Oil change, car left standing afterwards for a few days?

[ajguk]

Hi all

Just wondering - my car is off the road at the moment waiting on a retrim from Royal Steering Wheels. It's due an oil and filter change which i'll be doing myself - question is, is it a bad idea to do the oil and not run the car immediately afterwards for a few days? And thinking about it, will idling the engine for a few minutes warm up the old oil sufficiently enough for it to drain properly?

It can wait, it would just be convenient for me to do the oil first before the wheel can be fitted. Any thoughts or advice? Thanks

[tapkaJohnD]

Depends on how you define " a few minutes". I'd say that 20 might get the oil up to temp.

Can't see any problem in leaving the car static for a few days after an oil change.

[Strudul]

Starting the car afterwards is just to check for leaks.

[ajguk]

tapkaJohnD said:

Depends on how you define " a few minutes". I'd say that 20 might get the oil up to temp.

Can't see any problem in leaving the car static for a few days after an oil change.

Yeah I wondered how long to idle, no problem with 20 minutes. Cheers

[ajguk]

Strudul said:

Starting the car afterwards is just to check for leaks.

Good point, will do that

[Evoluzione]

If you drain it when it's been stood unused you'll get more of it out.
Yes run it for a bit after doing the job and check for leaks as per above as well as the level afterwards.

[Tony1963]

Evoluzione said:

If you drain it when it's been stood unused you'll get more of it out.

Really? Cold, thick oil will drain more easily than warm thin oil?

[finlo]

Tony1963 said:

Evoluzione said:

If you drain it when it's been stood unused you'll get more of it out.

Really? Cold, thick oil will drain more easily than warm thin oil?

It won't drain quicker but there will be more in the sump than if it was just turned off.

[Tony1963]

finlo said:

It won't drain quicker but there will be more in the sump than if it was just turned off.

More cold oil in the sump.... it can take ages to drain.

Get the engine up to working temperature, and remove the sump plug straight away, and I reckon 99% of the oil will be drained in under ten minutes.

[gazza285]

Tony1963 said:

More cold oil in the sump.... it can take ages to drain.

As the OP isn’t in a rush, I’d just leave it to drain overnight.

[Clifford Chambers]

If it's an airbag wheel, don't turn on the ignition unless connected.

[p4cks]

Clifford Chambers said:

If it's an airbag wheel, don't turn on the ignition unless connected.

Was just about to post this myself. Resetting an airbag light can be an absolute bd of a job

[Evoluzione]

Tony1963 said:

finlo said:

It won't drain quicker but there will be more in the sump than if it was just turned off.

More cold oil in the sump.... it can take ages to drain.

Get the engine up to working temperature, and remove the sump plug straight away, and I reckon 99% of the oil will be drained in under ten minutes.

Well you'll be quite wrong, you'll never get 99% out as it's held in various places all around the engine.
You'll get more out if it's left as it takes a while to drip off the various surfaces and make it's way down.
It doesn't matter whether you leave it 12 hrs then drain it, or run it, drain it and leave it draining for 12hrs. The same amount will come out.

[Sheepshanks]

Tony1963 said:

More cold oil in the sump.... it can take ages to drain.

Maybe a bit slow on a very cold day, but oil in modern cars is like piss now.

[Tony1963]

Evoluzione said:

Well you'll be quite wrong, you'll never get 99% out as it's held in various places all around the engine.
You'll get more out if it's left as it takes a while to drip off the various surfaces and make it's way down.
It doesn't matter whether you leave it 12 hrs then drain it, or run it, drain it and leave it draining for 12hrs. The same amount will come out.

Ok, I’ll reword it. 99% of the oil that will come out will drain out in that time.

[ajguk]

Clifford Chambers said:

If it's an airbag wheel, don't turn on the ignition unless connected.

Ha wish I'd come back to this thread before reversing the car the other day...indeed, airbag light is on. E89 Z4 so I think I need the INPA software to reset it. I had it previously on an old laptop so I'll dig out the cable and give it a whirl. if not it'll have to go in to my indy.

[Collectingbrass]

ajguk said:

Clifford Chambers said:

If it's an airbag wheel, don't turn on the ignition unless connected.

Ha wish I'd come back to this thread before reversing the car the other day...indeed, airbag light is on. E89 Z4 so I think I need the INPA software to reset it. I had it previously on an old laptop so I'll dig out the cable and give it a whirl. if not it'll have to go in to my indy.

I'd have thought you'd be able to clear it with a bluetooth ODB reader and the Torque app.

[ajguk]

Collectingbrass said:

I'd have thought you'd be able to clear it with a bluetooth ODB reader and the Torque app.

If so that would be much easier!

[Chris32345]

Collectingbrass said:

I'd have thought you'd be able to clear it with a bluetooth ODB reader and the Torque app.

Torque only deals with engine ECUs codes last I checke
Airbag codes are on a separate ECUs that many generic reader's won't read especially if the cars airbag ECU is connected to different pins on the ones socket