Stored Vehicle - Start Monthly or Let Sit?

[gunny1]

I drive my 1965 Dodge Coronet every 2 to 3 weeks in the winter months. But, I go on a 15 mile drive on the Interstate at 60 mph to get the engine and all moving parts up to temp. If you're going to start it once in awhile, make sure you drive it good and long. Do not just set in the garage running it. Bad idea.

Otherwise, park it and prep it for storage, and leave it alone.

Drive it like ya stole it!

 

[Buffman]

Ohh yeah I do take the batter out of mine, leave it with a full tank of gas with stabil. Last year I recall putting MMO in it, but I think i forgot this year. I store mine in a barn. Always with a full tank and after the car has been driven for at least 30 minutes to get oil temps up to par.

I've taken the rear end cover off the car after it came out of storage and there was no rust inside of there

Matt

 

[Gary Allan]

Originally Posted By: mechtech2
Buffman has a great point.
There will be no condensation to 'burn off' if you don't start it in the first place.


That condensation burn off is to avoid acid formation or emulsification. There's still humidity that will enter any open valve. Just look at a cylinder with the head off without some oil on it. If it's naked, it will rust. This is the whole reason that fogging oils were created.

Again, depending on your life span or life of ownership, it may not add up to enough to make much of a difference in perceived damage ...but enough boats, snow mobiles, motor cycles have ratted out motors (or are junked due to issues) due to these effects. They tend to be heavily/severely used with long bouts of being idle. Stored cars tend to have limited use with long bouts of being idle.

 

[WishIhadatruck]

Originally Posted By: Buffman
I just park it and let it sit. Mine usually gets stored for about 5-6 months. I feel that unless you're going to go out and drive the thing to burn off condensation you're doing more harm than good.


I agree.

 

[hi-miler]

The further North you are the less humidity there is in the winter. Too cold to hold the moisture. Rust would be more of a concern once the temperature begins to rise. Warm days followed by cool nights make things solid or liquid act like a glass of iced tea. They are colder than surrounding air and collect moisture from the air because warm air holds more moisture.
I'm not quite understanding fogging anything to the point of having the stuff run down the cylinder walls and cause a problem. Seems to me a bit of any oil, (especially synthetic), with a normal level of rust/corrosion inhibitors in it should prevent problems. My mechanics mind,(not much of one), makes me want to consider disconnecting the intake downstream of any sensors, then disconnecting the coil wire to prevent spark, and finally fogging oil in some way into the intake while turning over the engine. This would coat everything including intake and exhaust valves with a light coat of fresh engine oil. The small amount of fuel shouldn't be a concern (if it is pull that fuse), and all can be reconnected with ease. Granted this does nothing for your seals, AC or otherwise, but it would protect the top end of the engine.
Last, a droplite placed in the engine compartment at about the 4 or 7 o'clock position with a 75 watt bulb should provide enough heat to ward off any lingering concerns with moisture, not to mention if you just can't help it and want to turn over the engine, at least the oil isn't stone cold.
Steve

 

[ArmPitt]

In 1967 I stored a 1960 Mercury Monterrey (383 CID) in a downtown parking garage in Lubbock, TX while I pulled a tour in Thailand.. I did nothing special. When I returned, I installed a new battery, cranked it and off I drove. It ran as well as it did a year earlier.

 

[Buffman]

I almost forgot to add this. I purchased a long block (5.7L LT1) from a friend last august. He had purchased a parts Buick Roadmaster. It ran really good for it's shape. 130k on the clock. I'm not sure what he did when he pulled the engine. However he pulled the engine in November. Drained all the oil from it. It sat in his garage till August (9 months) when I came and bought it from him. I had planned to build an engine, (later sold the block cause don't have $$ to build engine right now) so I tore it down to part things off I didn't need.

the Cylinder walls still had a slight film of oil on them. About the only place I found in the engine that was dry was the lifter valley and other areas of the block. Still plently of oil all over the crank and bearings and moving parts. Here's a pic of it. Heck it sat in my friends garage for another 2 months with no heads on it either The lifter valley wasn't that dry either when I tore it down. the picture shows it after about 5 cans of brake cleaner attacked it.. I highly doubt this engine got any kind of good motor oil also. I found a slight amount of sludge in the bottom of the pan, and the car was originally owned by a little old lady.

 

[Rabbler]

Looks pretty good to me.
I thought all LT1 blocks had 4 bolt main bearing caps though.

 

[CharBaby]

ArmPitt,
My brother was in Thailand in '67 while in the USAF. He was there for quite some time during his 5 years in the AF. Just thought I'd mention it!

 

[Thermo1223]

Do not start it, do not touch it. Leave it alone until your ready to drive it again.

Full tank of fuel with Stabil, trickle charger on the battery with the battery being disconnected from the car, tires full of air, and maybe a desiccant in the interior to absorb unwanted moisture from creating mold & mildew.

You can find them at any store.

The only thing some people do is the change the oil before putting it away just so they don't have to do it the following season. Technically it doesn't matter it could sit there and still be fine come next season. It may absorb moisture but so would the new oil.

Don't use fogging oil, it is only meant IMO for engines that see heavy use right away after being brought back out for the season. Most cars unless used for the track are not subject to that kind of abuse. Engines that rely on oil burned as lubricant I can understand though. In any event though I would use MMO since unlike fogging oil it won't thin the engine oil to water like consistency.

 

[JohnnyO]

I store my mother's Cadillac and my son's Mustang every winter. Not starting them at all is better than idling in the garage. If you can run a car a good 5 or 6 miles on a dry day that's fine, if not then it's better to let it sit without starting.
Pump tires up to 40 psi.
Sta-Bil in gas.
Change oil.
Disconnect Mustang battery but it goes dead anyway.
Caddy has a "storage mode" you can punch up on the computer but it goes dead anyway.

 

[Buffman]

Originally Posted By: Rabbler
Looks pretty good to me.
I thought all LT1 blocks had 4 bolt main bearing caps though.


No. Originally only the LT1 out of the corvette came with 4 bolt main blocks. All F and B/D cars had 2 bolt blocks. Any crate engine (not sure when they started doing it) spec'd for the f-car came with 4 bolt mains. LT1 bottom end is pretty stout and 4 bolt mains are really a necessity.