HYBRIDS - How are you warming up the oil before a change?

[LongLivePeart2112]

Where in the universe is it written oil must be "warmed up" for an oil change? I have been working on cars for over 40 years and I've never heard that nonsense before. I prefer not to burn my fingers when removing oil filters or the oil pan bolt.

Drive it around the block if it makes you feel better I guess.

Simple goofy, he read it on the internet.

@Shay and @Eagle11 -- Unfair to OP. A reasonable question was asked. I'm not qualified to judge the best approach, but I'll offer a snippet from my 2022's Civic's OM just to counter that warming the oil is not unheard of:

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[Johnkn]

I put mine on one of my lifts the night before, allow everything to drain into the pan overnight, and change in the AM...

At 8k miles, my Hybrid’s oil looked almost new when I changed it. All my Ecoboost motor’s oil (Raptor, Platinum Explorer, Expedition, etc.) is black after 2000 miles....


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[OneAlienBoi]

Where in the universe is it written oil must be "warmed up" for an oil change? I have been working on cars for over 40 years and I've never heard that nonsense before. I prefer not to burn my fingers when removing oil filters or the oil pan bolt.

Drive it around the block if it makes you feel better I guess.

Exactly, my first job out of high school was working at an oil change place. I speak for most people in that field when I say there's nothing worse than having to change the oil on a hot engine in the middle of August. Even with gloves, you'd come home with at least one new blister per shift on average.

The worst were the lifted pickup drivers. Having to stand on a step stool, I'm 5' 11 BTW to change the oil on a lifted Super Duty makes you genuinely despise the owner.

 

[Eagle11]

@Shay and @Eagle11 -- Unfair to OP. A reasonable question was asked. I'm not qualified to judge the best approach, but I'll offer a snippet from my 2022's Civic's OM just to counter that warming the oil is not unheard of:

This is a Ford Forum, not a Honda, and I doubt the Honda Dealership does this too.

 

[Eagle11]

I put mine on one of my lifts the night before, allow everything to drain into the pan overnight, and change in the AM...

At 8k miles, my Hybrid’s oil looked almost new when I changed it. All my Ecoboost motor’s oil (Raptor, Platinum Explorer, Expedition, etc.) is black after 2000 miles....


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How many miles of those 8K miles was your engine under an extreme load? My Hybrid was the same.

 

[LongLivePeart2112]

This is a Ford Forum, not a Honda, and I doubt the Honda Dealership does this too.

Apologies, needlessly denigrate whomever you want.

 

[LongLivePeart2112]

HYBRID SPECIFIC QUESTION: I am still a couple thousand miles before I need the first change, but I was wondering today what the quickest way is to get the oil warm. Drive it in tow mode? Maybe just hit the highway for 15 minutes and keep it at 65 or higher?

[...]

Some have presented strong opinions in your thread that it's advisable to change your hybrid's oil cold. I had learned differently growing up (pre-Internet), but hey, (1) I could have been taught incorrectly and (2) times and technologies change so our methods change too.

I opined earlier that there's room for both approaches, but the counter argument got me curious if there was a general consensus. Our friend Google quickly returned this:

https://www.motortrend.com/how-to/change-engine-oil-hot-or-cold/

Spoiler:

Absent specific car manufacturer instructions to the contrary, oil experts agree that motor oil should be changed while it's still hot.

To be fair, I'm sure further searching will uncover countless perspectives on either side... that's not the point. So, yes, as others have said, do what you want. Find a trusted source of information and decide for yourself. There may not be a right or wrong answer. I hazard oil change frequency is ultimately far more important than whether or not the oil is cold when it's changed. Being burned by hot engine oil just once is a strong incentive for doing it cold, no doubt.

 

[Johnkn]

How many miles of those 8K miles was your engine under an extreme load? My Hybrid was the same.

Extreme load? LOL, probably zero.

I think my oil minder was probably at 15% remaining.

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[Eagle11]

Extreme load? LOL, probably zero.

I think my oil minder was probably at 15% remaining.

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MIne was the same

 

[Eagle11]

Apologies, needlessly denigrate whomever you want.

No, we have a Honda CR-V.

 

[Gunnar88]

If you just mash the gas pedal it will start the motor, not rev it and I dont hold it down, but it's like a switch, a real quick jab and the ICE turns on. I change my oil hot, come home roll up on the ramp, open the hood unscrew the cap but leave it sitting on, pull the air dam, and drain the oil. I use a Fumoto drain valve so there is no getting burned and I let it drip until its no longer streams but drips then move to the filter and button it up add the oil and im off. about 15 mines if it wasn't for that air dam

 

[Toddman45]

Where in the universe is it written oil must be "warmed up" for an oil change? I have been working on cars for over 40 years and I've never heard that nonsense before. I prefer not to burn my fingers when removing oil filters or the oil pan bolt.

Drive it around the block if it makes you feel better I guess.

I couldn't agree more, I prefer not to burn my fingers as well. I normally change my oil on a weekend when I'm off but there have been times on a weekday right after work I'll do it and the engine is still hot. But I've never purposely warmed up a vehicle before an oil change it may take an additional 5 minutes for cold oil to drain out versus warm but I'm never in a rush.

I would say if you're like me and you pull your truck up on ramps just the time to start it back it out of the garage then back it onto the ramps is enough time to warm it up enough to let the oil drain quicker.

 

[TonyS]

I don't change my own oil. I don't see it as cost effective. While under factory warranty I take it to a dealership (we have three different in the area). After that I alternate between an oil change place and Firestone (to get tires rotated)

Just yesterday I got a offer in the mail from where I bought the truck to change the oil and rotate the tires for $70. Why would I do it myself

 

[The Real Maverick]

Keep in mind this is 0w20 oil.

It's going to flow pretty well at any temperature that you'd be comfortable scooting under your truck.

 

[Doosenberry]

To answer your question, OP, you can run it on the highway/freeway for several minutes to get it to temp.

You can also drive it around town in tow/haul or sport mode and it wall always run the engine when it's not standing still.

And, being that it's cold out now, at least where I live, you can run the heater set at max temp and it will run the engine longer than at any other temp setting. I don't know if it'll run until the engine is at normal operating temp, but I know from experimenting myself that setting it one degree lower than max will have it shut the engine off way earlier than if you had it set at max. There are some options for you.

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