Protocol for a 986 that's rarely driven

[Seadweller]

Wondering what the standard protocol is for keeping a 986 healthy that may sit covered in storage for weeks at a time. I know Porsche specifically recommends that you do not warm the car up before driving it, but would it be advisable to start it once a week and let it warm up to operating temperature? Any other tips? The car has under 40K miles on it, and has been impeccably maintained its entire lift.

[JFP in PA]

Originally Posted by Seadweller

Wondering what the standard protocol is for keeping a 986 healthy that may sit covered in storage for weeks at a time. I know Porsche specifically recommends that you do not warm the car up before driving it, but would it be advisable to start it once a week and let it warm up to operating temperature? Any other tips? The car has under 40K miles on it, and has been impeccably maintained its entire lift.

Absolutely not, starting the car while in storage is one of the worst things you can do to it as the engine never fully warms up properly and will end up fouling the oil with moisture, acids, and unburnt fuel. If you are not going to drive the car for at least 20 min. at road speeds, just leave it sit with fresh oil in it, stabilized fuel, and a quality battery maintainer plugged into the cig lighter socket.

[10/10ths]

What he said.

[Ciao]

You must commit to either drive it regularly or not drive it, at all, for a specified period. Search the forum for steps to setup in storage.

[Seadweller]

Thanks gang...I've been following the procedure JFP indicated, so it's good to know I'm following the right routine...The only thing I do notice is a bit of chain rattle on start-up after it's sat for a few weeks, but I assume this is normal as the cam tensioners eventually lose pressure...

[Geof3]

Noisy engines these are. The rattle is fairly normal for about 5 seconds. Mine does it. It could be a sign of loose tensioners, but not always. A local shop here heard mine and said no issues. I will say, that once I need to go clutch, RMS, IMS, the tensioners will get replaced then as well. Assuming of course they don't die prior.

[Pdwight]

Mine sits in a climate controlled garage, if I decide to take it out this time of year I will start the car and drive it until it reaches normal operating temp....and then be sure it gets driven for at least another 20 minutes at highway speeds. I also keep a battery maintainer o0n when it is sitting in my garage.

No problems so far....fingers crossed

[Brian in Tucson]

Originally Posted by Seadweller

Wondering what the standard protocol is for keeping a 986 healthy that may sit covered in storage for weeks at a time. I know Porsche specifically recommends that you do not warm the car up before driving it, but would it be advisable to start it once a week and let it warm up to operating temperature? Any other tips? The car has under 40K miles on it, and has been impeccably maintained its entire lift.

What are you saving it for? Mechanical things are meant to be used, not stored. Drive the poor car, let it live it's life the way Porsche designed it to.:ah:

[jaykay]

....and for extended periods there are some procedures that the Porsche museums use which are more involved but seem pretty good....can't put my finger on them at the moment

They involve things like spark plugs out, wd40 sprayed in cylinders, car moved via rolling, fuel drained completely

[jaykay]

Originally Posted by Brian in Tucson

What are you saving it for? Mechanical things are meant to be used, not stored. Drive the poor car, let it live it's life the way Porsche designed it to.:ah:

We have an excuse up here....some days are treacherous for my Jeep JK (yes it really is a jaykay)

[paulofto]

Originally Posted by Brian in Tucson

What are you saving it for? Mechanical things are meant to be used, not stored. Drive the poor car, let it live it's life the way Porsche designed it to.:ah:

Brian, come spend some time up here in The Great White North. You wouldn't last 5 minutes. When you watch the Super Bowl today from Minneapolis and you keep hearing how cold it is picture being 8 hours drive further north where I am.

Today it is -24 C (-11.2 F) and -37 C (-35 F) with the wind chill. It looks great outside with the sun shining and clear sky but it ain't Boxster weather.

You are lucky to live in a part of the world where you can drive your Boxster everyday.

Only 2 months till Spring

[mikefocke]

I'd add that the critical thing is oil condition. Make sure the oil is well up to temperature for a while when you do start it so it can turn water into vapor that goes out through the AOS and thence to the exhaust pipe. Getting everything hot is also good for the exhaust and cats. My rule was 3k limit and gentle until warm, them a period of 5k+ after I was sure everything was totally warm.

And consider twice yearly oil changes. Yes I know that will mean very few miles per change. But it is essentially flushing the system to rid it of contaminants so the bearings don't sit in them.

Mine semi-hibernated for 3 months where it might be not driven for a week or more but when it did come out to play it generally went 20 miles to work and back. And all I did was park it hot, cover it, park it outside and use a battery maintainer.

[Oldcarguy]

Originally Posted by Brian in Tucson

What are you saving it for? Mechanical things are meant to be used, not stored. Drive the poor car, let it live it's life the way Porsche designed it to.:ah:

+1 for what JFP, Mike and others have said regarding storage. My Boxster is stored from ~nov to ~apr. If there are any Boxster projects to be done, that’s when I do them in its r21 insulated, room finished 45,000 btu, 24’x24’ heated garage. Why? Because we today have a high of 27F (19F with wind chill), it’s snowing like a fiend with more than 6” on the ground already and my tire warranty is void if I drive in weather colder than 45F. We’ve already had many days this winter where the high never reached 0F actual. The coldest day of last winter was -23F actual (-29F with wind chill).

Even if I had snows w/dedicated 18” narrow rims on it as our S5 and Explo do, it’d never make it down our 1/2 mile private road because of the ground clearance (sometimes a problem for the S5 which is a snow beast with the Blizzaks) then there’s the calcium chloride to deal with on the maintained roads.

So that’s what I’m saving it for Enjoy your great winter driving weather

[Boxstard]

Originally Posted by Oldcarguy

+1 for what JFP, Mike and others have said regarding storage. My Boxster is stored from ~nov to ~apr. If there are any Boxster projects to be done, that’s when I do them in its r21 insulated, room finished 45,000 btu, 24’x24’ heated garage. Why? Because we today have a high of 27F (19F with wind chill), it’s snowing like a fiend with more than 6” on the ground already and my tire warranty is void if I drive in weather colder than 45F. We’ve already had many days this winter where the high never reached 0F actual. The coldest day of last winter was -23F actual (-29F with wind chill).

Even if I had snows w/dedicated 18” narrow rims on it as our S5 and Explo do, it’d never make it down our 1/2 mile private road because of the ground clearance (sometimes a problem for the S5 which is a snow beast with the Blizzaks) then there’s the calcium chloride to deal with on the maintained roads.

So that’s what I’m saving it for Enjoy your great winter driving weather

OP is located in FL...

I'm in NE snowbelt and stil. daily driving my Boxster this winter. With dedicated snow tires, it drives amazingly well, stable, predictable and tons of fun!

My car is lowered with H&R springs so only limitation is the ground clearance, but so far no issues cutting through 4 inches of snow and extreme cold temp down -25F. I learned that SAI does not turn on at cold temp (-15C IIRC) by design, glad it was not broken after my repair last winter with new valves.

I just drive it and not worried...

[Oldcarguy]

Originally Posted by Boxstard

OP is located in FL...I just drive it and not worried...

I too noticed that the OP is in FL. If I lived there I’d be driving my 986 year round, but who knows what his circumstances are.

A while back I posted some pics of people driving their Boxsters with gusto in the snow. The 986 certainly can be a capable snow car when it’s on the right tires (how do I do a ‘thumbs up’ emoji??).

[Brian in Tucson]

Originally Posted by paulofto

Brian, come spend some time up here in The Great White North. You wouldn't last 5 minutes. When you watch the Super Bowl today from Minneapolis and you keep hearing how cold it is picture being 8 hours drive further north where I am.

Today it is -24 C (-11.2 F) and -37 C (-35 F) with the wind chill. It looks great outside with the sun shining and clear sky but it ain't Boxster weather.

You are lucky to live in a part of the world where you can drive your Boxster everyday.

Only 2 months till Spring

You assume I never lived in the north. I grew up in Michigan, back when the snow load was much heavier than it is now. Our second car was VW Bug, which unlike our Boxsters didn't have any real heating system.

& I went to college at WSU in Pullman WA. Never had a 4wd til I moved to (retired) to Tucson.

I've lived in places where people had SNOW CARS, not me, but in the west I carried chains and had either studded snow tires or walnut retread snow tires.

As others have pointed out, tho, the OP was writing from FL. So suggesting that he get it out and drive it like it was designed to do wasn't that far off base.

In Tucson, we have a season when the top doesn't come down--it's called Summer and the low temp at night can be in the 90's and the high is most always above or way above 100.

[Brian in Tucson]

Originally Posted by Oldcarguy

I too noticed that the OP is in FL. If I lived there I’d be driving my 986 year round, but who knows what his circumstances are.

A while back I posted some pics of people driving their Boxsters with gusto in the snow. The 986 certainly can be a capable snow car when it’s on the right tires (how do I do a ‘thumbs up’ emoji??).

2 thumbs up!

[paulofto]

Originally Posted by Brian in Tucson

You assume I never lived in the north. I grew up in Michigan, back when the snow load was much heavier than it is now. Our second car was VW Bug, which unlike our Boxsters didn't have any real heating system.

& I went to college at WSU in Pullman WA. Never had a 4wd til I moved to (retired) to Tucson.

I've lived in places where people had SNOW CARS, not me, but in the west I carried chains and had either studded snow tires or walnut retread snow tires.

As others have pointed out, tho, the OP was writing from FL. So suggesting that he get it out and drive it like it was designed to do wasn't that far off base.

In Tucson, we have a season when the top doesn't come down--it's called Summer and the low temp at night can be in the 90's and the high is most always above or way above 100.

Yes, preparing and driving any vehicle for winter can be done. Heck, I had a Fiat X 1/9 while living in Edmonton for 6 years in the '80's. It was my only car so I pretty much had to do it. But now I do have a winter beater so the Boxster gets to hibernate.

And I agree, if I had a Boxster in Florida I wouldn't store it. I'd drive it.

Anyway, only 2 months till spring.:dance: