Why do you need to heat up your engine before an oil change?

You don't *need* to heat up your engine before an oil change. In fact, some mechanics prefer to do oil changes on a slightly cool engine for safety reasons (less chance of burns).

However, warming the engine *slightly* can be beneficial because:

* Thinner oil: Warm oil is less viscous (thicker). This allows for easier draining of the old oil, ensuring a more complete removal. A completely cold engine can result in some old, thick oil remaining in the engine.

* Easier filter removal: The slightly warmer oil can make the oil filter slightly easier to loosen and remove.

The key is "slightly" warm. You don't need to run the engine for a long time. A few minutes of idling is usually sufficient. Running the engine too long before an oil change negates the benefit and introduces unnecessary risks (hot oil burns).