Oil Change Tips & Tricks

[Nibroc99]

I do partially fill my filter before I put it on. What I mean by a long time is normally you start your bronco and let it warm up just a little bit and that puts a fresh oil film on everything. you change your oil and by the time you start it up again That oil that’s between the bearings and the crankshaft, etc., etc. is still there. If it sits for months and months that oil cushion might be depleted.

Totally makes sense! Couldn't agree more.

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[Fordified1]

I do the same, and will be priming the engine before starting it going forward as well! I always say there's no harm in preventative maintenance if you want something to last. If you can prime the oil galleys before combustion happens then there's less speed in the engine, and as a result, lower frictional coefficient once the engine starts spinning faster as combustion occurs. So my vote is to prime it too, because we might as well.

Well there’s sure no harm in it and it theoretically does help. Big caterpillar engines have electric priming pumps that run and build oil pressure before they even turn over.

 

[CV428]

I keep the tag off the oil filter box for every oil change. On it, I write:
Date:
Vehicle:
Mileage:
Oil Weight, Type, Volume:
Tools:
Torque (if applicable):
Prime Method (if needed):

As for not getting burned, I use heavy duty rubber gloves. I like to do an oil change when the engine is at operating temp, with 5-10 minutes delay for drainage. I might get made fun of a lot for it, but I take PPE very seriously. I also play guitar an obscene amount, so I need my hands injury-free and preferably not torn to shreds and removing finish off the necks.

Depending on the vehicle, sometimes I make an oil drain funnel out of a milk jug or something else. The 2.7l Bronco didn't need anything, that was a really easy oil change once the lower cover is removed. I used to have a 2nd Gen Explorer that would fire drain oil straight across into a frame component, splashing it everywhere.

I line up everything in advance, get every tool, funnel, etc ready to go so I don't get distracted and miss a step while hunting for something I forgot. If I'm doing a fluid change on the lift, I make sure the drain tank is low enough to accept the volume I'll be draining (I misjudged once, let a buddy do some maintenance, forgot, went to dump 10qts into the thing, and it puked out everywhere because it was more full than a Taco Bell toilet at 6pm).

One other tip, and this falls along the lines of verbally saying "Yes I shut off the oven." For any vehicle that uses a quarter-turn plastic plug instead of a traditional threaded plug, I like to say out loud "FULLY ENGAGED" or "THAT AINT GOING ANYWHERE." The first time I changed the oil in a Gen3 Coyote was the first time I encountered the new style plugs and I was paranoid about if it had fully engaged the detent.

 

[CV428]

What's the need for priming the engine? Wouldn't a normal startup crank enough times to get oil flowing before it fires up? Should only take two or three revolutions of the crank for the oil pump to send oil where it needs to go, which would be plenty of time before it fired up. Curious people's thoughts on this - hope I don't cause a big debate lol.

It's a good practice and doesn't hurt. It has been debated for years. The "theory" is that air entrapment in the filter and oil galleries causes voids in fluid film between bearing surfaces. The reality is that there should be enough residual oil in those areas to negate any otherwise-measurable effect. I always fill the oil filter as high as I can (depends on orientation, don't fill it and turn it 90 degrees haha) just for ease of mind. It doesn't take many revolutions to build oil pressure if the galleries are full.

Where it is absolutely necessary is if an engine has sat without running for an extended period of time (weeks or months) and all of that residual oil has drained back into the pan. Then, you're starting with empty galleries and have a longer period of time where bearing surfaces are making cold contact without oil pressure. There's no way of knowing the extent of the damage without tearing the engine down and inspecting those surfaces (or before and after oil sample analysis), but I can tell you from personal experience that the effects vary greatly but are never good.

Also worth noting... I have only ever had one engine that was considered worn out and roached due to excessive bearing wear, and it still ran strong up to the day we pulled it. One. And that's because it was built wrong and abused by the previous owner. We often get caught up in topics on oil, break-in procedures, etc, but there really aren't many cases of catastrophic failure unless you run it with no oil or simply never change the oil.

 

[crenca]

What's the need for priming the engine? Wouldn't a normal startup crank enough times to get oil flowing before it fires up? Should only take two or three revolutions of the crank for the oil pump to send oil where it needs to go, which would be plenty of time before it fired up. Curious people's thoughts on this - hope I don't cause a big debate lol.

"The Oil Geek" did some testing (actual measurements of wear metals, etc.) and found that filling your oil filter during a change before cranking the engine over helps cut wear metals, at least on some engines with low viscosity recommendations, like 0-20.

I have the 2.3L, so the oil filter is mounted sideways. Since filling it is not a real option, I "prime" or "dry crank" (flood clear - It goes by different names) the engine by holding the clutch & the gas all the way to the floor and holding the start button. The start turns the engine over without spark for about 10 seconds, which is enough to fill the oil filter up with oil. Then upon start, the oil filter being full, there is not a small amount of time where oil pressure is not getting to other areas of the engine (because the oil filter is being filled). Sure, the prime cranking is turning the engine over during this low/zero pressure period, but the relatively low rpms/load in theory means less (oil starved) surface wear is taking place.

Does it matter? In theory, but no one is going to "prove" it because the effort and cost is too high. Unintended consequences that are worse then just cranking your engine normally after an oil change? Maybe, but hard to imagine - no theory as of yet.

One thing fur sur, some folks think it is wholly unnecessary and of course they are right - doubtful the practice is helpful for most folks whose vehicles/engines die from other diseases...but for those of us who hope to keep it a long time it's a very small effort for possible real benefits.

 

[CV428]

doubtful the practice is helpful for most folks whose vehicles/engines die from other diseases...but for those of us who hope to keep it a long time its a very small effort for possible real benifits.

Exactly! Most engines are not destined to "die" from worn out bearing surfaces due to oil change practices, unless that practice is "never change or check the oil."

I say this as humbly as I can- the failure mode I fear worst is usually not the one that occurs, and that's because fear drives the mitigating factors which push something else into the primary spot...

 

[crenca]

Exactly! Most engines are not destined to "die" from worn out bearing surfaces due to oil change practices, unless that practice is "never change or check the oil."

True. However, since it is so easy to do and there is actual measured evidence it makes a small difference in some circumstances on some engines, why not? At least 'why not' for the 1.2% (pulling a # out of the air - don't know what it actually is) of the population who like me do their own oil (and other) maintenance, do used oil analysis at least occasionally, and are otherwise geeks when it comes to their vehicles.

Would I recommend it to my friends and family who have Jiffy lube change their oil, and otherwise make many many other un/ill-informed decisions about their vehicles? Heck no, they have bigger things to focus on.

If I ever have a quick lube or dealer change my oil am I going to try to convince them to perform this very minor procedure? Heck no, they will more than likely screw it up causing a more serious problem.

For most folks just getting them to use a decent oil/filter for their circumstances and changing at regular intervals counts a whole lot more towards long term engine life...

 

[TiKi-Bronco]

Just did my first oil change at 3000 miles yesterday. 2.7 SAS. One of the easiest oil changes I've ever done with the exception of the small O'ring. I was going to order one of the drain plug adapters but I thought I would try without for the first change. The skid plate came off easy. I loosened the oil filter housing. Was able to fit under on my creeper! Put a small bucket under the pan and removed the plug. The oil did shoot out but all of it went in the bucket. New filter, added 6QTs, primed and leak checked. I'm not sure if you are supposed to change the drain plug but I might order a few to have on hand.

 

[Z because X was taken]

I pull my phone out and make a call to my Ford Mobile Service every 5k miles. I purchased the oil plan thru the dealer. They show up at the agreed to time and date, and presto, oil change and tire rotation done. No fuss, no muss.

 

[timhood]

What makes the task most efficient for you?

Call dealer and tell him to pick it up. Dealer picks up vehicle, services it, and drops it back off. I get an oil change with Motorcraft semi-synthetic, new filter, top-off of any fluids (basically, I get a gallon of windshield washer fluid), multi-point inspection, and a tire rotation. All for $30.

The catch? I have to buy a 3-pack of these services and use them all within a year. That's one at the time of purchase, one in six months, and one in a year. It's clearly a loss-leader for the dealer to get additional service while the vehicle is there, but they don't pressure you to do anything. It generates enough business that they don't need to strong-arm anyone.

The only bummer is they've stopped doing this after having done it for ages. Next time, it will be $45 each. Still a good deal overall.

 

[MayhemMike]

It is just oil. It gets changed because combustion makes it dirty. Dirty reduces its ability to carry out the required lubrication. Until these new motors requiring these weird weight ratios I used good old dinosaur goo.Now I use the recommended synthetic blend.I change my oil way before the manufacture’s recommendation. Changing the oil is a cheap way to ensure motor life. I have changed my own oil for over fifty years. I never fill the new filter prior to install. I do rub oil on the filters gasket. I have never used synthetic since I change my oil at lesser mileage intervals. I don’t pre lube the motor. The entire motor internals are covered with oil. I don’t worry about getting every little drop of used oil out of the motor. I have never lost a motor in my life. It is just oil.

 

[DefNotBuddyLee]

As long as you are refilling with 7 quarts, you are good no matter how you get that oil out.
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[Batson35]

WAIT 7?????

 

[mikec426]

Oh, NOW here we go!

 

[adam1991]

I do rub oil on the filters gasket.

New oil, right? Never use the old oil that's dripping out.

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