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Can You Change Engine Oil Without Turning Off a Motor? We Now Have an Answer to This

Changing the oil on most vehicles is a straightforward process. But what if you decide to change the oil without turning off the engine? Well, that would be unwise, to say the least. You risk damaging the engine, but also severe injury. That has not stopped this team from attempting it, though.
Oil filter change with the engine still running 7 photos
Photo: Screenshot from YouTube video by Garage54
Oil change with the engine still runningOil change with the engine still runningOil change with the engine still runningOil change with the engine still runningOil change with the engine still runningOil filter change with the engine still running
We are referring to the Russians at Garage54, who have made their adventures with Ladas famous all across the internet. Now, they are even selling merch, but this article is not about that. Instead, we focus on the insanely dangerous act of removing the oil from a running engine.

As you can see in the video, Vlad, the main presenter of the channel, goes ahead and removes the oil plug by hand, despite having the engine warmed up, so it can have its oil changed. We hope that we do not have to explain in detail why you should never attempt to replicate this, as hot oil may reach your skin or even your eyes if you are not careful.

Moreover, touching hot metal with your bare hands (or bare skin, for that matter) is extremely painful and may leave a mark on the affected location.

Coming back to the video, there are a few technical challenges when someone attempts to change motor oil without shutting off the motor. One of those challenges is blow-by, which is the phenomenon that can be observed when the oil cap is removed while the engine is running. The latter part is harmless in most cases if done with care.

By the way, removing the oil cap from a conventional engine that has just been shut off may reveal potential problems with the unit if you see smoke coming out of it. With the engine running, there will be an increase in pressure, which should not happen if everything is perfect.

Another challenge that the team faces is handling a hot oil drain plug, as well as removing an oil filter from an engine while it is running. Fitting the new oil filter was done without placing a bit of oil on it, but we will let this one slide, as that was not the point of the video.

Regardless, watch it below to see the challenges that they faced and how things worked out for them. Please do not try to replicate this.

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About the author: Sebastian Toma
Sebastian Toma profile photo

Sebastian's love for cars began at a young age. Little did he know that a career would emerge from this passion (and that it would not, sadly, involve being a professional racecar driver). In over fourteen years, he got behind the wheel of several hundred vehicles and in the offices of the most important car publications in his homeland.
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