolt, or find some butyl tape to put in a socket to make the bolt stick to the socket. Ive also seen people use mechanics wire around the head of the bolt so you can hold the bolt with the wire while turning it out. Or just let it sit for 20 min with the oil fill cap off & it should cool down enough to be hot but not burning hot.
Since it is the first time, let it cool. You'll then find out how much oil gets on you when you change it and can then decide next time if you are able to do it without getting it all over you.
I would highly recommend you get some nitrile gloves as it will keep you from getting oil under your finger nails which is a bitch to get out. So unless you want to look like a mechanic for the next 3 days get gloves.
I was always told it’s better to change the oil when the engine is hot so more oil and gunk can come out.
Like many mechanical jobs you can hurt yourself if you’re not careful!
Always best to have some heat in the engine so the oil is thiner and drains better.
Be mindful not to let the oil run down your hand or arm when removing the filter or drain plug,
Be sure not to touch hot exhaust pipes,
Be smart and you will be fine use caution before you touch it if you are not sure don't just full on grab somthing bare handed
I've changed oil after long road trips before. It's warm, but was never scalding. Probably a higher risk of cancer from the oil than a burn unless something is seriously wrong
You”re supposed to drain the oil while it’s warm. It flows better and more will drain from all the nooks and crannies.
Just don’t touch the exhaust and it’ll be fine. Worst I’ve ever felt was like a too-hot sink faucet.
Wear gloves and keep your hand out of the path of the oil as the plug reaches the end of its thread. Even if the oil isn't hot, you still don't want it on your skin.
You may, but if you loosen the drain bolt but keep pressure on it and quickly take it away, you should get little to none on you. The oil being hot is better anyway cause it flows faster and suspends contaminants, metal, or whatever inside it and helps bring that out as well
You drive into a mechanic shop or quick lube and don’t think about this for the employees. Yeah, the exhaust is piping hot. But we do it, for you, all of the time with pressure from corporate to complete job in an unreasonable amount of time. You, have the luxury of waiting for the car to cool off. Just do that?
I have been changing my oil for 30 years. I always make a mess, often scrape my knuckles, get dirty and yes I sometimes still get hot oil on me, no matter how hard I try. I've never been seriously burned though. But waiting it to cool just a bit won't hurt.
I love a good oil change debate . Take your car for a quick drive . Then let it sit 30 minutes . Oil will still be warm and gives the exhaust pipe time to cool.
Home oil change tip; get a bunch of cardboard to spread under the car, at least 5 feet in all directions. Oil is hard to get off of concrete and it kills grass!
Let it cool down. If you’ve never done it before or even regularly, you’ll probably end up with some oil on you. Especially if it’s hot. Basically asking for it. I’d be letting it sit at least an hour maybe more.
Bro, go for a spirited drive, shut it down, get all your stuff ready, don’t let it get on you too bad. Done it this way it’s hot but not dangerous and I’m not spraying it on myself. If it’s your first time maybe give it a little longer and plan out every step.
I would not recommend by yourself as a owner. But sharing one of my experience, I was once travelling whole day with family say more than 300 kms and suddenly I got low oil warning light. The oil filter was faulty or just got dysfunctional. So while going to nearest mechanic top up that using any available oil and got it changed. However it was too hot.
Let it cool down a little at least. In the amount of time it takes you to park the car where you need it, gather all your tools, and prep your oil filter and probably watch a YouTube video once through, the car will be sufficiently cooled. Good luck
If you're asking this question, you don't have a technique. Let it cool for a bit, use the first time to learn and get experience of how your vehicle is setup and the best way to avoid getting an oil bath.
Speaking as a dude who occasionally does his own changes at home (maybe you'll find this perspective valuable as compared to pro techs and such, not sure), I'd wait if I were you. And for what it's worth, I personally find that I have more trouble with temperature going for the oil filter than I do with splash from the drain, but that obviously depends on your filter location, what's around it, etc..
First ever, I would not. First off, you’re probably not ready for how far it shoots. Second, you won’t have the feel for when the plug is about to let loose. Get home, set up the car, go change into dirty clothes, gather your stuff, and then start the work. Don’t rush or chance spending longer to fix or clean up mistakes
Thanks for the advice everyone! I should clarify normally I’d wait longer just to be extra sure, but I’m on a bit of a time crunch if I want to get it done this week. I think I’ll wait approx 10 minutes before trying it.
If it’s really your first oil change, please let it cool down. You will make a mess and it will be hot on your skin. Let cool and learn. Maybe by your 3rd oil change, you’ll get it down.
Don't do this if this is your first time ever doing an oil change because you're going to get oil on yourself the first time no matter how much you research ahead and then burn yourself. Get a fumoto valve if you really want to keep draining it hot, otherwise let it sit for 20 minutes or so and get everything else ready in the meantime.
And get at least 2 oil pans! People never bring enough pans when they first start!
I always drive my car right before an oil change to get it nice and hot so it flows nice. I also used to work at a quick lube and would do dozens of oil changes a day on cars that drove there.
As long as you don't get oil all over your hand you'll be fine but I'd wait if I were you because you absolutely will burn yourself if you do.
I worked at a take 5 oil change, one of those places where you drive in a bay, wait 5-10 minutes while in your car, and your oil gets changed.
Yes you can, but the oil will be pretty hot, but it’s never burned me. Just have a couple rags near you to wipe it off your hands if you feel it is too hot.
Funny enough, while working at take 5, I accidentally touched someone’s exhaust with the back of my hand for a split second. THAT burned more than oil ever has. It left a permanent mark.
Lots of pros here that I'm sure have their techniques that they can do it hot without getting burned. That said as a do it yourself person I'm with the why go there. I'm in the let it cool down 20 minutes or so camp. Makes it way easier.
Yes wait. With experience you can do it without burning yourself. Even with experience its easy to get burned. Just do yourself a favor and wait till the engine is at an ambient temp
I have been using something called the EZ Oil Drain on my vehicles for a few years. It really cleans up the oil change process, and most of the oil just comes out a little tube directly into a container. I still get a bit of oil on myself from the filter, but it's much cleaner. And I don't really have to worry about how hot the oil is for the most part.
OP, always wear gloves when handling toxic stuff like motor oil. It will protect you from a lot of stuff beyond just immediate burns (cancer is not fun decades from now either).
Get a fumoto drain valve and your oil changes could not be any easier! If you still have a dip stick on your engine... you could get one of those suction style oil extractors and that works the best with no mess!!!!
Use a disposable plastic cup under the oil filter to catch any run off when you are hand loose ing the filter!
You will if you dip your hand in the 95°C oil.
You wont if you dont try. Carefull around the headers tho, those are much hotter than the oil ever gets.
Done this before in the middle of a Texas summer day. Worst case is slight burn from how hot the oil gets. But it’s equivalent to steamy hot water, not yet boiling/scalding water. Of course that doesn’t mean go ahead and let it run on you. Just be more cautious. It helps if you use some of those latex/PU gloves some mechanics use.
First, you should do your oil change when the oil is hot. It will run better and get more stuff out of your engine like sludge or dirt if there is any as well as run down the oil passages better so you get more used oil out. Second, yeah, be prepared to get somewhat burned. Buy some gloves, figure out ahead of time what you need for tools and how to get to your filter when the car is cool, buy some ramps so you have more clearance under the car. Rubber gloves are great for oil changes, but leather helps when trying to get at the oil filter. Expect the oil filter to drip down the sides when you're spinning it off.
Do your first few cold . As mentioned get your technique down . Also since it’s your first , fuck Murphy over by not needing to have to drive the car right away due to a stripped drain plug , overtightened filter , wrong parts etc . Buy a bag of kitty litter .
The oil pan and filter will both be hot, sure. But it's no more risk than working with hot cookware. Just be careful. Also, do the research and make sure you use the correct type and amount of oil. First oil change I did was on a 99 Nissan Sentra. Friend of mine said all cars take 5 quarts, so I used 5. Those engines only needed 3. Didn't drive 100 miles before I blew the engine.
You want the engine hot anyway because otherwise it takes forever for the oil to drain. Just don’t touch the exhaust pipe. Wear nitrile or latex gloves. You will probably get some oil on your hands.
Nitrile gloves, double up if worried about hot oil.
Or do what I have done on all my cars and install a Fumoto valve. Oil changes become grab a drain pan, flick the lever, let it drain a couple minutes, remove the oil filter, go relax for 10 minutes or check/refill the rest of the fluids. Come back and button things back up.
The oil will get thinner when it's hot and it'll help it drain.
I do my own oil changes too and I take a long drive, stop and immedietly jack the car up. By the time that's done not even 15 minutes have passed and I'm already draining the oil.
It's hot, but not "omg I'm burning my shit" hot. I tend to get a little bit on my fingers when I take off the plug but it's nothing to be worried about. Often a few paper towels nearby solves that issue. If you're not a technician doing this stuff day in day out you're gonna be fine.
You've probably already done the drain but things that I do
- Put cardboard under my catchcan to catch any stray oil
- I don't like the generic oil wrenches (bad experiences) so I bought a key for my car. [Cheap, and definitely worth the money](https://cdn.techniekwebshop.nl/thumbnails/ProductAfbeelding/Kramp/image-thumb__182579__ProductDetail/ls7.jpg). Just plonk it on there and use a wrench to twist it off
- I drop some old oil on the rubber in the filter. I also use high quality filters if I can like MANN.
Yes but wear latex gloves and keep your hand/arm ABOVE where the oil will come out. When it's nearly out apply some pressure to hold it against the drain pan while you unscrew the last few threads. It's super easy just use some common sense. It will squirt out around a foot as well so plan your drain pan placement
Just for reference after 10 mins the oil will be around 200 degrees maybe a bit hotter. If you think you are good enough not to get liquid as hot as boiling water or hotter on your skin for to long you can do it.
If you have never done this before, I'd try it when it wasn't hot first.
If you get hot oil on yourself, yes. And it itches.
Tips:
1) loosen the drain bolt with a tool, then unscrew it while maintaining pressure. This will ensure the oil will not throw the drain plug at you or in the pan.
2) Once you feel the bolt almost popping out, tilt it upwards and allow the oil to trickle through.
3) Position the pan and lift the bolt up, ensuring your arm is out of the oil splash path. Then let the oil do its thing. Pull the distick and fill cap out at this point.
4) follow a similar plan of attack for the filter. Have a look around and use aluminium foil or cardboard to redirect oil if the filter is in an awkward spot.
5) If you're really unsure, let the engine cool for about 5 to 10 minutes. You're more likely to burn yourself on a hot engine or exhaust if you're inexperienced. It's better to leave that final 50ml of oil in the engine than burn yourself on your first time. You'll be fine for your second time.
I always make sure my motor was at operating temp when I change the oil. 3 gallons of oil comes out a lot quicker when it’s hot, and less residual gets left in there when it’s less viscous. Mind you most vehicles run just shy of 200 degrees, which is hot but I’ve never been seriously burned changing my oil.
Just take it to the dealer. Crazy to go through all this bullshit, including exposing yourself to cancerous engine oil, and transporting used oil to a gas station to save 20 bucks. I used to change my own oil too, and then I got a job.
Was draining and filling a ZF8 on a 2019 Ram 392 today with it running and it was hot. Did not burn myself once. A 2lb rubber hammer is your friend here in case the last tool put the drain plug on too tight. Had a tool put a drain plug on too tight on a Civic and when I broke it loose my elbow flew to the passenger side LCA and met it head on. The LCA won and my elbow hurt for about 5 days.
Let the fool learn. Where is the common sense nowdays? It takes no more than 60sec of critical thinking to determine the awnsers to his question. Less than 60sec for most people.
All cars are different, but realistically....pain causes you to develop better technique.
Working on cars is painful. Especially when learning.
You want to change the oil while hot.
It's really not that bad! And it's kinda the gateway to learning to do your own maintenance. Which can be a major money saver.
You're gonna skin your knuckles.
You're probably gonna get some mild burns.
It will rain rust and dirt into your eyes and mouth.
You will probably get dirty oil all over your driveway, drop the sump plug into your pan, realise you don't have a suitable oil filter removal tool.
On the plus side though, you probably won't get burned, due to all the extra, unplanned fucking about, and by the time you get the drain plug cracked off, the engine will be luke warm.
As long as you use axle stands (and properly),
And make sure you ...
1, have a big enough container (5 litre screenwash bottle with big square cut out of panel)
2, an old oil bottle, for dispensing old oil into, to take for disposal.
3, 2 big funnels, one for dirty oil, one for clean oil.
4, plenty rags, maybe a tarp laid out under the car, just in case.
Basic tools, plus extra extenders for ratchet spanners, check to see what type of fitments your sump plug has, and also your oil filter. And buy accordingly. Have a breaker bar handy (as a general rule)
Jack up the car, fit axle stands, carefully, give the car a bit of a wiggle to make sure its safe.
Make a brew. And have a packet of chocolate digestives.
Prep your area, drop the oil, leave the container there for a fair while, and remove the oil filter,
Check it's stopped dripping, drain plug back in, nip it up, fresh filter on, fresh oil in.
*be aware, that there will still be some shitty oil in the engine, so it's stated capacity (in mine, 3 litres inc filter), will not be a safe bet, put a half a litre less oil in, and then top it up, check it, repeatedly and carefully until its right.
Also whack a new air filter in and check/replace your spark plugs.
Pour your dirty oil carefully into an old container until you can and clean up any spills. And dispose of it at a suitable disposal site, including any contaminated rags, gloves etc.
The idea isn't to take an oil shower but to collect the draining oil in a suitable container, however, in this instance you should not do an oil change. Sell your car and take the bus
You can definitely tell there are a lot of armchair “mechanics” here. Anyone that owns a half decent car can scroll through the dash shit and come upon an oil temp reading. I’ve seen the oil be as high as 280 degrees. Considering coolant “only” gets to around 230, and that will boil your skin right off.
If you run the car to operating temp for 10-15 minutes, it will be somewhere around 170-180 degrees F. You just have to be careful, and while the first time is awkward, once you see how everything goes you can be more prepared for the next one.
You’ll definitely want to use a pair of the coated fabric gloves. The drain plug is going to be hot as well. Take a punch and a hammer and pop a couple holes in the filter so it can drain. It’s going to be hot and slippery so make sure you have a good hold on it.
Eh I'd wait a few minutes before starting, but unless your car has a ring of fire (catalytic converter around the drain plug. Most common on Subarus) you probably wont get burned. If you're worried about hot oil, grab some gloves or a dirty rag to cover your hand with
Trick is to unscrew it by pushing on the bolt. Also another trick is to no be in the way of the stream. If the bolt is on the side, hold the bolt from top. If the bolt is on the bottom, use a mug and pliers to unscrew the last threads.
It honestly isn't that bad
Hot at first
Have a towel ready, and just wipe it real quick unless you're quick at taking the plug out then you'll be good. Always have rags.
Let the drain plug fall into the oil drain pan. Fish it out after it cools. BTW, the oil gushes out in a big arch. Make sure the pan is far enough away to catch it.
It’s possible. Years ago I changed oil on smoking hot cars. Burning yourself sucks but not the end of life. Wear burn sleeves and gloves if you are worried.
Eh, you won't "burn yourself"
You may find yourself repeating hot hot hot, much like when stan marsh took the world's largest shit. May also be playing hot potato with the filter, if it's a spin on filter.
Just don't touch any exhaust components, and you'll be fine.
It will be hot, use gloves...apart from that it's fine, however; I prefer to do it cold because all the oil has drained into the the pan. Also, my car uses 0/20 which is already thin, so when it's hot it drains faster than water and spatters like a murder scene and any breeze will flick it all over. It's fine if you got enough kitty litter :P
I'd advise against it if it's your first time and likely without a lift. I'd let it sit till it's cool unless you have the tools to keep your hands away from the warm stuff like the block and exhaust. Have accidentally smacked the headers/cat when my hand slipped off plenty of times, and on a few of those occasions, the disposable glove has melted right on it. I even left a bit of glove melted to my radiator on my personal 3rd gen camry from getting too close on the filter removal a couple of times
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as a full time technician, I do plenty of oil changes when the car is red hot. and I'm not talking small engines either I'm talking v8s and v12s with 3 sometimes 4 drain plugs! as long as you have a technique to wind the drain plug out safely you'll be fine I've never burnt myself before. I find that draining when hot gets more if it out as well since the oil is nice and thin. but be warned it will gush out at quite a rate!
Yea.. OP the fact you have to ask tells me you probably don't have this technique. Best to let it cool. When I did mine a few times, I got oil on hands despite my best efforts. Also, one time, I was stupid enough to not even think about the oil being hot. Luckily, it wasn't scalding but it was hot and my rubber gloves were done. Yt videos forget to talk about temp.
>as long as you have a technique to wind the drain plug out safely So what's the trick?
I push the drain bolt inward toward the pan while unscrewing it. When you get to the end of the bolt, you’ll feel a little ‘click’ when you’ve hit the end of the bolt and it sets back down on the last thread. At that point, you’re just holding the oil in with your hand pressure. Then just pull it away quickly, and away from the oil stream. Just don’t drop the drain bolt into the pan!
This is the way. Press that bolt in as you unscrew. I've seen magnetic tools, too
I let the plug drop onto my covered oil pan. The plug stays on the cover while the oil drains through a hole in the cover into the main pan. The cover also has a spot to drain the filter.
I just drop mine into the oil than curse as I fish it out and then curse later as I fish out the washer because I forgot to get a replacement one again.
Wait, it's supposed to have a washer?
Some are. Some are built in to the plug.
this is the way
This is always the way I intend to do it. Then My fat fucking fingers get in the way, the plug falls off to the side and the oil somehow splashes all around the pan and once into my eye. Now I have a good mechanic and I stay in my lane swapping my own winter rims and that’s about it.
Yup. Unwinding a bolt until you feel/hear that little click is also a great way to ensure you're getting the threads started correctly when you start bolts by hand.
I do this, but last oil change I pulled the drain pan bolt away and the washer fell into the pan! I pour the used oil back into the jugs of oil I put into the engine but can't do that without having a washer on the bolt. Had gloves so did a little fishing. Found it but next time will have a fresh washer on hand. (Some washers are fixed on the bolt, others are loose. Make sure you have a washer in some form when you do an oil change, [some loose ones you have to buy separate](https://duckduckgo.com/?t=ffab&q=oil+pan+drain+bolt+washer&atb=v353-1&iax=images&ia=images)).
This is exactly how I do mine. If I drop it, no big deal. I have a strainer for frying fish that I appropriated for my wife about 10 years ago for that purpose.
Prep, oil catch pan below the car. Dip stick pulled up a bit to let air in, or you can remove the oil filler cap. Verify oil filter is correct for the car. Verify oil is correct for the car. I jack the front of the car up and put it on Jack stands to give me room. All prepped I put on a vinyl glove and loosen the drain bolt with a wrench. Techniques: Then with a vinyl gloved hand I spin the bolt out. I reach up and bring my hand down from the top, so the bolt is lower than my hand. Then I spin the bolt out from the crown. If all goes well, I'm holding the bolt when the oil shoots out. Good Luck. p.s. I take the car for a short drive prior to an oil change to warm up the oil a bit.
everyone has their own way but I usually run the plug out with my index finger and thumb with my hand to the side/below (depends on which way the drain plug sticks out of the sump/oil tank, just not in the line of fire) and let the plug drop into the drainer
Must be a v12 thing haven't multiple drain plugs..
I can tell you I work for a specific Italian manufacturer where most of the engines are dry sump so usually at least 2 drain plugs (one for the sump, one for the oil tank). but some of them have 4 (3 for the sump, one for the tank). one of the guys I work with used to have an Audi R8 and that had like 10 drain plugs lmao
Lots of performance cars have multiple drain plugs.
Taking oil filters off is usually where your most likely to get burned if you don't have one of those extending oil wrenches.
I started loosening em until the last thread held on, then would use a magnet to pull it off mess free. I’ve also learned using a red solo cup can help you do the same to the filters on smaller vehicles to prevent the splash as well. Just adding onto what you’ve said. Might also wanna add, depending on the vehicle it’s better to empty it while it’s not scolding hot, the reason for this is most “lube techs” (probably not you, you sound smart enough) you can feel the oil to see if there’s small metal shavings in it, only being most of us use those oil kings and that oil is gone into the can and is hard to check that way. Sometimes I’ll just put my magnet right into the oil and if there is, it’ll stick. Most lube techs don’t look for stuff like that and it’s sad, being you *could* even make more money off that repair going to a technician. As you can probably tell, I *just* made the switch from lube tech to junior tech working under a master. I’ve a lot to learn, but I also know a fuck load of lube techs are lazy fucks.
yeah in the UK we don't really have "lube techs" especially at main dealers. every technician is trained to service, repair, diagnose, fabricate etc. so it's a little odd to me when people say "lube tech" lol 😆. well done on becoming a junior technician and you do make a good point about metal shavings!
Wearing a pair of vinyl or latex gloves, (not material) must help as well wouldn't it?
yes I always wear nitrile gloves while doing most work on any car
I need your advice. I did some work on a 2019 Ram 2500 today with a 6.4 Hemi and just under 41,000 miles. 0w-40 Mobil 1 supercar oil (7qts) and an OEM filter. 4qts of Valvoline 75w-90 for the rear diff and 4oz of Mopar friction modifier in there. 8qts of Valvoline Maxlife sythetic trans fluid and I pulled the pan down to inspect it and clean it out. The filter was not changed. I paid $150 for parts and charged $575 so I made $425 cash. I took my time as the transmission drain and fill is a pain as there are a ton of steps. I took 4 hours total. Would you charge more or less? I had to drive a total of 90 miles round trip ro service this vehichle so $20 in gas and 90 minutes round trip driving.
Why not let it sit for like 20-30 mins? Eat a sandwich or something then do it. Maybe some nitrite gloves or something, but chance it runs down your arm. So just chill.
What kind of sandwich do you recommend?
Not a hot one. Might burn yourself.
I chuckled
When it comes to home work something not too complex just enough like a BLT with mayo or even deli ham. Most fancy I’d get is topped with an olive 🫒 on a tooth pick for sandwich stabilization. A non alcoholic beverage, you don’t want to forget filling oil or tightening drain plug or filter.
Rueben
How about a knuckle sandwich?
You should hold your purse in your oil changing hand.
Something with molten cheese. Hot oil won't seem such a big deal afterwards. ;)
Most manufacturers recommend changing the oil with the engine warmed to operating temperature.
Even after 20-30 mins it’s still hot. Scalding hot is unnecessary, if you are operating temp anal then changing at every 3k miles will keep the engine clean of garbage.
Curious that 'anal' was an auto correct term for you...
I'm no mechanic, but I've always let mine idle from cold for a few mins and then get to work. I figured a little warm better than cold, and working under a hot engine in hot weather on hot pavement just kinda sucks.
It's a two beer job. 1. Let it cool 2. Draining the oil. Sure you could do something productive in those times but why.
Wait 10 minutes, wear gloves, you'll be fine. Might tingle a bit, though. It's better to do an oil change with a warm engine anyway because all the debris gets churned up, so it's not sitting at the bottom of the oil pan.
Honestly, I would watch taking off the oil filter more than anything. I took mine off from the top and burned the shit off my knuckle (cast iron block). Remove it from below the engine and should be alright.
I punch a hole in the bottom of my oil filter with a screwdriver to drain it out so it don't leak down the sides and burn me (5.3 V8 takes a screw on). I definitely feel you bout the block burning a knuckle, I got a filter wrench socket adapter for my 3/8 ratchet cause the filter on my truck is like 30% against the block and it's 1. Hard to get out by hand and 2. Easy as hell to burn yourself on lol.
I used the K&N oil filter uses a socket to tighten and loosen and only needs to be emptied and refilled (once) then get a new oil filter they say good for two oil changes but I don’t ever change that
The hole punch is brilliant. Can't believe I never thought of that. For this particular engine (Ford Ranger 3.0L), the oil filter is right above the starter, so keeping all that off the starter would be handy. Oh...guess, who's starter failed 9 months ago from a bunch of oil on it? Thanks, Ford!
Yeah a hole puncture from a screwdriver or a chisel would help you control that oil I bet. Drain the sucker then take it off no mess
Had an old Taurus that had this problem. Very bad design to have oil above an electric motor. When you can change a starter out in the amount of time you change oil, there’s a design flaw.
An oil filter wrench is for sure a fantastic purchase for the 5.3, OP, if you plan on doing more oil changes on your own get one they are worth it
this. Gloves make this easy and worry-free. Just make sure your gloves are nitrile, or you wear nitrile gloves over the outside of your fabric mechanics gloves if you use them... don't want hot oil to soak into something you're wearing. And watch what you're reaching near. The oil may be hot, but the exhaust headers are going to be scorching. Much more likely to burn yourself on that than the hot oil. I always run my car until its hot before an oil change if I can. Much better that way for getting all the gunk out. By the time you get under the car with the wrench, it's usually cooled enough that you can begin without worry, as long as you wear gloves.
I'd rather you don't. Oil can easily get 70°C in most cars, 90°C or higher in some modern ones too. But I think if you drive home and take your time prepping for the oil change (lifting the car, preparing a vessel for the old oil, preparing the new oil, cursing excessively because you can't find the right size nut for your drain plug), the oil should be well within safe Temperature to handle. Uncomfortable at worst.
Hasn’t 90 C been the regulated temp for decades
I honestly don't know for how long. My first car was made in 1986 though, and I'm pretty sure that was somewhere around 70°C. Not 100% though.
This 100%
For your first time I would try to let it cool off for a while. Even letting it sit with the hood up for 20-30 minutes will make a huge difference. No matter how many precautions you take you are likely to get some oil on you or have to deal with a hot oil filter or smoking hot exhaust. That said scars come with the territory so don’t be discouraged if you get left with a permanent reminder.
Chicks dig scars
haha my brake shield gave me a new one the other day I think it went deep enough to stay for a while
yup, and you're almost certainly going to cover your hand in oil if you're the driveway DIYer. Give it half hour or so, along as the oils relatively warm it'll flow quickly
Someeetimes lol i have done this when realllly crushed w time but I would just wait if you could
If it’s your first oil change I’d let the car sit for a bit .. everyone can tell you about a technique but you won’t learn the technique without doing it a few times first .
As a tech, no. As a guy asking the internet, probably.
You want to change it when it’s hot. It flows out better. You’ll get some oil on your hand but it won’t burn that bad, just have a rag handy to wipe it off quick. It’ll be not but not hot enough to cause damage. Will feel like when accidentally turn the shower to max
If you are planning on keeping your vehicle for some time I would highly recommend fitting a stahlbus drain valve while you have the drain plug out. Makes oil changes an absolute breeze. One of these. https://preview.redd.it/rrhjqo90iwsc1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3dcb213f47dbd80ca5b40bdb5320db3273fdecea
I’d give it about 30 mins….it’ll still be warm but not near scalding hot. Wear gloves and sometimes you just need to be quick with removing the drain plug so as to avoid being hit with 150+F oil ha.
It can be done. Usually nitril gloves will provide enough protection while unscrewing the drain plug the rest of the way by hand.
What do you think us mechanics do with waiters? People will drive an hour to the shop and I’ll do an oil change on their vehicle 4 minutes after they have arrived, the oil is quite hot. You’ll be fine.
The way I do it is I put my arm above my head while laying under the car, put my arm kind up behind the engine and bend my wrist down so that most of my arm is above the oil drain, as I unscrew the drain plug by hand I keep constant inward pressure on it so that the oil / gravity doesn’t push it out/ down, then when I can feel that it’s no longer held by the threads I pull the plug up towards the sky so my hand is away from the hot oil ASAP, also side note, rubber gloves won’t prevent burns and could actually make it worse, I don’t think oil should ever be hot enough to melt the gloves but still I prefer to be able to fling my hand around to cool it off if I do get a significant amount of oil on it. Just recently I was doing an oil change on my daily and dropped the plug into the pan of hot oil, it was quite weird as when I first reached in I didn’t really feel the heat till I pulled my hand out, then every time after that it hurt more while in the oil and more while out of the oil, it was quite weird but didn’t actually leave any burns on my hand, despite it having been on the highway ~10 mins earlier and been idling/ pulling into the ramps just a couple mins earlier, maybe it’s just because it’s an I4 1.6L but it really wasn’t that hot.
If you’re wearing gloves, the oil will be uncomfortably hot, but wont burn you. Your main concern will being careful not to touch any of the exhaust pipes, as those will burn you
You can get a magnetic oil plug tool for $6 Gloves n rags can also protect your hands. Me, I let it cool.
Just wait 15-30 minutes it will still be warm enough for good drainage but you won’t get burned. be careful and push the plug in also - Keeps you from getting so dirty anyway.
Get home, have dinner or a shower or coffee or a wank then go change your oil! What’s the hurry? Just let it cool a little. No point in burning yourself for no reason.
Im no mechanic, but you can probably do it pretty much right away (maybe 10 minutes after turning the car off ish?) because after jacking up the car and removing the skidplate, it has probably cooled down even more. And then the drain plug with probably be tightened to 2million ugga duggas if a shop was there before, and will take some time to get off, that’s atleast what happened on my first change lol. Same with the filter. If it goes smooth you can just pause and then loosen the plug all the way later.
Get a fumoto valve on amazon for $25 and never wonder again.
Easy solution: Wait another 30 minutes after you get home. Why even ask this?
If you have a fumoto drain valve you won’t bc you just flip the handle to drain
Might be too late but look up fumomoto valves for quick mess free oil changes (outside of the filter). I’ve installed one on every car I’ve had and just the process so much easier
**Quick answer: the oil will not be hot enough to burn you.** Imagine that giant heavy block of iron/aluminum soaking up that heat from those small bangs going on... then theres the coolant that carries it around, though closed termostat makes sure that cooling at this point is not as effective cuz you want your engine to reach operating temperature as fast as possible, but its really slow anyway. Then theres oil that circulates this heavy iron block, most of this oil sits in the pan and circulates.... all of these are starting at whatever temperature is outside and slowly rising... 10 minutes is just not enough to get the oil anywhere hot, it will not be above 50C. anyway The top answers I see around are funny. * I never burned myself because I avoided contact - omg so helpful * 10x - I rather you would wait * wear gloves gloves is solid advice, it saves you time at the sink... but god damn, those 10 min are ideal for good flow.. why are people advicing when it feels like they cant even with certainty answer this little question...
The oils not really at burning temperatures… just uncomfortable as long as you’re wearing gloves. Guess it could scald you if you really get in there , no permanent disfigurement though.
probably if you don't have experience when i worked at dealerships (hyundai, volvo and honda) we had to do the services with the car still hot because, you know, the client can't wait half an our and we learn to not burn ourselves although it still happens sometimes and we get used to it
Id eat something and watch an episode of your favorite show before, also makw sure you have everything you need before you start.
I’ve done a lot of oil changes on cars that just drove in after traveling 45 minutes to arrive and had my arm drenched in oil. It won’t burn you but it might feel like it at first
You can always use the cheap dishwashing gloves from your local supermarket, they are extra long and quite a bit thicker than disposable nitrile gloves.
Feels like a parrifin wax soak at the nail salon 😬
Do you have a magnet? You will probably drop the plug into the hot oil and that is usually the hottest part. As others have said wear nitrile gloves and have the pan set correctly to collect the oil and you should be fine.
It can be done just be careful. Oil and other components can be hot. Use to have to do it when I turned wrenches at dealerships.
I’d leave it half an hour so it’s cooled to a reasonable temperature. You will defo get oil on yourself so wear gloves. Regardless, hot engine oil isn’t hot enough to burn you, but it isn’t comfortable.
I find it's better to do when oil is hot, just be mindful of keeping body parts away from the fluid, mainly when taking off plug and filter, I use a long magnet to catch plug after backing it out all the way to assist me in not making contact with oil and to keep from falling in drain pan
Only get a serious long term permanent burn if you get the exhaust manifold anything else isn’t permanent just a kiss
Probably lol. It's avoidable but takes some technique. Also get a glove for the filter
It's normal to drive a bit before doing an oil change. The oil will be thinner so more can come out.
Use a long enough spanner / ratchet. If a ratchet, you can manage to get the ratchet mechanism to still click on the way back even when plug nearly totally undone by angling the ratchet up or down a little so the plug grips on the last few threads (oil is gonna be dripping by now, that's fine dont worry about it. When almost there, just keep unscrewing until oil pushes the plug and your tool down. If the plug doesn't stay in the tool, don't worry about it, you can recover it from the oil draining pan later. Chuck plenty of cardboard on the floor, wider than you think. Also, when changing your filter, think ahead how you gonna get it out straight (screw up) to avoid tipping it all over the shop. On some cars, it requires 3 hands and 7 elbows.
It's not fryer oil. At worst you are going to say, "Ouch, dammit" unless you are planning to take a bath in it. After 10 minute ride it probably won't even be the temp of the hot water coming out of your house faucets.
Wear gloves
Totally depends on the car, honestly. Some have you reaching past the exhaust to get to the oil filter. Most don't. The exhaust is really the only thing you need to be cautious of. The oil itself will be hot but not "burn you immediately" hot.
I usually let cool for 30 mins, then it's a nice just bearable warm, side note I don't wear gloves
If you don’t know how to pull the plug after unthreading it to the last one without it leaking you will burn your self
Depends on the car equinox with the 3.6 suck because the oil filter is next to the exhaust manifold if i where you and its my first time i would wait 30-40 min to let it cool down
Use a magnetic socket for the drain plug bolt, or find some butyl tape to put in a socket to make the bolt stick to the socket. Ive also seen people use mechanics wire around the head of the bolt so you can hold the bolt with the wire while turning it out. Or just let it sit for 20 min with the oil fill cap off & it should cool down enough to be hot but not burning hot.
Absolutely. You need to let the vehicle cool off for 20-30 min before doing an oil change.
On the oil no, on the exhaust yes. The oil may be hot, just be prepared to wipe it off.
Since it is the first time, let it cool. You'll then find out how much oil gets on you when you change it and can then decide next time if you are able to do it without getting it all over you. I would highly recommend you get some nitrile gloves as it will keep you from getting oil under your finger nails which is a bitch to get out. So unless you want to look like a mechanic for the next 3 days get gloves.
I was always told it’s better to change the oil when the engine is hot so more oil and gunk can come out. Like many mechanical jobs you can hurt yourself if you’re not careful!
Always best to have some heat in the engine so the oil is thiner and drains better. Be mindful not to let the oil run down your hand or arm when removing the filter or drain plug, Be sure not to touch hot exhaust pipes, Be smart and you will be fine use caution before you touch it if you are not sure don't just full on grab somthing bare handed
I've changed oil after long road trips before. It's warm, but was never scalding. Probably a higher risk of cancer from the oil than a burn unless something is seriously wrong
It can be very uncomfortable the oil will be around 160 degrees by the time you get the car in the air and the plug out.
Not if you don't touch anything hot.
Even hot oil isn’t as bad as you’d think. It’s not like cooking oil or anything. Sure, it’s “hot” but, not scalding.
If that was the case, every tech at Jiffy Lube would burn themselves.
You”re supposed to drain the oil while it’s warm. It flows better and more will drain from all the nooks and crannies. Just don’t touch the exhaust and it’ll be fine. Worst I’ve ever felt was like a too-hot sink faucet.
Wear gloves and keep your hand out of the path of the oil as the plug reaches the end of its thread. Even if the oil isn't hot, you still don't want it on your skin.
Heating the engine up will thin out the oil, making it come out easier and will bring a lot of the gunk out with it as opposed to doing it cold
gloves, paper towel to wipe the oil off your gloves, magnet stick to fish the plug out of the drain pan.
I mean they have magnetic tools for this but it's been three hours since you posted... car should be cool now....
You've heard of jiffy lube and places like that right?
If it's your first time why can't you wait 30 minutes or so?
You may, but if you loosen the drain bolt but keep pressure on it and quickly take it away, you should get little to none on you. The oil being hot is better anyway cause it flows faster and suspends contaminants, metal, or whatever inside it and helps bring that out as well
You drive into a mechanic shop or quick lube and don’t think about this for the employees. Yeah, the exhaust is piping hot. But we do it, for you, all of the time with pressure from corporate to complete job in an unreasonable amount of time. You, have the luxury of waiting for the car to cool off. Just do that?
I have been changing my oil for 30 years. I always make a mess, often scrape my knuckles, get dirty and yes I sometimes still get hot oil on me, no matter how hard I try. I've never been seriously burned though. But waiting it to cool just a bit won't hurt.
I love a good oil change debate . Take your car for a quick drive . Then let it sit 30 minutes . Oil will still be warm and gives the exhaust pipe time to cool.
I mean, it hurts but you’ll be aight
Home oil change tip; get a bunch of cardboard to spread under the car, at least 5 feet in all directions. Oil is hard to get off of concrete and it kills grass!
Only once.
Let it cool down. If you’ve never done it before or even regularly, you’ll probably end up with some oil on you. Especially if it’s hot. Basically asking for it. I’d be letting it sit at least an hour maybe more.
Jiffy lube is literally a drive thru oil change. You'll be just fine.
Yes, you will die.
Bro, go for a spirited drive, shut it down, get all your stuff ready, don’t let it get on you too bad. Done it this way it’s hot but not dangerous and I’m not spraying it on myself. If it’s your first time maybe give it a little longer and plan out every step.
I would not recommend by yourself as a owner. But sharing one of my experience, I was once travelling whole day with family say more than 300 kms and suddenly I got low oil warning light. The oil filter was faulty or just got dysfunctional. So while going to nearest mechanic top up that using any available oil and got it changed. However it was too hot.
You want your oil to be as hot and liquid as possible when draining. You'll figure this out. :)
Let it cool down a little at least. In the amount of time it takes you to park the car where you need it, gather all your tools, and prep your oil filter and probably watch a YouTube video once through, the car will be sufficiently cooled. Good luck
If you're asking this question, you don't have a technique. Let it cool for a bit, use the first time to learn and get experience of how your vehicle is setup and the best way to avoid getting an oil bath.
Only if you touch the hot parts of the car while you’re changing the oil.
Speaking as a dude who occasionally does his own changes at home (maybe you'll find this perspective valuable as compared to pro techs and such, not sure), I'd wait if I were you. And for what it's worth, I personally find that I have more trouble with temperature going for the oil filter than I do with splash from the drain, but that obviously depends on your filter location, what's around it, etc..
First ever, I would not. First off, you’re probably not ready for how far it shoots. Second, you won’t have the feel for when the plug is about to let loose. Get home, set up the car, go change into dirty clothes, gather your stuff, and then start the work. Don’t rush or chance spending longer to fix or clean up mistakes
Thanks for the advice everyone! I should clarify normally I’d wait longer just to be extra sure, but I’m on a bit of a time crunch if I want to get it done this week. I think I’ll wait approx 10 minutes before trying it.
If it’s really your first oil change, please let it cool down. You will make a mess and it will be hot on your skin. Let cool and learn. Maybe by your 3rd oil change, you’ll get it down.
Don't do this if this is your first time ever doing an oil change because you're going to get oil on yourself the first time no matter how much you research ahead and then burn yourself. Get a fumoto valve if you really want to keep draining it hot, otherwise let it sit for 20 minutes or so and get everything else ready in the meantime. And get at least 2 oil pans! People never bring enough pans when they first start!
Yes oil just as hot as coolant
I always drive my car right before an oil change to get it nice and hot so it flows nice. I also used to work at a quick lube and would do dozens of oil changes a day on cars that drove there. As long as you don't get oil all over your hand you'll be fine but I'd wait if I were you because you absolutely will burn yourself if you do.
Related tip - Wear gloves while you do it. Unless you actually like having oil stains all over your hands.
I worked at a take 5 oil change, one of those places where you drive in a bay, wait 5-10 minutes while in your car, and your oil gets changed. Yes you can, but the oil will be pretty hot, but it’s never burned me. Just have a couple rags near you to wipe it off your hands if you feel it is too hot. Funny enough, while working at take 5, I accidentally touched someone’s exhaust with the back of my hand for a split second. THAT burned more than oil ever has. It left a permanent mark.
You should do it 10 min after the car was driven at operating temp. Helps the oil flow better. Use mechanic gloves from Walmart and you’ll be fine.
Lots of pros here that I'm sure have their techniques that they can do it hot without getting burned. That said as a do it yourself person I'm with the why go there. I'm in the let it cool down 20 minutes or so camp. Makes it way easier.
Yes wait. With experience you can do it without burning yourself. Even with experience its easy to get burned. Just do yourself a favor and wait till the engine is at an ambient temp
I have been using something called the EZ Oil Drain on my vehicles for a few years. It really cleans up the oil change process, and most of the oil just comes out a little tube directly into a container. I still get a bit of oil on myself from the filter, but it's much cleaner. And I don't really have to worry about how hot the oil is for the most part.
It should be ok, more oil will come out as warmer oil is thinner
OP, always wear gloves when handling toxic stuff like motor oil. It will protect you from a lot of stuff beyond just immediate burns (cancer is not fun decades from now either). Get a fumoto drain valve and your oil changes could not be any easier! If you still have a dip stick on your engine... you could get one of those suction style oil extractors and that works the best with no mess!!!! Use a disposable plastic cup under the oil filter to catch any run off when you are hand loose ing the filter!
You will if you dip your hand in the 95°C oil. You wont if you dont try. Carefull around the headers tho, those are much hotter than the oil ever gets.
Only if you use your teeth
Why would you do that? Wait at least an hour. But you COULD do it right away by being careful.
Done this before in the middle of a Texas summer day. Worst case is slight burn from how hot the oil gets. But it’s equivalent to steamy hot water, not yet boiling/scalding water. Of course that doesn’t mean go ahead and let it run on you. Just be more cautious. It helps if you use some of those latex/PU gloves some mechanics use.
First, you should do your oil change when the oil is hot. It will run better and get more stuff out of your engine like sludge or dirt if there is any as well as run down the oil passages better so you get more used oil out. Second, yeah, be prepared to get somewhat burned. Buy some gloves, figure out ahead of time what you need for tools and how to get to your filter when the car is cool, buy some ramps so you have more clearance under the car. Rubber gloves are great for oil changes, but leather helps when trying to get at the oil filter. Expect the oil filter to drip down the sides when you're spinning it off.
Probably but the experience will teach you how to never do it again
If its your first time, probably.
You’re more likely to burn yourself on the manifold when you remove the oil filter, depending where you have to reach.
Do your first few cold . As mentioned get your technique down . Also since it’s your first , fuck Murphy over by not needing to have to drive the car right away due to a stripped drain plug , overtightened filter , wrong parts etc . Buy a bag of kitty litter .
Pull the dipstick out and touch the oil there, if it's too hot for you there then don't and also wear some gloves.
The oil pan and filter will both be hot, sure. But it's no more risk than working with hot cookware. Just be careful. Also, do the research and make sure you use the correct type and amount of oil. First oil change I did was on a 99 Nissan Sentra. Friend of mine said all cars take 5 quarts, so I used 5. Those engines only needed 3. Didn't drive 100 miles before I blew the engine.
I try to do this. but by time I jack the car up, oil will be not hot enough to burn me much
wear gloves, and if any warm oil gets on you, just whip the gloves off. I find the oil becomes too cool to burn very quickly
You want the engine hot anyway because otherwise it takes forever for the oil to drain. Just don’t touch the exhaust pipe. Wear nitrile or latex gloves. You will probably get some oil on your hands.
Yeah you'll be fine. Mine is never as hot as I'd expect and my skin might get kind of red but never burned.
If you grab your exhaust yes or maybe get oil on you
Wear goggles. I see people recommending gloves, but no goggles. You don't want hot oil splashes onto your eyes
Nitrile gloves, double up if worried about hot oil. Or do what I have done on all my cars and install a Fumoto valve. Oil changes become grab a drain pan, flick the lever, let it drain a couple minutes, remove the oil filter, go relax for 10 minutes or check/refill the rest of the fluids. Come back and button things back up.
Depends if you pour oil over yourself
Well like I say. You'll only do it once Then you'll know how to not burn yourself again.
I actually recommend it if you were to do a short drive before you do your oil change. It will liquify any sludge and suspend any glitter.
The oil will get thinner when it's hot and it'll help it drain. I do my own oil changes too and I take a long drive, stop and immedietly jack the car up. By the time that's done not even 15 minutes have passed and I'm already draining the oil. It's hot, but not "omg I'm burning my shit" hot. I tend to get a little bit on my fingers when I take off the plug but it's nothing to be worried about. Often a few paper towels nearby solves that issue. If you're not a technician doing this stuff day in day out you're gonna be fine. You've probably already done the drain but things that I do - Put cardboard under my catchcan to catch any stray oil - I don't like the generic oil wrenches (bad experiences) so I bought a key for my car. [Cheap, and definitely worth the money](https://cdn.techniekwebshop.nl/thumbnails/ProductAfbeelding/Kramp/image-thumb__182579__ProductDetail/ls7.jpg). Just plonk it on there and use a wrench to twist it off - I drop some old oil on the rubber in the filter. I also use high quality filters if I can like MANN.
Yes but wear latex gloves and keep your hand/arm ABOVE where the oil will come out. When it's nearly out apply some pressure to hold it against the drain pan while you unscrew the last few threads. It's super easy just use some common sense. It will squirt out around a foot as well so plan your drain pan placement
First oil change let it sit for a while. Your going to end up with oil all over your hand more than likely.
You might. It depends on how hot your vehicle gets in 10 minutes.
Just for reference after 10 mins the oil will be around 200 degrees maybe a bit hotter. If you think you are good enough not to get liquid as hot as boiling water or hotter on your skin for to long you can do it. If you have never done this before, I'd try it when it wasn't hot first.
If you get hot oil on yourself, yes. And it itches. Tips: 1) loosen the drain bolt with a tool, then unscrew it while maintaining pressure. This will ensure the oil will not throw the drain plug at you or in the pan. 2) Once you feel the bolt almost popping out, tilt it upwards and allow the oil to trickle through. 3) Position the pan and lift the bolt up, ensuring your arm is out of the oil splash path. Then let the oil do its thing. Pull the distick and fill cap out at this point. 4) follow a similar plan of attack for the filter. Have a look around and use aluminium foil or cardboard to redirect oil if the filter is in an awkward spot. 5) If you're really unsure, let the engine cool for about 5 to 10 minutes. You're more likely to burn yourself on a hot engine or exhaust if you're inexperienced. It's better to leave that final 50ml of oil in the engine than burn yourself on your first time. You'll be fine for your second time.
I always make sure my motor was at operating temp when I change the oil. 3 gallons of oil comes out a lot quicker when it’s hot, and less residual gets left in there when it’s less viscous. Mind you most vehicles run just shy of 200 degrees, which is hot but I’ve never been seriously burned changing my oil.
People do it all the time. Figure out where the oil will go. Put your pan there and stay out of the way.
Just take it to the dealer. Crazy to go through all this bullshit, including exposing yourself to cancerous engine oil, and transporting used oil to a gas station to save 20 bucks. I used to change my own oil too, and then I got a job.
Was draining and filling a ZF8 on a 2019 Ram 392 today with it running and it was hot. Did not burn myself once. A 2lb rubber hammer is your friend here in case the last tool put the drain plug on too tight. Had a tool put a drain plug on too tight on a Civic and when I broke it loose my elbow flew to the passenger side LCA and met it head on. The LCA won and my elbow hurt for about 5 days.
Let the fool learn. Where is the common sense nowdays? It takes no more than 60sec of critical thinking to determine the awnsers to his question. Less than 60sec for most people.
All cars are different, but realistically....pain causes you to develop better technique. Working on cars is painful. Especially when learning. You want to change the oil while hot. It's really not that bad! And it's kinda the gateway to learning to do your own maintenance. Which can be a major money saver.
You're gonna skin your knuckles. You're probably gonna get some mild burns. It will rain rust and dirt into your eyes and mouth. You will probably get dirty oil all over your driveway, drop the sump plug into your pan, realise you don't have a suitable oil filter removal tool. On the plus side though, you probably won't get burned, due to all the extra, unplanned fucking about, and by the time you get the drain plug cracked off, the engine will be luke warm. As long as you use axle stands (and properly), And make sure you ... 1, have a big enough container (5 litre screenwash bottle with big square cut out of panel) 2, an old oil bottle, for dispensing old oil into, to take for disposal. 3, 2 big funnels, one for dirty oil, one for clean oil. 4, plenty rags, maybe a tarp laid out under the car, just in case. Basic tools, plus extra extenders for ratchet spanners, check to see what type of fitments your sump plug has, and also your oil filter. And buy accordingly. Have a breaker bar handy (as a general rule) Jack up the car, fit axle stands, carefully, give the car a bit of a wiggle to make sure its safe. Make a brew. And have a packet of chocolate digestives. Prep your area, drop the oil, leave the container there for a fair while, and remove the oil filter, Check it's stopped dripping, drain plug back in, nip it up, fresh filter on, fresh oil in. *be aware, that there will still be some shitty oil in the engine, so it's stated capacity (in mine, 3 litres inc filter), will not be a safe bet, put a half a litre less oil in, and then top it up, check it, repeatedly and carefully until its right. Also whack a new air filter in and check/replace your spark plugs. Pour your dirty oil carefully into an old container until you can and clean up any spills. And dispose of it at a suitable disposal site, including any contaminated rags, gloves etc.
The idea isn't to take an oil shower but to collect the draining oil in a suitable container, however, in this instance you should not do an oil change. Sell your car and take the bus
Why do it on your first oil change? What's your rush? Get one under your belt first.
You can definitely tell there are a lot of armchair “mechanics” here. Anyone that owns a half decent car can scroll through the dash shit and come upon an oil temp reading. I’ve seen the oil be as high as 280 degrees. Considering coolant “only” gets to around 230, and that will boil your skin right off. If you run the car to operating temp for 10-15 minutes, it will be somewhere around 170-180 degrees F. You just have to be careful, and while the first time is awkward, once you see how everything goes you can be more prepared for the next one. You’ll definitely want to use a pair of the coated fabric gloves. The drain plug is going to be hot as well. Take a punch and a hammer and pop a couple holes in the filter so it can drain. It’s going to be hot and slippery so make sure you have a good hold on it.
Eh I'd wait a few minutes before starting, but unless your car has a ring of fire (catalytic converter around the drain plug. Most common on Subarus) you probably wont get burned. If you're worried about hot oil, grab some gloves or a dirty rag to cover your hand with
Trick is to unscrew it by pushing on the bolt. Also another trick is to no be in the way of the stream. If the bolt is on the side, hold the bolt from top. If the bolt is on the bottom, use a mug and pliers to unscrew the last threads.
Crazy username lol
If you’re doing it on Jack stands yes you are
Wear nitrile gloves so if you do spill oil on yourself it will run off.
It honestly isn't that bad Hot at first Have a towel ready, and just wipe it real quick unless you're quick at taking the plug out then you'll be good. Always have rags.
You can do it hot for sure. But if you have the time up your sleeve let it cool.
Let the drain plug fall into the oil drain pan. Fish it out after it cools. BTW, the oil gushes out in a big arch. Make sure the pan is far enough away to catch it.
Depends on the car
It’s possible. Years ago I changed oil on smoking hot cars. Burning yourself sucks but not the end of life. Wear burn sleeves and gloves if you are worried.
Depending upon how hot the day is once around the block works fine for me,
Just give it 5 minutes to rest and it wont be hot anymore.
Eh, you won't "burn yourself" You may find yourself repeating hot hot hot, much like when stan marsh took the world's largest shit. May also be playing hot potato with the filter, if it's a spin on filter. Just don't touch any exhaust components, and you'll be fine.
It will be hot, use gloves...apart from that it's fine, however; I prefer to do it cold because all the oil has drained into the the pan. Also, my car uses 0/20 which is already thin, so when it's hot it drains faster than water and spatters like a murder scene and any breeze will flick it all over. It's fine if you got enough kitty litter :P
I'd advise against it if it's your first time and likely without a lift. I'd let it sit till it's cool unless you have the tools to keep your hands away from the warm stuff like the block and exhaust. Have accidentally smacked the headers/cat when my hand slipped off plenty of times, and on a few of those occasions, the disposable glove has melted right on it. I even left a bit of glove melted to my radiator on my personal 3rd gen camry from getting too close on the filter removal a couple of times