Summer car oil change, once per year, when to do?

[OppositeLocK]

I have a vehicle that is only used in sunshine during the summer. All other times it is covered and garaged. I plan on only doing one oil change per year. When is the best time to do it?

1. Before the vehicle is stored for the winter.
2. Before the vehicle is taken out for the summer.

Is it smarter to have fresh oil in it while it's stored, or put fresh oil in it once it's ready to be driven again? Or is there really no difference? Going to be using 0W-20 Mobil Extended Performance.

 

[Oillover]

1. Before storage for the winter.
You don't want acidic oil left for months in the engine.

 

[stangguy]

I have been doing #1 for the past 15 years with no problems.

 

[Rand]

how many miles per year on this?

 

[Imp4]

Every two years.

 

[OppositeLocK]

how many miles per year on this?

About 3,000 miles.

 

[OppositeLocK]

1. Before storage for the winter.
You don't want acidic oil left for months in the engine.

This makes sense. I'll change it before storing it.

 

[Crash Bandicoot]

Whenever your in laws come over to the house.

 

[OppositeLocK]

Whenever your in laws come over to the house.

Thankfully I'm not married and don't ever plan to be!

 

[Rand]

At 3000 miles the oil wont be "acidic".

I'd probably change it after storage.

 

[Eddie]

Unless you let the oil get Worn Out, it won't make any difference. Change it when ever it's due based on time, hours or mileage.

 

[930.engineering]

1. Before storage for the winter.
You don't want acidic oil left for months in the engine.

That's the most common approach at least I'm too am following. With just 3,000 miles per year and given you
drive your car up to full operating temp every time it likely doesn't matter that much though. I'd even consider
going two year OCIs.

 

[BLND1]

I like to put things away “clean.” So I’d do it before winter, but it really doesn’t matter.

 

[chris.kelly.tn]

If you change it in the fall, you get rid of the acidic corrosion argument. If you change it in the spring, you get rid of the water condensation argument. Which are you most afraid of?

 

[R1jake]

If you change it in the fall, you get rid of the acidic corrosion argument. If you change it in the spring, you get rid of the water condensation argument. Which are you most afraid of?

I’m not sure I follow on the water condensation argument? How does new or lightly used oil make any difference on condensation which would be there either way. As long as the vehicle is inside it should get rid of condensation for the most part.

 

[chris.kelly.tn]

Sorry, I wasn't clear. In some areas, temp and humidity swings will cause water vapor to condense inside the engine, leading to water in the oil, come spring. Lots of factors affect it, like whether it was last completely warmed up, driven on a rainy day, etc. I've seen years when it didn't happen, and years when my bike was noticeably contaminated. Ditto for the Camaro.

 

[chris.kelly.tn]

Oh, and my garage isn't heated...

 

[chris.kelly.tn]

Oh, and my garage isn't heated...

And another thing... Carbureted engines can have gasoline leak-down from the float bowls, seeping through the rings to the oil pan. I just rebuilt my Valk carbs. The oil was ruined. I didn't recognize the culprit in the spring, so it happened again...

 

[Spike555]

If you are storing a carbureted vehicle for long term you need to install a fuel shut off valve And do NOT use any fuel that contains any amount of ethanol.
Ethanol WILL ruin the carburetor. It causes the float to stick. The needle seats to corrode. The float bowl to corrode.
Tons and tons of damage.
As the fuel inside the carb evaporates it leaves behind a corn meal type of residue.
And ethanol tracts moisture.

 

[chris.kelly.tn]

You are absolutely right. But here in tn, we get short periods of riding weather in the winter, so we tend not to hard-winterize. And I do have a fuel petcock. It failed. It's a common Valk weakness.