Am I screwing up the car by not starting it while in winter storage? Some people say you should get it started every month or so and let it idle for 15-20
To start or not to start.
- Thread starter Riptide
- Start date
- Status
if you decide to start it.. don't let it idle.. drive it around! idling doesn't do that much.
better yet. spray some fogging oil in each cylinder and turn the motor over a bit.put a battery charger on it and be done. once a month roll the car a couple feet so the tires do not flat spot and keep air in them or raise it on jack stands.
Don't start.
use some sort of fuel stabalizer+ fogging oil like chad said and you should be good
Don't start, but if you do, don't idle. Take it for a long highway drive then park it, which is what you should have done before storing it.
Originally Posted By: Riptide
Am I screwing up the car by not starting it while in winter storage? Some people say you should get it started every month or so and let it idle for 15-20
Don't start it... that is the worst thing you can do for a trivial short term storage like this. Here are the reasons why: 1) Most engine wear occurs at start up... why start the car unnecessarily? 2) One of the worst environments for an IC engine to operate in is during cold incomplete combustion (fuel wash on cylinder walls, diluted oil from unburnt fuel, cold clearances, etc.)... which you have while warming it up... why do this unnecessarily? 3) Cold exhaust system... condenses water out of the exhaust and can prematurely rust everything downstream... again... why do this unnecessarily? If you must start your car while in storage (i.e. a fire in the garage, need to move the car to access something you didn't plan on, etc.) then the tips to warm it up fully are correct but you will have done all the damage that comes with a start. I am not sure where the big panic comes in all the car circles with sitting a car for periods measured in months. Just make sure the car is fully warmed up before you shut it down for the winter in October (or whenever you quit using it) and have fresh oil in it. A trickle charger on the battery or a once / month 10A charge is also good advice.
Am I screwing up the car by not starting it while in winter storage? Some people say you should get it started every month or so and let it idle for 15-20
Don't start it... that is the worst thing you can do for a trivial short term storage like this. Here are the reasons why: 1) Most engine wear occurs at start up... why start the car unnecessarily? 2) One of the worst environments for an IC engine to operate in is during cold incomplete combustion (fuel wash on cylinder walls, diluted oil from unburnt fuel, cold clearances, etc.)... which you have while warming it up... why do this unnecessarily? 3) Cold exhaust system... condenses water out of the exhaust and can prematurely rust everything downstream... again... why do this unnecessarily? If you must start your car while in storage (i.e. a fire in the garage, need to move the car to access something you didn't plan on, etc.) then the tips to warm it up fully are correct but you will have done all the damage that comes with a start. I am not sure where the big panic comes in all the car circles with sitting a car for periods measured in months. Just make sure the car is fully warmed up before you shut it down for the winter in October (or whenever you quit using it) and have fresh oil in it. A trickle charger on the battery or a once / month 10A charge is also good advice.
Originally Posted By: marc1
Originally Posted By: Riptide
Am I screwing up the car by not starting it while in winter storage? Some people say you should get it started every month or so and let it idle for 15-20
Don't start it... that is the worst thing you can do for a trivial short term storage like this. Here are the reasons why: 1) Most engine wear occurs at start up... why start the car unnecessarily? 2) One of the worst environments for an IC engine to operate in is during cold incomplete combustion (fuel wash on cylinder walls, diluted oil from unburnt fuel, cold clearances, etc.)... which you have while warming it up... why do this unnecessarily? 3) Cold exhaust system... condenses water out of the exhaust and can prematurely rust everything downstream... again... why do this unnecessarily? If you must start your car while in storage (i.e. a fire in the garage, need to move the car to access something you didn't plan on, etc.) then the tips to warm it up fully are correct but you will have done all the damage that comes with a start. I am not sure where the big panic comes in all the car circles with sitting a car for periods measured in months. Just make sure the car is fully warmed up before you shut it down for the winter in October (or whenever you quit using it) and have fresh oil in it. A trickle charger on the battery or a once / month 10A charge is also good advice.
Good advise. No need to fog the engine, but if you are concerned with flash rusting in the cylinders try this. Add a qt of MMO to the gas tank at the gas station before filling the car. Fill it up drive it for at least 30 minutes park it and leave it. The excess MMO will coat the combustion chamber nicely with a thin film of oil. If you do decide to drive the car no problem, but try and run it at least 30 minutes before storing it again. If you don't have MMO or prefer something else a good dose of TCW3 will also lay down a nice coat of oil in the combustion chamber. I've never used TCW3 for storage but I would think 4 or 5 ounces/10 gallons of gas for storing a car would be fine. Be careful with the TCW3 it can foul plugs. I've never fouled a plug with the MMO, even as a fogging oil.
Originally Posted By: Riptide
Am I screwing up the car by not starting it while in winter storage? Some people say you should get it started every month or so and let it idle for 15-20
Don't start it... that is the worst thing you can do for a trivial short term storage like this. Here are the reasons why: 1) Most engine wear occurs at start up... why start the car unnecessarily? 2) One of the worst environments for an IC engine to operate in is during cold incomplete combustion (fuel wash on cylinder walls, diluted oil from unburnt fuel, cold clearances, etc.)... which you have while warming it up... why do this unnecessarily? 3) Cold exhaust system... condenses water out of the exhaust and can prematurely rust everything downstream... again... why do this unnecessarily? If you must start your car while in storage (i.e. a fire in the garage, need to move the car to access something you didn't plan on, etc.) then the tips to warm it up fully are correct but you will have done all the damage that comes with a start. I am not sure where the big panic comes in all the car circles with sitting a car for periods measured in months. Just make sure the car is fully warmed up before you shut it down for the winter in October (or whenever you quit using it) and have fresh oil in it. A trickle charger on the battery or a once / month 10A charge is also good advice.
Good advise. No need to fog the engine, but if you are concerned with flash rusting in the cylinders try this. Add a qt of MMO to the gas tank at the gas station before filling the car. Fill it up drive it for at least 30 minutes park it and leave it. The excess MMO will coat the combustion chamber nicely with a thin film of oil. If you do decide to drive the car no problem, but try and run it at least 30 minutes before storing it again. If you don't have MMO or prefer something else a good dose of TCW3 will also lay down a nice coat of oil in the combustion chamber. I've never used TCW3 for storage but I would think 4 or 5 ounces/10 gallons of gas for storing a car would be fine. Be careful with the TCW3 it can foul plugs. I've never fouled a plug with the MMO, even as a fogging oil.
my vote is not to start... I have owned classic cars for more than 25year and they are not started nov1-mar1. Condensation is a nice little by-product of combustion. If you are not going to drive it 15miles when you start it, I wouldnt bother.
I probably should've mentioned that driving it is going to be out of the question. I've got summer tires and it's not going to get over 30 degrees much at this point. Not to mention I don't want to drive the car on slushy streets so even if it gets over 30 I'm not inclined.
Thanks for the responses. I have a full tank of fuel in the car. No stabilizer but I think I'll be able to drive it in March when it starts to get nicer. I last drove the car towards the end of November.
Thanks for the responses. I have a full tank of fuel in the car. No stabilizer but I think I'll be able to drive it in March when it starts to get nicer. I last drove the car towards the end of November.
Kestas
Staff member
Is the car garaged? I see all this discussion so far revolves around the engine. It's the brakes that take a heavy beating during storage. If the vehicle is stored outside, it should be driven around every so often. Any condensation in the engine is peanuts compared with the benefits of exercising the braking system.
Don't bother with starting it. Let it sit.
Originally Posted By: HyperJinx
my vote is not to start... I have owned classic cars for more than 25year and they are not started nov1-mar1. Condensation is a nice little by-product of combustion. If you are not going to drive it 15miles when you start it, I wouldnt bother.
Perceptive post. I also have a large stable and many cars are not run much. Climate control is needed, otherwise you must be very careful in 'mothballing'.
X a million on the don't run it unless you take it out for an extended drive!
my vote is not to start... I have owned classic cars for more than 25year and they are not started nov1-mar1. Condensation is a nice little by-product of combustion. If you are not going to drive it 15miles when you start it, I wouldnt bother.
Perceptive post. I also have a large stable and many cars are not run much. Climate control is needed, otherwise you must be very careful in 'mothballing'.
X a million on the don't run it unless you take it out for an extended drive!
If the oil is clean, any starting will cause it to get dirty, acidy, or allow water condensation.
Starting it and getting it hot every 2-3 months is a good idea, though.
Keep the battery charged!
Pump up the tire pressures to 40-45 [lower before driving!] or use some sort of jackstands or rack.
One more thing - gas goes bad. Put in Sta-Bil to slow down this process - it works. Add to the tank and then fill it, then drive it to mix it and get it in all the lines.
Starting it and getting it hot every 2-3 months is a good idea, though.
Keep the battery charged!
Pump up the tire pressures to 40-45 [lower before driving!] or use some sort of jackstands or rack.
One more thing - gas goes bad. Put in Sta-Bil to slow down this process - it works. Add to the tank and then fill it, then drive it to mix it and get it in all the lines.
If you are not going to run it all winter then jack it up and put wood on-top of bricks to rest the car on, so the tires are off the ground to prevent flat spots on the tires. The wood helps insure the load is distributed over the entire area of contact and this is easier on the frame.
Thanks guys I'll just let it sit. The car sleeps in a garage. It's not climate controlled. Gets pretty chilly in there. But still WAY better than sitting out exposed in the driveway.
It had a full tank of gasoline pumped into it right before I parked it. Since I'm going to drive it in March sometime I doubt Stabil is really needed. That said it probably wouldn't hurt. I wonder if it's worth bothering with though - the car has already been sitting for a month +.
I have a compressor and I will watch the tire pressure. I'll keep it over 30 pounds.
It had a full tank of gasoline pumped into it right before I parked it. Since I'm going to drive it in March sometime I doubt Stabil is really needed. That said it probably wouldn't hurt. I wonder if it's worth bothering with though - the car has already been sitting for a month +.
I have a compressor and I will watch the tire pressure. I'll keep it over 30 pounds.
Add stabilizer now. It won't bring old gas back but will prevent it from degrading further. Give it a double dose. Then start the car and move it back and forth to allow the fuel/stabilizer to slosh around and mix. Let the engine run for 15 minutes and shut down until Spring.
dont start it. in my experience ive never seen gas go bad in 3 months. Ive had gas in 5gal containers sit for 6+ months and still work just fine. dont lift the car, just keep you tires aired up. deffinately put a *floating* trickle charger on it.
next year, add stabil to your tank before you fill up.
when i was younger and before i became picky i let my 5.0 stang sit many winters under a cover in a unheated garage from nov-april, never added anything to the tank and it always fired. I use stabil now just as a preventative, this is my experience.
next year, add stabil to your tank before you fill up.
when i was younger and before i became picky i let my 5.0 stang sit many winters under a cover in a unheated garage from nov-april, never added anything to the tank and it always fired. I use stabil now just as a preventative, this is my experience.
If its just till spring don't sweat it. A tire won't flat spot for years in one spot. The battery could freeze bulge out the sides and damage it internally.
- Status
Similar threads
