WINTER - Do's & Don't getting car out

[Mark_T]

I have heard that some people pull the fuel pump fuse and turn the engine over a few times to get it well oiled before starting it, but I don't do that. I drop the tire pressure down from storage levels, disconnect the tender, and fire it up. I drive it slowly around the neighborhood for about twenty minutes and then take it out on the highway and blow out the cobwebs. I try and burn off about 1/2 a tank of the old gas and then top it up. After that, normal operation.

Oh, and it does say in the manual to start it and drive off immediately.

[cas951]

Originally Posted by Mark_T

I have heard that some people pull the fuel pump fuse and turn the engine over a few times to get it well oiled before starting

I can agree with this method. They say 80% of our engine wear takes place when you first start the engine. More so when it's been sitting for awhile.

I think this is a good precaution.

[jb92563]

Probably be a good idea to start the car and get it up to operating temps a few times (Weekly-Monthly) while in storage so that oil gets circulated around all the parts.

You should change the oil before putting it in storage so that its not sitting with the acids and moisture in the oil from combustion byproducts all winter long.

Keep the revs down while getting up to normal operating temps but do drive vs letting it idle. More pollutants produced at idle when cold so driving off is a better idea to speed up the warming process a bit.

[Mark_T]

Originally Posted by jb92563

Probably be a good idea to start the car and get it up to operating temps a few times (Weekly-Monthly) while in storage so that oil gets circulated around all the parts.

Actually, that is exactly what not to do. You will never achieve operating temperature idling in a garage when the ambient temperature is -30. All you will accomplish is to increase the moisture levels in the gas tank and fuel contamination in the crank case.