To Start or not To Start while in Winter Storage? - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

Boxster33 · 09-22-2009, 02:30 PM

Hi All, I willl be storing my Boxster this winter and the dealer mentioned that I should start the vehicle every 2 weeks so the seals don't dry out. I was always told that cold starts were bad for an engine and we do get cold winters here in Toronto. I Plan to store the vehicle for 4 months December-March.

Any Thoughts?

jaykay · 09-22-2009, 02:45 PM

Hey I am in Toronto too....I lean towards not starting the engine and then turning it over numerous times before starting it spring.

JFP in PA · 09-22-2009, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boxster33

Hi All, I willl be storing my Boxster this winter and the dealer mentioned that I should start the vehicle every 2 weeks so the seals don't dry out. I was always told that cold starts were bad for an engine and we do get cold winters here in Toronto. I Plan to store the vehicle for 4 months December-March.

Any Thoughts?

Before putting the car to sleep for the winter, change the oil and filter, add Stabil to your tank and fill it, drive the car a few min. to circulate the stabilized fuel, clean the car inside and out, hook up a battery maintainer (NOT a trickle charger), and then leave it sit. Do not start it unless you are going to drive it for at least 20-30 min.

While your car is in hibernation, start looking for a dealer that knows what they are talking about…………..

Flavor 987S · 09-22-2009, 02:47 PM

I do NOT start mine. I have been storing it like this with excellent results the past 3 winters. I store from mid October to early April.

There are some excellent winter storage advice threads here. Search keywords "winter storage".

Keys to remember:

fresh oil
wash & wax
stabilize fuel- tank full
over inflate tires to 58 PSI
Porsche battery maintainer
desiccators
park on a sheet of plastic
don't engage parking e-brake, block wheels
car cover
Turn off insurance, except Comp. (fire & theft coverage)
In Spring, hand crank engine by pushing in 5th gear, until you hear engine turn over, then fire-up with key. Then take a 400 mile road trip, buy fresh fuel

eightsandaces · 09-22-2009, 02:52 PM

I don't start mine but I do use jacks or stands to avoid flat spotting the tires.

JFP in PA · 09-22-2009, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eightsandaces

I don't start mine but I do use jacks or stands to avoid flat spotting the tires.

It is a bad idea to let the suspension hang on these cars as the strut shafts can corrode, amongst other issues. And I wouldn’t worry about flat spotting the tires; all tires flat spot while sitting for even several days; if the flat spots don’t go away after a few min. driving, you need better tires………….

jaykay · 09-22-2009, 02:58 PM

I agree....with all these steps fill the tank and stabilize it.....I park on dense foam pads (plastic sheet as well) that deform instead of the tires. I have the tires pumped to 50 psi

Lil bastard · 09-22-2009, 03:04 PM

Don't start... Best thing!

Franco · 09-22-2009, 03:05 PM

Hi, I start the car every week letting it run for about 15 minutes.

Fill Tank and add Stabilizer

Inflate Tires to 70 psi.

Put stoppers in front and rear of wheels, No handbrake

Fresh oil and filter

Fully charge battery every 2 weeks

Wax once a month

d18mike · 09-22-2009, 05:24 PM

Those of you who park on foam -- where do you get it? What type/density? Thanks.

I've never started mine in the winter: Fill Tank. Stabilize gas. Tires to 45-50. Porsche Battery Maintainer. Great results.

jaykay · 09-22-2009, 05:48 PM

I got it at home depot; enough for pads at each wheel; it was pink and very dense...it took the weight of the car....an tire impression was made half way through its thickness over the course of the winter; so it looks like it did its job....no flats spots with 50psi. Too soft will be useless

make you make pieces big enough to drive onto!

Lil bastard · 09-22-2009, 08:15 PM

As JFP said, flat-spotting tires is a holdover wives tale from bygone days.

When tires were exclusively steel belted, flat-spotting was an issue. But, tires today use synthetic cords such as nylon, polyesther and kevlar. These materials (in this application) do not have a permanent memory and the tires will come around (no pun intended) as soon as they are up to temp.

I wish I was the guy who came up with tire pads. If I was, I'd be driving a Lambo instead of a Porsche.

cvhs18472 · 09-23-2009, 02:53 AM

If you live anywhere in or near the country you should also put mothballs under the engine, in the car and in both trunks. It takes only a little while to get the odor of the moth balls out in the spring but it stops little rodents from chewing on the wires and hoses. The moth balls can be put in just about anything as long as it is not closed , such as coffee cans, old dishes, etc. Ed

oriley · 09-24-2009, 10:13 AM

I, too, store mine end of October to begining of May in Toronto.
I fill tank with Ultra 94, increase tire pressure to 60, remove battery; and cover. And WAIT and WAIT!!
I've been storing this way for 5 years with Boxster and probably 5 years before that with Miata.
Have had no issues, whatsoever.

Banana S · 09-26-2009, 07:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JFP in PA

It is a bad idea to let the suspension hang on these cars as the strut shafts can corrode, amongst other issues.

First, aren't the strut shafts stainless steel? With a light coat of oil on them, why would they corrode after 4 or 5 months in storage?

What are the "other issues?" Please be specific. I stored my car on jackstands last winter to no ill effects. Might do differently this winter, but only if there is a good reason.

Lil bastard · 09-26-2009, 08:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Banana S

First, aren't the strut shafts stainless steel? With a light coat of oil on them, why would they corrode after 4 or 5 months in storage?

What are the "other issues?" Please be specific. I stored my car on jackstands last winter to no ill effects. Might do differently this winter, but only if there is a good reason.

The shafts may indeed be stainless, but they'll still attract dust, possibly dirt and when compressed, will abrade the upper seal on the shock body, contributing to early failure.

Also, when fully extended, the shocks support the weight of the suspension and all the unsprung weight. This places a lot of tensile force on the shock which it was never designed to support - shocks are designed to endure compression forces, not tensile ones.

JFP in PA · 09-26-2009, 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Banana S

First, aren't the strut shafts stainless steel? With a light coat of oil on them, why would they corrode after 4 or 5 months in storage?

What are the "other issues?" Please be specific. I stored my car on jackstands last winter to no ill effects. Might do differently this winter, but only if there is a good reason.

The shafts collect dirt and they do corrode, leading to premature failures; they also were never designed to carry the weight that is on them with the suspension hanging; and with the suspension hanging, your rear axel boots will be subjected to compression and pinching, shortening their lives................ Porsche had a TSB about not doing these issues years ago, indicating they would not warranty parts damaged by “improper storage conditions”.

Let the car sit on the ground, it will be just fine............. We have a local dealer that stores cars for selected customers (GT 2’s, GT 3’s, Carrera GT’s, etc.); they are all sitting on the ground, and they do not over inflate the tires either........

sd_boxster · 09-26-2009, 12:19 PM

Here in San Diego, winter is when we find out if the convertible tops still go up.

Suggestion: Those of you using jack stands - why not take most of the weight off each corner without actually lifting the tire off the floor? That way you're removing _most_ of the weight, but you're not dangling the suspension from the struts, which at least some of the folks here suggest is a bad idea.

Tomikaze · 12-04-2009, 12:50 PM

Gotta jump in on this one. Stored my last two Boxsters for the winter over the past 3 years. When you DON"T start the car once a week and let it run for 15 - 20 minutes you go to start her up for the first time in the Spring and and get all sorts of smoke and the motor makes a god awful racket. Takes a few days of driving for the motor to completely quiet down. I don't think a rapping motor is in any way good for it. Start her up once a week and no nasty sounds or smoke. I'm going to keep starting her up unless someone can prove to me the it's bad for the motor.

blue2000s · 12-04-2009, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tomikaze

Gotta jump in on this one. Stored my last two Boxsters for the winter over the past 3 years. When you DON"T start the car once a week and let it run for 15 - 20 minutes you go to start her up for the first time in the Spring and and get all sorts of smoke and the motor makes a god awful racket. Takes a few days of driving for the motor to completely quiet down. I don't think a rapping motor is in any way good for it. Start her up once a week and no nasty sounds or smoke. I'm going to keep starting her up unless someone can prove to me the it's bad for the motor.

Interesting, I've been storing my Boxster for 4 years and an Rx-7 for over 15 years in the winter. Rotary engines have very sensitive tip and side seals that don't tolerate abuse.

I've never noticed any difficulty starting, smoking or strange noises bringing the car back from storage after 4.5-5 months as long as the car is stored correctly.

I can't think of a reason why it would help to run a car once a week or month instead of leaving it sit if it was stored correctly.