Winter storage - fog cylinders?

[Danh]

Interested in the thoughts and opinions of this group.

I stored, for the first time, a 2008 Mazda MX5 in an unheated garage in Northern Wisconsin. It will remain untouched until April. I think I've done all the usual storage things and was planning to pull the plugs and use fogging spray, but the tube on the aerosol can was too short. As most don't seem to think this fogging step is necessary and the car is stored 400 miles from where I live, it remains in an "unfogged" condition.

So, is this important?

On one hand, when the car was shut off for the final time, each cylinder had a mouthful of air including ambient moisture - maybe at a dew point of 45 degrees. There is some opportunity for air to flow in and out of cylinders while stored, but not much. Now, when the temperature drops below 45(actually well below zero there), condensation seems inevitable. So why wouldn't that be a problem?

On the other hand, lots of people store lots of cars without doing this and they seem to survive quite nicely. If condensation like I theorize is a problem, it would also show up in shorter-term storage, like on a dealer's lot or cars sitting in an airport parking lot for a couple weeks. Plus, despite the best efforts of piston rings, I assume there is some "oiliness" left on cylinder walls.

I'm now armed with a nice, long tube to attach to the fogging spray(Seafoam spray comes with one)and will go the fogging route next fall. Until then, what do you guys think? Should I make an emergency 400 mile fogging trip?

Oh, and it doesn't use Mobil 1, so I'm confident there is still iron left to rust.

Thanks.

 

[oggb]

If it wasn't 400 miles away, I'd say why not.

But 400 miles? Uh, [censored] no.

It'll be juuuuuust fine.

 

[whip]

I'd be more concerned with the fogging oil messing up the emission controls than I would about rust in the cylinders.

 

[forcedtalon]

If your going to fog a fuel injected vehicle the best way to do it is to take the plugs out and spray the foging oil into each cylinder. This way it doesnt leave an oily mess in the intake that can harm some sensors.
As far as your situation I wouldnt worry about it. Its a good practice to do though if you can get to the plugs real easy but there are thousands of motors each year stored without fogging.

 

[rslifkin]

I'd fog it if possible. Just slowly pour a little oil through the throttle body at idle until it smokes or starts choking, then kill the engine immediately. Clean the plugs in the spring. In the spring, blow the intake out with a bit of carb cleaner if you're worried about gummed up sensors.

 

[Craig in Canada]

Originally Posted By: rslifkin
I'd fog it if possible. Just slowly pour a little oil through the throttle body at idle until it smokes or starts choking, then kill the engine immediately. Clean the plugs in the spring. In the spring, blow the intake out with a bit of carb cleaner if you're worried about gummed up sensors.


I think the above is a BAD idea. I don't think there's enough air velocity through the TB and IM with no load to actually draw liquid oil evenly to all of the cylinders. On a lawnmower this technique might work, but I wouldn't use it on a modern road car. You don't want oil all over everything - you just want it in the cylinders. IMO any of these products which suggest "pouring" anything in the intake are meant for carbed engines - totally different animal than a 2008 Mazda.

When I stored and fogged a road car I pulled the plugs and fogged through the plug holes. If I couldn't find fogging oil spray, THEN drizzle a little motor oil in the cylinder and turn the engine over. Remember to make sure you aren't injecting fuel whenever you use the starter to turn things over to spread oil

Either pull the fuel pump fuse or do the WOT "clear flood" trick depending on the car.

You don't need to make a smokescreen to have "fogged" the cylinders for protection during storage.

To the OP - at that kind of distance don't lose sleep over it. Just get the right stuff for "next year". See if you can find a really long straw for the can in one piece - no weirdo "extensions" that can pop apart - and pull the plugs to fog it.

 

[demarpaint]

We've stored my son's car for three deployments to Afghanistan, the shortest being 6 months w/o fogging the engine. I won't go through the whole procedure I've done so a few times here. Get a qt of MMO go to the gas station add the qt of MMO to the gas, and some stabil, fill it up and drive the car about a half an hour to get everything nice and hot. Bring it to where you plan on storing it and park it. You'll have no problems at all come April, except for maybe a dead battery. His car was stored about 200 yards from the Puget Sound in a salty environment, no problems at all.

 

[rslifkin]

I've done it on marine 454s at idle with no issue, and every plug is oily in the spring. It does depend on the intake manifold design, however. For many 4 cylinders, it may not work well at idle.