Dealer says: Change oil in spring?

[MNBoxster]

Originally Posted by Brucelee

I should have been more explicit. When I say run it to full operating temp, I meant to take the car out and drive it such that it burns off all moisture etc. That way all parts get lubricated, tires don't flatten, etc. This assumes that scenario is doable. This might take 30 minutes or so.

I believe that is preferrable to having a car sit all winter. But that may be just an old wives tale.

Hi,

The funny thing about old wives tales is their propensity to be true, or at least to have been true.

Such is the case here. In the old days, what you say about burning off the moisture was much more true. This was because engines had direct-to-atmosphere Oil venting. Today, these vapors are routed to the intake plenum and burned along with the AF mix, to save Mother Earth.

Remember, as you are burning off this moisture, you're also producing more moisture in the process (and with Fresh Oil, it isn't moisture laden to begin with). Once the engine is shutdown, in the old vented engines, the moisture would remain a vapor for some time and natural convection would work it to the vent and out. But, in today's engines, once stopped, there is no place for this moisture to go. Eventually, it cools and condenses on the internals.

So far as lubricating parts, Fresh Oil (which you include prior to storage) has the greatest ability to cling to the metal parts (because it's additive pkg. hasn't flashed-off). So there's no need to periodically circulate the Oil - You don't need to lubricate parts which are idle. The only thing you want here is a thin layer of Oil on the parts to act as a buffer between the metal and the atmoshere to prohibit corrosion and pitting, and you get this when you circulate the fresh Oil just after the Oil change.

Since you over-inflated the Tires at storage time, there's no need to run them to prevent flat-spotting. In fact, if you do, you can actually increase their potential to do so. This is because they will come back in hot, on a now cool garage floor, this temp difference (which was not so pronounced at storage time) will cool the tires faster and cause them to retain their final state instead of cooling together with the floor slowly.

Of course, this isn't the only way to store a car. People can (and do) simply park it and switch it off, and any and all degrees in-between. It's just that a lot of research and experience (mine and countless others I know personally, and through reading) seems to agree that this is the best way. Hope this helps...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

[z12358]

I spoke with a guy who stores all his Corvettes up on jack stands and takes the wheels off for the winter. I told him that that's bad for the suspension to be left hanging like that. He said that he's well aware of that. He apparently uses points on the suspension itself (very close to the wheels?) to carry the load of the car, so the suspension is sprung exactly the same as it would be if the wheels were on -- nothing is hanging on the springs. How is this possible? Are you familiar with such jack stand points?

Thx,
Z.

[pecivil]

thank god I dont live where you need to do "winter storage"

it sounds like a real ********************!!

[MNBoxster]

Originally Posted by z12358

I spoke with a guy who stores all his Corvettes up on jack stands and takes the wheels off for the winter. I told him that that's bad for the suspension to be left hanging like that. He said that he's well aware of that. He apparently uses points on the suspension itself (very close to the wheels?) to carry the load of the car, so the suspension is sprung exactly the same as it would be if the wheels were on -- nothing is hanging on the springs. How is this possible? Are you familiar with such jack stand points?

Thx,
Z.

Hi,

Yes, it's called loading the suspension. Older cars without a Chapman Strut (think leaf springs and shocks) benefitted from being raised to prevent spring sag. But, this isn't true of cars with independent, strut mounted suspensions. It is not recommended to raise an IS car.

The springs aren't the only reason not to have the car up on blocks unloaded. The rubber bushings have a memory and won't repond well to proplonged periods in a different position, causing them to loosen or wear prematurely.

Another reason is that you don't want to hyper-extend the Piston Rods in the shocks as these can then either corrode or accumulate dirt on parts of the Rod which isn't normally protruding from the Strut Body. If this happens, this part of the Rod can tear or otherwise interfere with the Sealing Ring on top of the strut when it reinserts itself, increasing the seal's potential to leak and fail prematurely.

You could install adjustable stands or wood blocks under the bottom of the struts at ride height (raise the axle higher, install blocks, and lower) to keep everything in it's nominal state. But, the only benefit is that you reduce the potential for flat-spotting the tires which you have already done by over-inflating them. Won't hurt to do it, but won't help either and it's a lot more work (both at hibernation and reawakening times), + it makes it very difficult to move the car in the event this is needed. Hope this helps...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

[z12358]

MNBoxster:
"You could install adjustable stands or wood blocks under the bottom of the struts at ride height (raise the axle higher, install blocks, and lower) to keep everything in it's nominal state. But, the only benefit is that you reduce the potential for flat-spotting the tires which you have already done by over-inflating them. Won't hurt to do it, but won't help either and it's a lot more work (both at hybernation and reawakening times), + it makes it very difficult to move the car in the event this is needed. Hope this helps..."

So he does eliminate the potential for flat-spotting without any negative effects, apart from the hassle involved. I didn't know those points existed. As you say, it's a good day whenever you learn something.
Thx.
Z.

[MNBoxster]

Originally Posted by z12358

MNBoxster:
"You could install adjustable stands or wood blocks under the bottom of the struts at ride height (raise the axle higher, install blocks, and lower) to keep everything in it's nominal state. But, the only benefit is that you reduce the potential for flat-spotting the tires which you have already done by over-inflating them. Won't hurt to do it, but won't help either and it's a lot more work (both at hybernation and reawakening times), + it makes it very difficult to move the car in the event this is needed. Hope this helps..."

So he does eliminate the potential for flat-spotting without any negative effects, apart from the hassle involved. I didn't know those points existed. As you say, it's a good day whenever you learn something.
Thx.
Z.

Hi,

Well, yes, but no more than overinflating the tires will. A lot more work for no gain. I wouldn't do it. I have stored 3 cars every year since 1989, and except for a set of Steel Belted Potenzas which were on my 240Z in '89, I've never had a problem with flatspotting since all the cars acquired Kevlar, or Kevlar-like, fabric belted tires.

There's just too much paranoia over this issue. Modern Tires just do not permanently flatspot from remaining static.

I believe that many of the people complaining of it are either feeling things which just aren't there, or flatspotted the tires previously in a Panic Stop (the kind you can't eliminate) and didn't realize it. I belong to 3 local car clubs (over 150 members total), and I don't know anyone who raises the car and removes the tires to prevent flatspotting when storing their cars for the winter...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

[ecwfan]

I am about to store my car for the winter, but don't think I will get a chance to change the oil. Would it make sense to take the car out every once in a while for a drive if the oil isn't changed?

[ecwfan]

Just bumping this thread to see if anyone can answer my question in the post above

[z12358]

Originally Posted by ecwfan

I am about to store my car for the winter, but don't think I will get a chance to change the oil. Would it make sense to take the car out every once in a while for a drive if the oil isn't changed?

The consensus is that you're better off preparing it for storage and not driving it at all. Cold starts and running the engine cold are most damaging and should be minimized. I see no reason that this should be different when the oil is not changed.

Z.