Top end removal - drain oil?
 

I know I look like a slacker asking this :(, but do you need to drain the oil when removing the top end. I've got some fixin' to do and I want to minimize as much as I can. (I know I've gotta drain the coolant, by the way.)

Thanks

I kind of think that is a no brainer myself. Drop the oil, and put fresh in when you're done. But that's the way I'd do it.....

Unless you're just removing the cam covers, drain the oil.

Yeah, I think my brain can handle it too, but my living situation isn't conducive to having moto parts and liquids sitting around so I'm trying to minimize it, if it's okay with you.

Don't get offended man, and it's quite allright w/ and I really don't give a f__k about what you do. You asked the question, and I gave my advice. Where I come from, when you do engine work, you drop the oil and put new oil in. Here's another no brainer for you, if you're environment doesn't permit leaving oil laying around, get rid of it!!!

Wow! Where did that come from??? :confused:

Same place Chickenstrip's snotty little reply came from. I don't know, maybe I read into too much, but reply seemed awfully snotty to me....

ahhhhh......nothing like the lack of tone in forums to throw people off.

so angry...can't we all just get along...or maybe the two of you could get together and hug it out?!:evillaugh:

Draining the oil is not required when removing the heads, however it is kind of a no brainer to install fresh oil after doing any engine work.

As for what to do with the old oil, here in California you can go to Kragen Auto Parts where they collect waste oil at no charge. Some cities will also offer free collection to keep it out of the storm drains. I'm sure other states have similar programs. Its part of the Federal Clean Water Act.

I'm a no-brain kind of guy....absolutely no reservations here about pulling heads off without touching the drain plug.

Good points
 

Thanks for your thoughts - it totally makes sense to replace the oil after engine work, and I certainly do recycle the old oil, even taking it to Kragens like you mention. I was just thinking that most of the oil is sitting in the sump when the motor is still, and that removing, or not removing, the oil at the time of working on the engine is moot. But maybe there is enough volume that oil is still in the top end.