Oil Change observation

Very stupid thing to do.

Wayne, do as you want, it's your set of wheels, but I wouldn't start an engine up, even for 10 seconds, when the oil is drained. There is an oil film that clings to the metal so you probably didn't do it any real harm, but it sure isn't good for it either. If you are that concerned with getting all the dirty oil out, drain it, add a couple of quarts of new oil and leave it run for a minute or two and then drain it again, change the filter and refill the crankcase. BTW, the service manual I have says it holds 5 1/4 quarts with filter.

Denny

It is often said that there's "no such thing as a stupid question". That's wrong; there certainly is. A stupid question is the kind that's asked even though a few moments' additional thought on the part of the asker would reveal the answer. This is in contrast to a question asked out of ignorance, which the asker could not answer even if he thought and thought and thought about it.

Yours is the stupid kind.

Why only 10 seconds? LOL

(If engines did not need oil to run without self-destruction, there would not be any used in there in the first place.)

Canadian or American quarts?? Or Liters?

Sorry, U.S. quarts

Denny

Actually it was more like, at most, 5 seconds, started it then immediately turned it off. (Next time I will add Slick 50 before changing so it can be run dry for 1/2 hour:-) The owners manual under Fluid Capacities has "Engine Oil 4.5 quarts" mentions nothing about with or without filter. But since it did require 5 1/4 Qt. perhaps the additional oil got pumped from the filter and associated plumbing when I dry started it. I guess that would make the procedure both risky and pointless.

WVK

Your thoughtful commentary is duly noted. WVK

Before you try that Slick 50 experiment with your van motor, get an old lawn mower that is close to used up and add the Slick 50 to it. Then try your experiment on it. When the motor ties up after a few minutes, you won't be out much. No, I don't believe all the advertisements about slick 50, duralube, spooge-in-a-tube and all the rest. If that stuff worked like it is advertised, you would have no need for any internal lubrication or cooling systems cause there would be no heat build up cause there wouldn't be any friction.

Denny

At MoparFest in New Hamburg 2 weeks ago, they did the "engine blow" contest, where you pay to guess how long an engine will run with a brick on the accellerator before it blows up. Saterday's car was a 2.0 liter Pontiac Sunfire. To avoid antifreeze and oil all over the track when it lets go, they drain the oil and antifreeze before starting the engine. Darn thing ran over 20 minutes before it blew up - and that was WITHOUT Slick 50 or DuraLub.

So it's not necessarily that you're *unable* to think -- it's that you're

Fascinating. Sad, but fascinating.

Keep that up and you'll be changing an engine.

I was kidding about the Slick 50 which I understand to be snake oil. However considering this 20 minute to blew example I have doubts that running an engine for a few seconds without oil will harm it if it was fully warmed up and fully lubricated (as it was) then shut down right before draining the pan. OTOH I wouldn't try this on a cold engine.

WVK

Another thing to remember is your hydraulic lifters are running with no oil pressure. I would think you would have a bit of valve train noise after a few seconds of running.

Denny

You need to understand that the rod and main bearings in an engine in operation are oil bearings. In short, the crankshaft rides on a thin, microscopically thin, oil film. There is no metal-to-metal contact between the crankshaft and the bearings at speed.

This oil film only exists because oil is being pumped under high pressure into the bearings, of course the oil comes out the sides of the bearings, but as long as the oil is flowing into the bearings through the journals, this film is maintained.

When you don't have a steady flow of oil going to the bearings, such as when you are sucking air into the oil system, and air bubbles are going to these bearings, the oil film is wiped away and the crank starts rubbing against the main and rod bearings. Very shortly after that the bearing material is destroyed and your engine sounds like an old threshing machine which someone dumped a load of pea gravel into it's gearbox - that is, if a rod don't seize and the rod be driven through the side of the engine block.

You probably took 20-30,000 miles of life off your engine in the 10 seconds it was running on dry bearings.

Ted

Please, Noman, do send those complaints to Daniel's ISP. I'm sure they will enjoy the laugh in between dealing with real complaints, such as people breaking into other people's computers.

Ted

Duhh...I guess I don't "get" it (a problem I am having more and more these days) *LOL*

As another poster said, do what you want but running an engine w/o oil is not IMO such a great idea. Many people even fill the new oil filter w/fresh oil before installation so the engine won't run "dry".

To each their own....

You initially said the filter was replaced, but comments below seem to contradict the previous note. (You should change the filter at the same time you change the oil.) Doing so gets that last 1/2 quart without ever needing to turn over the engine. (I agree with others that attempting to run an engine without oil is not a good thing to do.) If you insist on "pumping out the last little bit, then I'd suggest using the starter motor and disabling the ignition system. But, keep in mind that when the engine is started it will take longer to get oil pumped back to where you succeeded in blowing it out from. I don't think it is worth the risk to get this little bit, especially if you change it at 3K mile intervals.

Bob