Ask An Expert: Oil Change Woes

This week, we’re answering John Townsend’s classic question:

I carried out an oil change on my 1972 Triumph 1500. Disconnected the coil so that I could turn the engine over to fill the oil filter, and not get the dreaded Triumph start up knock. Because I was turning the engine over for much longer than usual, the starter solenoid terminal that the battery lead connects to got very hot. Too hot to touch. I don't recall this happening to my Triumphs in the '70s and '80s! I did check that the cable connectors were clean and secure once they had cooled down.

We spoke to Gary Bates of Triumph specialist TRGB for his advice for John.

“John has taken most of the steps necessary to complete a successful oil and filter change, however, the starter solenoid terminal is getting hot due to the strain being put on the engine as you’re turning it over. To prevent this, I would advise that you also remove the spark plugs. This puts much less stress on the starter motor and will make it much easier to achieve the right oil pressure.”

“An oil and filter change is an essential annual maintenance task for a classic car, but if you’d rather not do it yourself, a local classic specialist such as ourselves at TRGB can perform the task for you.”

If you have a classic question you'd like answered - let us know! Complete our Ask An Expert form and we could be answering your questions next week.

The information contained in this blog post is based on sources that we believe are reliable and should be understood as general information only. It is not intended to be taken as advice with respect to any specific or individual situation and cannot be relied upon as such.