What to do? First winter storage...
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 34,629
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From: Schiller Park, ILL Member: #317
I usually do the same procedure of airing up tires, full tank with stabil, parked on rubber and carpeted mats. As well as a good cleaning. I came to a cross roads of changing my oil for the first time in 13 years. I have always changes it prior to storage aside from this year. I use GC 0W30 and it costs around 100 bucks with a good filter. I have put on around 700 miles this year. I could not justify buying the oil at this price so am waiting until spring to do the change as it will come on sale closer to that time. I feel like I should have done it, but again it's a good oil and I'm sure it could go 2 or more years the way it is used. It does feel wrong not to do it but life comes up! The question for you guys is in the spring, should I run the oil up to temp and then drop it? Or just let it drain for a day or two to try and get all the old oil out? The oil is obviously always golden even at the end of the season year after year
You can drive the car in the spring to heat the old oil prior to draining without concern IMO.
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 175
Likes: 0
From: Lethbridge AB
Well, I know it's only February.
But it's been a mild winter & its unseasonably warm today. 14*C/ 57*F. Which is crazy for this area this time of year....
Anyway I'm getting spring fever...I think I'm gonna start my car for the first time since September or October? I can't remember when I parked it?
Should I do anything special on the first start up? Other than let it warm up good before driving it?
But it's been a mild winter & its unseasonably warm today. 14*C/ 57*F. Which is crazy for this area this time of year....
Anyway I'm getting spring fever...I think I'm gonna start my car for the first time since September or October? I can't remember when I parked it?
Should I do anything special on the first start up? Other than let it warm up good before driving it?
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 34,629
Likes: 2,548
From: Schiller Park, ILL Member: #317
Well, I know it's only February.
But it's been a mild winter & its unseasonably warm today. 14*C/ 57*F. Which is crazy for this area this time of year....
Anyway I'm getting spring fever...I think I'm gonna start my car for the first time since September or October? I can't remember when I parked it?
Should I do anything special on the first start up? Other than let it warm up good before driving it?
But it's been a mild winter & its unseasonably warm today. 14*C/ 57*F. Which is crazy for this area this time of year....
Anyway I'm getting spring fever...I think I'm gonna start my car for the first time since September or October? I can't remember when I parked it?
Should I do anything special on the first start up? Other than let it warm up good before driving it?
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 587
Likes: 12
From: Connecticut SE shore
Very mild Southern New England winter so far. I had the car out every week since end of November with the exception of one weekend. The snow has been minimal with the road salt and sand mostly gone in under a week each time. This weekend will hit mid-50's so it will be out again. Only one of the drives since November has been under 35-40 deg ambient temps.
Only thing I've done is to charge the battery for 15-30 min the day before each drive. I capped the PS cooler back in August/Sept and now had a chance to see how the PS fluid responded w/o that heat exchanger. The last 2 drives the PS fluid got up to approx 145 deg F. I figured it would be closer to 160-165 deg. My last end of summer runs with the cooler connected went up to 185-195 deg F.
On another drive a week later in the same 55 deg weather the PS fluid made it quite a bit higher to 175 deg F. I guess that was due to driving it 20 miles rather than 13 miles.
Only thing I've done is to charge the battery for 15-30 min the day before each drive. I capped the PS cooler back in August/Sept and now had a chance to see how the PS fluid responded w/o that heat exchanger. The last 2 drives the PS fluid got up to approx 145 deg F. I figured it would be closer to 160-165 deg. My last end of summer runs with the cooler connected went up to 185-195 deg F.
On another drive a week later in the same 55 deg weather the PS fluid made it quite a bit higher to 175 deg F. I guess that was due to driving it 20 miles rather than 13 miles.
Last edited by Firebrian; Feb 28, 2016 at 11:15 AM.
Thread Starter
On The Tree
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 175
Likes: 0
From: Lethbridge AB
I realized after I posted that it was a dumb question. I mean what else could I possibly do before starting it for the first time in months......
Anyway, it fired right up and ran great. I took it for a little drive and just went past 19000kms....
Anyway, it fired right up and ran great. I took it for a little drive and just went past 19000kms....
