Motor oil plays an important part in keeping the components of an engine lubricated. Without it, the engine would slowly tear itself apart bit by bit. In order to keep the engine working correctly, motor oil also needs to be swapped out regularly. Like all things, it can get old and dirty. If that happens, your engine is at risk of overheating, and ultimately, engine failure.
Like a love-hate relationship, a car engine can be dangerous to motor oil depending on its temperature. How hot the engine is can also affect oil during an oil change. Most drivers know that an oil change is an important part of maintaining your car, but what role does the temperature of an engine play?
Not only can it affect how easy or difficult the oil change is, but hot oil hurts! If you’re planning to change the oil yourself, a good wait time would be 20 to 30 minutes after driving before attempting the switch. Or if the engine is cold, rev up the engine for two to three minutes to get it warm (about 100 degrees).
Is a high engine temperature helpful for changing motor oil?
There are some benefits to getting an oil change shortly after the vehicle has been running. Let it cool down a bit so you don’t burn yourself, but a warm engine will also keep the motor oil warm. And the warmer the oil, the less viscous it will be. Plus, there’s less chance of old oil sticking to the engine’s walls.
Another good reason to drain the oil soon after turning off the engine is to keep the engine clean. Contaminants can find their way into motor oil in a number of ways, most of the time from situations out of our control. However, improper disposal, filtering, and storage of motor oil can also lead to contamination and turn your motor oil bad. When an engine is warm, the motor oil stays warm, making it easier to keep contaminants trapped in the oil, and expelled on their way out.
On the flip side, if you’re changing your oil yourself, you don’t want the engine to be too hot. Hot motor oil will leave a nasty scar. It’s best to wear protective gloves if attempting to do the oil change soon after a drive. Or just wait for it to cool down.
