winter storage... what are you doing?

[Magyarman]

Hand wash and Nu-finish before first snow. Drive when weather is good and roads are clean.
Drive the front wheel drive car in the snow and salt covered roads. No garage here so it's whatever mom nature drums up 24/7.

[i heart ricers]

[Mr.Impreza]

1. Fill up the tank/add some extra air in tires
2. Add Fuel Stabilizer
3. Wash/Wax
4. Oil Change
5. I may or may not buy a battery tender...if not I'll just start it up once in a while. I did start ups on my Subaru WRX and never had any issues.

Than when I bring it out, I'll do a oil change once again in the spring.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Mr.Impreza

1. Fill up the tank/add some extra air in tires
2. Add Fuel Stabilizer
3. Wash/Wax
4. Oil Change
5. I may or may not buy a battery tender...if not I'll just start it up once in a while. I did start ups on my Subaru WRX and never had any issues.

Than when I bring it out, I'll do a oil change once again in the spring.

Why change the oil again in spring? The oil is not deteriorating in any way while the car sits. Oil has to be changed due to engine deposits, thermal breakdown and shearing in a running engine. It does not have a timed expiry date. The car can sit for years and the oil is still as good as the day your poured it in there.

[Mr.Impreza]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Why change the oil again in spring? The oil is not deteriorating in any way while the car sits. Oil has to be changed due to engine deposits, thermal breakdown and shearing in a running engine. It does not have a timed expiry date. The car can sit for years and the oil is still as good as the day your poured it in there.

I heard it's good to change it due to possible condensation over the storage period?
The information is all over the place and everyone has different opinions. I'll just do it this way since most sources recommend changing before and after.

Anyways, it's not a big deal. I bought some Quaker State Synthetic 0w20 on sale for $30.00 at Canadian Tire.

I rather start the season off with a fresh batch of oil and that's when I put in the pricey Eneos Sustina.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Mr.Impreza

I heard it's good to change it due to possible condensation over the storage period?
The information is all over the place and everyone has different opinions. I'll just do it this way since most sources recommend changing before and after.

Anyways, it's not a big deal. I bought some Quaker State Synthetic 0w20 on sale for $30.00 at Canadian Tire.

I rather start the season off with a fresh batch of oil and that's when I put in the pricey Eneos Sustina.

It is one of those things where the theory is sound but the reality is totally different.
You are not drawing fresh air into the engine so what little moisture is already existing is all there is.
Need some pretty extreme temperature fluctuations to condense the moisture.
Would take about 1/2 an hour of running to evaporate any moisture that was there since it would be a couple of drops at most.


All that said it doesn't hurt anything to do it but you don't need to by any stretch.

[Mr.Impreza]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

It is one of those things where the theory is sound but the reality is totally different.
You are not drawing fresh air into the engine so what little moisture is already existing is all there is.
Need some pretty extreme temperature fluctuations to condense the moisture.
Would take about 1/2 an hour of running to evaporate any moisture that was there since it would be a couple of drops at most.


All that said it doesn't hurt anything to do it but you don't need to by any stretch.

This is good to know. Than I may drive on the storage oil for a month before the change.

I liked the 6 month interval changes more that I originally planned, but got confused with the dozen of threads and information all over the internet.

This was my original plan;

Option 1
Change oil in November/or (when i put it in winter storage)
Change oil in May *6 month interval* (I bring out the car usually in March/April so i would drive with the oil that was in storage for 1-2months)

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Mr.Impreza

This is good to know. Than I may drive on the storage oil for a month before the change.

I liked the 6 month interval changes more that I originally planned, but got confused with the dozen of threads and information all over the internet.

This was my original plan;

Option 1
Change oil in November/or (when i put it in winter storage)
Change oil in May *6 month interval* (I bring out the car usually in March/April so i would drive with the oil that was in storage for 1-2months)

That is what I would do.


Easy enough to see how much moisture there would be. Take a clear bag and trap about 3 liters of warm air in it. Place bag in cold place for a couple of hours. See how much (if any) moisture condensed in bag.

[Timmy_Jones]

Wash, Wax, Ugly 16" wheels and top of the line snow tires. Enjoying the Maine winters.