I've seen people post this, but I'm not sure why you'd do it. Is it just to ensure the car is stored with oil with no condensation in it or what? I can see changing it coming out of storage..
Changing oil BEFORE winter storage?
- Thread starter TurboTravis
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It is actually best to change oil before storage, and then again after storage. This assures you that the oil contains nothing that is harmful to the engine. What I would do is take the car on a long run just before storage to get it good out hot and burn off all the excess fuel and moisture. Then change out the oil, and filter, make sure that new oil is good and hot by taking about a 30 minute drive and then park the car where you plan on storing it. Adding a qt of MMO to the gas and some stabil before the drive helps reduce the chances of the fuel going bad and coats the combustion chamber so nothing corrodes in it.
After storage take the car for a nice run and change the oil again, you might be able to get away with the same filter, but I usually change it. Others might do it differently this is my way.
HTH,
Frank D
After storage take the car for a nice run and change the oil again, you might be able to get away with the same filter, but I usually change it. Others might do it differently this is my way.
HTH,
Frank D
I change before storage, but never again after storage.
To me, that is extremely excessive!
ONE time I drained my 140HP 4 Stroke Suzuki again in the spring as I changed my mind & did not want the oil I put in it in the Fall for the following season. It came out looking just like it went in.....
To me, that is extremely excessive!
ONE time I drained my 140HP 4 Stroke Suzuki again in the spring as I changed my mind & did not want the oil I put in it in the Fall for the following season. It came out looking just like it went in.....
I tend to overdo things and might be a little wasteful at times, but if the car/engine has any real value to me I consider it cheap insurance. There is always the possibility the oil gathered a lot of moisture, but then the flip side to that is a good run should burn it off. As I mentioned there are other ways. I know a lot of people who park them and do nothing other than a jump start in the spring and drive away.
Frank D
Frank D
Patman
Staff member
Changing before storage is good, but changing again right after storage is just a waste of good oil! If you haven't started the engine during the storage period that oil is just the same as when it went into the engine! And even if it has a tiny bit of moisture in it, that'll be gone on the first highway trip you take.
Originally Posted By: Patman
Changing before storage is good, but changing again right after storage is just a waste of good oil! If you haven't started the engine during the storage period that oil is just the same as when it went into the engine! And even if it has a tiny bit of moisture in it, that'll be gone on the first highway trip you take.
I agree, No need to waste perfectly good oil.
Changing before storage is good, but changing again right after storage is just a waste of good oil! If you haven't started the engine during the storage period that oil is just the same as when it went into the engine! And even if it has a tiny bit of moisture in it, that'll be gone on the first highway trip you take.
I agree, No need to waste perfectly good oil.
Some of us have seen what happens when used oil sits for months. The solids settle out on the bottom. That reason and rust prevention are the big two that I see for draining before storage. I see no good reason to change it after storage though.
Originally Posted By: -Clayton-
Originally Posted By: Patman
Changing before storage is good, but changing again right after storage is just a waste of good oil! If you haven't started the engine during the storage period that oil is just the same as when it went into the engine! And even if it has a tiny bit of moisture in it, that'll be gone on the first highway trip you take.
I agree, No need to waste perfectly good oil.
Agreed
Originally Posted By: Patman
Changing before storage is good, but changing again right after storage is just a waste of good oil! If you haven't started the engine during the storage period that oil is just the same as when it went into the engine! And even if it has a tiny bit of moisture in it, that'll be gone on the first highway trip you take.
I agree, No need to waste perfectly good oil.
Agreed
Ok. Well, I may have to drive it up to 100 miles before storage, so I'll just have to do it before I leave the house and call it good!
I have farm tractors that have to sit over the winter and after a fair bit of research, which included asking the same question here at BITOG, I came to the conclusion that if I was going to do one or the other (not both, that's GALLONS of oil and stacks of money wasted),I would change before and let the oil sit there with a strong anti-oxident package fighting corrosion.
That said, I have now gone to TWO YEAR OCIs on the tractors
. Every other winter, they will go into storage with 50 or up to about 75 hours on the oil (up to about half of the prescribed 150 hour interval). Why? My UOAs are showing very high TBNs (11 on the CI4+ and 8 on CJ4) on the 50-75 hr/annual OCIs, so I'm dumping oil that still has a very strong additive package. These are expensive oil changes so I'm going to try and get the most from them. The next OCIs will tell the tale. If they come back next year with a panting, exhausted TBN, I'll know better.
And yes, I know all the minute dire possibilities, but I pay more attention to probabilities and there are darn few dire ones in this scenario.
That said, I have now gone to TWO YEAR OCIs on the tractors
And yes, I know all the minute dire possibilities, but I pay more attention to probabilities and there are darn few dire ones in this scenario.
Now I want to buy rosemary oil! Sign me up for 5 gallons of it.
JHZR2
Staff member
I can see the benefit to changing again after storage, particularly if nopt stored in a climate controlled area - because of condensation in the systems.
And that may be a problem to some... but if it is, then there are bigger fish to fry with regards to smaller sump systems that are open, like differentials, where there is an air gap, potential for condensation, etc., and not as much pass through of ventilation once the vehicle is re-started.
If there is a bona-fide need to change the engine oil after storage, then Id be changing everything else too...
I prefer to start off very slow and gently, but end up in a long-drive, getting up to full temperature for all systems, so that moisture can be driven off.
JMH
And that may be a problem to some... but if it is, then there are bigger fish to fry with regards to smaller sump systems that are open, like differentials, where there is an air gap, potential for condensation, etc., and not as much pass through of ventilation once the vehicle is re-started.
If there is a bona-fide need to change the engine oil after storage, then Id be changing everything else too...
I prefer to start off very slow and gently, but end up in a long-drive, getting up to full temperature for all systems, so that moisture can be driven off.
JMH
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Been storing a car for 20 yrs. Always change before storage but after I have driven it some miles. I don't just change and park it, been known to log another 1,000 miles if the weather stays good (no snow). I never change the oil again when it comes out of storage.
But I have always used synthetic (Amsoil) oils. My CTS oil was changed last October, the car stayed in cold storage (insulated concrete floor) till May of this year and been driving since on the same oil. Been doing it like this since about 1990.
But I have always used synthetic (Amsoil) oils. My CTS oil was changed last October, the car stayed in cold storage (insulated concrete floor) till May of this year and been driving since on the same oil. Been doing it like this since about 1990.
Like I said there are other ways to store a car, next go round I'll leave the oil from storage in too, along with the snow blower and power-washer. Unless because of the smaller crank case it should be handled differently? I guess the moisture going into the crank doesn't do much harm to the engine or oil if its run long enough after storage. My info came from an old timer that worked at a car museum. Learn something new everyday.
Frank D
Frank D
I have been storing boats and motorcycles for over 25 years. I always change before storage and that's it for a 1 year OCI. UOA's at the end of the following year still show TBN's high enough to go another 6 months or so. Changing twice is a total waste of money and oil.
This thread leads directly to my situation. I changed the oil on my wife's '04 Elantra 4 cylinder last Oct 24 (2007) - 4 qts of Valvoline SynPower 5W30. Since then she has put on about 1,800 miles. She takes it for an "extended" drive once a month (20 to 40 miles highway). Uses no oil (no make-up added). Odometer is almost at 10,000 miles.
Now, do I change it out this October or let it ride another year? If I drain it, should I use it in my daily commuter for 3 or 4 thousand miles (and add 1 qt for my sump capacity) or just recycle it? I drive 1,000 miles per week.
I hate wasting good oil...
Regards,
GEWB
Now, do I change it out this October or let it ride another year? If I drain it, should I use it in my daily commuter for 3 or 4 thousand miles (and add 1 qt for my sump capacity) or just recycle it? I drive 1,000 miles per week.
I hate wasting good oil...
Regards,
GEWB
same here, been storing cars over winter for over 15 years.
Originally Posted By: tpitcher
I change before storage, but never again after storage.
To me, that is extremely excessive!
ONE time I drained my 140HP 4 Stroke Suzuki again in the spring as I changed my mind & did not want the oil I put in it in the Fall for the following season. It came out looking just like it went in.....
Originally Posted By: tpitcher
I change before storage, but never again after storage.
To me, that is extremely excessive!
ONE time I drained my 140HP 4 Stroke Suzuki again in the spring as I changed my mind & did not want the oil I put in it in the Fall for the following season. It came out looking just like it went in.....
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