krzykrl96

I have a 96 camaro rs convertible and a 00 pontiac trans am ws6. I know the 96 has a metal tank and the 00 has a plastic tank. do i have to fill both tanks up all the way and treat them or just the metal tank? or is there another reason your are supposed to fill your tank before storage.

thanks
karl

RPM WS6

iTrader: (3)

If you are using gas with any ethanol in it (which is true for most of us), then it's best to fill the tank as full as possible and add stabilizer. It's true that this is most important with metal tanks, but no matter the tank composition, any ethanol blended fuel inside is still subject to moisture based deterioration.

NC01TA

....and a small bottle of HEET which sucks up any existing moisture. A whole $3 at most parts stores.

DANOZ28

iTrader: (1)

i have a storage ? about changing oil, i only put 3k max miles on a year so in the spring i change the oil full synthetic but leave it over the winter until spring. some of my neighbors have opinions that by not changing oil in the fall i could build up acid and reduce engine life? any truth to that? studies? thx ps i usually start my car every 3-4 weeks and let it run for at least 30 min.

RPM WS6

iTrader: (3)

You're doing more harm by starting it every few weeks without driving it than you are by letting the oil sit until spring.

With 3k miles on the oil, I would probably change it before storage and then not start the engine at all during the winter (unless you plan to drive it). The oil will then still be fresh in the spring.

DANOZ28

iTrader: (1)

im sorry i dont understand. if i dont start my engine the valves are stuck in the same position for 6 months? i move the car so the tires are not quite in the same position. last how can warming up the engine to full operating temp do more harm than good? thx

RPM WS6

iTrader: (3)

- Because by simply idling in the extremely cold weather, you are not warming the oil up to the same degree that you would be with the engine under load.

- Because the greatest wear on a normally driven street engine occurs at a cold start. So all those extra cold starts are unnecessary wear, since you don't plan to drive the car at those times.

- Hard to tell what cam you have by your sig, but I'm guessing LS6? Are you using LS6 springs as well? If so, I wouldn't be worried about this for short term winter storage.

- I never bother to move the tires either, I just air them up to max rated PSI (45) and park the car on carpet. No permanent flat spots on the current Z-rated tires, and they are 8 years old.

Starting the engine during storage isn't going to kill it, and neither will *not* starting it. Putting it away with 3k mile old oil isn't going to kill it, nor will driving it in the spring with last fall's oil if it was fresh before storage. None of these things are going to kill an engine in one season, it's just about finding the pratice that does the least amount of harm overall.

NC01TA

If I lived in the frozen north I would NOT start my car either. Let it sit with fresh oil. That's what I would do with my SS but living in NC allows me to drive it in the winter, and I do drive it for 30 minutes minimum, once every few weeks. No idling!! Your car will crank right up in the Spring and you don't have to change the oil. I certainly agree about the tires being inflated and placed on carpeting. That's how my SS sits. No issues with anything.

BlackCowl

iTrader: (15)

Some good info about car storage here, thanks

DANOZ28

iTrader: (1)

while i respect the other posters opinions, does anybody have articles , studies, or proof im doing it all wrong. thank you. i do like the idea of over inflating the tires.

RPM WS6

iTrader: (3)

I've been storing cars for at least the last ~15 years, so it is with the combination of that experience and also research that I've done over this period that I have developed my routines.

I don't have any links handy to specific studies or reports from major oil companies or auto manufacturers, but I can provide you with this:

www.bobistheoilguy.com

This is a site full of discussion about oil and oil related topics. There are also extensive oil tutorials/articles on the topic of oil, engine wear, and how the two relate. Much of this is helpful to understand why cold starts (especially cold weather cold starts) are so hard on engines (moreso than just about any other normal usage for a street engine).

In the end, you'll have to follow whatever routine you're comfortable with, but the fact that you asked for input on your current pratices tells me that you might not be so sure about them in the first place.

Another thing to consider is this: Where is the proof that you're doing it right? Is there reseach/studies or articles from industry leaders that say it's better to idle the engine every few weeks during winter storage? If so, I'd like to see their evidence, because my own experience and research over the years has convinced me otherwise.

DANOZ28

iTrader: (1)

i thank you for your honest opinion, my ? came from my neighbors getting drunk & hassling me over oil changes etc. i agree with conventional oil after 500 miles it starts to break down. today with synthetic people say you can run 10 k miles which i would never do but i believe synthetic oil makes it safe to start my car. could i be wrong ? sure. i think 6 or 7 cold starts with synthetic are not a problem. just my one cent. no facts to back that up so you could be 100% right.