to change oil or not????

[JFP in PA]

OK, you're crazy.

We do not pull plugs or fog engines unless the car is going to be stored for very prolonged periods (1-2 years or more without running). The cars we store are detailed, serviced, filled with StaBil dosed fuel, moved to the storage facility, covered with flannel sheets to prevent the accumulation of dust, and connected to Ctek maintainers. Ambient temperatures inside the facility are held at 55-60F and around 40% RH through the winter. No plastic bags, no desiccants. And then they sit for as much as 5 months.

We actually had a Turbo in storage for a customer, who is a Marine officer, that happened to be deployed to Afghanistan while the car was stored. Unfortunately, he was wounded on his tour, and we ended up keeping the car for him for well over a year before he was able to recover it. Because of how long the car sat, we went over it carefully before returning it to him. It started with the first turn of the key after the dust covers were removed, and a complete check out at the shop revealed with was fine, and still is to this day.

The moisture you need to worry about is the moisture (and fuel) that gets into the oil during normal running, and starts the oxidation and ultimate degradation of the oil. The more miles and heat cycles the oil has seen, the higher the levels of aldehydes, ketones, hydro peroxides and carboxylic acid formation. The process is cumulative, the more run time the oil has seen, the more of these compounds you will find in the oil, which is why you should change it before putting the car up.