Changing oil in cold climates

[Cabin Fever]

Just a reminder to all of you who change their own vehicle oil in an unheated shed when the temps are below zero. Remember to tighten down the oil filter extra tight. I found a small pool of oil under my pick up this past week....it leaked from the oil filter gasket. I assume that since it was below zero the gasket was rock hard when I spun the oil filter on "hand tight." Even tho this has been tight enough for the past 190,000 miles of oil changes, it wasn't tight enough this time.

[Up North]

Good Tip, Cabin Fever. We usually put the new oil to go in the pickup or tractor in a heated area for a day beforehand so you don't have to wait forever for it to flow into the engine. After reading this I think I will put the filter with the oil too.

[Beeman]

I would have thought that being cold the gasket would shrink and then when it warmed up would expand making it extra tight. I've never had a leaky filter, but I don't think I've ever changed oil in an unheated garage at that temp. Only leaky filter I ever had was when a customer distracted me and I didn't realize the old filter gasket had stuck to the engine.
What brand of filter do you use? Maybe bring the filter in the house the night before. I'll bet you'll say bad words when you try and take that filter off. You do warm the engine up before draining the oil don't you?

[Cabin Fever]

Oh yeah, in the winter I always drive our vehicle on an errand just before changing the oil. I then put the 5 quarts of oil around the engine, near the manifolds to allow them to heat them up while I'm draining the oil and swapping the filter. I use Fram oil filters.

[Beeman]

Originally Posted by Cabin Fever

Oh yeah, in the winter I always drive our vehicle on an errand just before changing the oil. I then put the 5 quarts of oil around the engine, near the manifolds to allow them to heat them up while I'm draining the oil and swapping the filter. I use Fram oil filters.

Draining the oil hot is the only way to get all of the contaminants out with the oil. I quit using fram a while back, used to use them all of the time. I cut a lot of filters open and Fram is a little cheesey compared to others. On GM's I stick with AC, Motorcraft on Fords, Purolator for the rest. Just my opinion, now for the absolute best filter I use Wix or NAPA Gold, but I don't think they're worth the price on a regularly maintained engine on conventional oil.

Warming the vehicle up first was always a way to bring some heat into the unheated building too.

[tiogacounty]

I had an interesting experience a few years back that encouraged me to stay away from Fram filters. Our Intrepid would start just fine unless it sat for three days or longer. After a long rest it would run very rough for a less than a minute, but it was a rough and very loud experience, like the valvetrain was bone dry. The dealer and a sharp independent shop were both clueless. I switched from Fram to Purolator filters, and the problem went away. At first I was skeptical, but the thing now runs dead quiet, even after a week of sitting. I did a little research and found the Frams are know for using some real questionable guts, like cardboard anti-drainback valves. So, since a Purolator is the same price, and seems to work better, I stuck with them. Your mileage may vary, but im my case I definitely solved a problem by no longer using Fram filters.

[Ross]

Hmmmmm my FIL's Escort wagon that my wife just bought from him uses/d Frams exclusively. It makes that kind of noise too come to think of it, and it can be a bear to start......... after a couple of days. Sunday sounds like a nice day to change oil doesn't it!? Well no it doesn't but I think I will all the same. thx for the suggestion.

[Beeman]

Colder climates also require the use of the proper viscosity oil, cold flow seems to be more important since almost all oils protect well even in heat. Always check the oil cap or the owners manual as most vehicles use 5w or 10w-30 and it's most important in colder weather.

[TNHermit]

I switched our trucks from Fram a few years ago. They were always leaking around the gasket. I seen a consumer report sometime back that dissed the Frams. they were THE filter when i was young. All our machinery had them on it and Dad always used them

[tiogacounty]

Originally Posted by TNHermit

I switched our trucks from Fram a few years ago. They were always leaking around the gasket. I seen a consumer report sometime back that dissed the Frams. they were THE filter when i was young. All our machinery had them on it and Dad always used them

It's amazing how us humans tend to stick with what we are comfortable with, and base our choices on information we may have gotten thirty years ago. I ran into a guy at work that thought I was absolutely CRAZY for risking my vehicles to Quaker State Motor oil. He was very serious and said it would wax up and ruin the motor. I asked how he knew it would? He then said that his dad pulled a Chevy motor apart, forty years ago, and it was all caked up with wax. The only problem with this story is that forty years ago, Quaker state was a PA based company making oil from very high wax content PA crude. Forty years later, they are based in Texas and make oil from the same stuff everybody else does, with technology that is light years ahead of what happened in the 60s. It's amazing how much faith we place in the old ways, "how dad did it" , and what we knew for a fact thirty years ago. TNHermit, it's good to see somebody that will change with the times and the info. available. I live among some of the most thick headed old German farmers ever hatched. If they have used a Fram for the last four generations, and every time the put a new one on it leaks and fails, they just ignore it, and put another one on the next time the change oil. It's amazing sometimes, you don't know if you should laugh or just shake you head and walk away.

[TNHermit]

Originally Posted by tiogacounty

It's amazing how us humans tend to stick with what we are comfortable with, and base our choices on information we may have gotten thirty years ago. I ran into a guy at work that thought I was absolutely CRAZY for risking my vehicles to Quaker State Motor oil. He was very serious and said it would wax up and ruin the motor. I asked how he knew it would? He then said that his dad pulled a Chevy motor apart, forty years ago, and it was all caked up with wax. The only problem with this story is that forty years ago, Quaker state was a PA based company making oil from very high wax content PA crude. Forty years later, they are based in Texas and make oil from the same stuff everybody else does, with technology that is light years ahead of what happened in the 60s. It's amazing how much faith we place in the old ways, "how dad did it" , and what we knew for a fact thirty years ago. TNHermit, it's good to see somebody that will change with the times and the info. available. I live among some of the most thick headed old German farmers ever hatched. If they have used a Fram for the last four generations, and every time the put a new one on it leaks and fails, they just ignore it, and put another one on the next time the change oil. It's amazing sometimes, you don't know if you should laugh or just shake you head and walk away.

I came from thick headed German And Irish farmers. You never used Quaker State,Shell (unless it was rotella) or some i can't think of ! I still don't to this day Penzoil was good but I don't like that anymore either. I'm a Mobile One guy all the way. I've tried others but I can see the difference on the oil pressure guage. i only use Yamaha R in my small two strokes, chain saw etc. I use 30 wt non detergent in my small 4 strokes. But am debating toing to M1. I just blew up my first engine ever ,a 14hp B&S, this summer. So I am in for a change.

[gilberte]

I ain't changing my oil if the temp is below zero! I'm a wimp and it will just have to wait until it gets at least to 20.