Stick w the 5W-30 M1 and just start it when you want to. 7 months is no big deal, the gas won't go bad. I'd just keep more than a half tank in there and also disconnect the battery when stored. I bought a 10 year old Taurus that had been parked outside and not moved for almost 3 years. The fuel pump was DOA, but the new pump and car ran fine on the old gas. The oil looked fairly clean so I was in no hurry to change it. Cars take storage abuse pretty well - it's running them out of oil they don't like.
Summer Car - start up
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I read that the MacLaren F1(road car, bmw V12) would spin the engine a few rotation before firing? Also the F1 guys spin the motor up for a while before firing, but I assume the external starter rev's it to a normal car redline itself...
I would think that con-rod and crank bearings are probably better off started full of oil for the first couple pops? Obviously a production engine is fine with an instant start but perhaps when you get into racing motors, pre oiling becomes important?
I would think that con-rod and crank bearings are probably better off started full of oil for the first couple pops? Obviously a production engine is fine with an instant start but perhaps when you get into racing motors, pre oiling becomes important?
Originally Posted By: IndyIan
I read that the MacLaren F1(road car, bmw V12) would spin the engine a few rotation before firing? Also the F1 guys spin the motor up for a while before firing, but I assume the external starter rev's it to a normal car redline itself...
I would think that con-rod and crank bearings are probably better off started full of oil for the first couple pops? Obviously a production engine is fine with an instant start but perhaps when you get into racing motors, pre oiling becomes important?
That's true about the Mclaren's, my mate worked as a tech for the road car race team until last year
i think it's to get to max oil pressure and prelube the engine before the start and also to scavenge oil from the dry sump to avoid wet sumping. On our cars that have gauges and that luckily won't start without choke or throttle opening, we crank them until the oil pressure comes up before we apply choke or throttle to make em fire up, one of them knocks if we don't do this, like the oils drained out of the big ends.
I read that the MacLaren F1(road car, bmw V12) would spin the engine a few rotation before firing? Also the F1 guys spin the motor up for a while before firing, but I assume the external starter rev's it to a normal car redline itself...
I would think that con-rod and crank bearings are probably better off started full of oil for the first couple pops? Obviously a production engine is fine with an instant start but perhaps when you get into racing motors, pre oiling becomes important?
That's true about the Mclaren's, my mate worked as a tech for the road car race team until last year
i think it's to get to max oil pressure and prelube the engine before the start and also to scavenge oil from the dry sump to avoid wet sumping. On our cars that have gauges and that luckily won't start without choke or throttle opening, we crank them until the oil pressure comes up before we apply choke or throttle to make em fire up, one of them knocks if we don't do this, like the oils drained out of the big ends.
Could also be from the fuel. On our Hemi we spin it over for 5 seconds before we throw spark to it. Trying to start without doing so results a few cylinders hitting a bit and a dead starter. Need a lot of fuel to light a big fire.
When you hit the spark after that it fires instantly, otherwise it's a good 20 seconds of trying.
When you hit the spark after that it fires instantly, otherwise it's a good 20 seconds of trying.
My Alfa sits in a Florida garage from May until January, with a battery tender hooked up and Stabil in the tank. Starts right up in January. No worries, pal.
I wouldn't be all too worried about just one dry start up a year. We have a 1989 Chevy Camaro RS (with the 305 tbi) and it's our show car - my dad and I are a part of a local car club and we have car shows, cruise ins, and sometimes we even take club trips for a day. It's all original, and the mileage you see in my sig is indeed just that - all original. I'm always on my dad about taking care of it - he's all about the "if it ain't broke don't fix it" whereas I'm OCD about taking preventative measures. Anyways, we sure as heck don't drive her in the winter, and we really couldn't anyways, not with Illinois' winters... one tire fire in a snow heavy location, and what-with all the salt... nope.
Don't worry about it. Keep on doing what your doing, changing the oil each year like you are. Only recommendations I have are: maybe get a battery tender, and definitely put some Stabil in her. Also, don't run nasty gas from cheapo stations. Run something like Shell, Chevron, BP, or others of the same higher quality.
~ Triton
Don't worry about it. Keep on doing what your doing, changing the oil each year like you are. Only recommendations I have are: maybe get a battery tender, and definitely put some Stabil in her. Also, don't run nasty gas from cheapo stations. Run something like Shell, Chevron, BP, or others of the same higher quality.
~ Triton
Pre-oiling is good. It doesn't matter if the oil pressure only gets to 10-15 psi while cranking. The important thing is to have oil in all the bearings before firing up.
Fogging is an impractical suggestion for a V8 in a 4th-gen F-body. That would be a 3-hour job considering the lousy plug access. If the car is sitting for months between starts, covering the tailpipes to keep humidity from streaming into the cylinders through open exhaust valves may be helpful.
Mobil 1 5w30 has lower viscosity down to at least 0C than does M1 0w30, so you're already doing well. You'll need a 0w20 to get much better for low viscosity at ambient startup.
Drive your car more. That's where the real enjoyment of the 4th-gen F-body is. Find the time to drive it for an hour every other week. I'm erring on the other side of use with mine; 211k miles and counting, but I never get tired of driving it.
Fogging is an impractical suggestion for a V8 in a 4th-gen F-body. That would be a 3-hour job considering the lousy plug access. If the car is sitting for months between starts, covering the tailpipes to keep humidity from streaming into the cylinders through open exhaust valves may be helpful.
Mobil 1 5w30 has lower viscosity down to at least 0C than does M1 0w30, so you're already doing well. You'll need a 0w20 to get much better for low viscosity at ambient startup.
Drive your car more. That's where the real enjoyment of the 4th-gen F-body is. Find the time to drive it for an hour every other week. I'm erring on the other side of use with mine; 211k miles and counting, but I never get tired of driving it.
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Originally Posted By: A_Harman
Pre-oiling is good. It doesn't matter if the oil pressure only gets to 10-15 psi while cranking. The important thing is to have oil in all the bearings before firing up.
Mobil 1 5w30 has lower viscosity down to at least 0C than does M1 0w30, so you're already doing well. You'll need a 0w20 to get much better for low viscosity at ambient startup.
+1.
Pre-oiling is good. It doesn't matter if the oil pressure only gets to 10-15 psi while cranking. The important thing is to have oil in all the bearings before firing up.
Mobil 1 5w30 has lower viscosity down to at least 0C than does M1 0w30, so you're already doing well. You'll need a 0w20 to get much better for low viscosity at ambient startup.
+1.
More bad advice then good. As usual.. Bunch of apartment dwelling yuppies who get all their knowledge reading other peoples posts. Got my first car when I was 12. Been working on cars for 65 years. Continuously.. I have never opened an engine that was rusted inside, even those, that had been stored for 20 years, as long as it was kept dry. Always oily inside, cylinders, crank, bearings, everything. Waste of my time reading all the blather.. Maybe I should just go away for a few years, like I did last time.
YMMV
Wayne
PS: Just crank it and go man. Put some miles on it. Find a quiet place and smoke the tires. Shine it up pretty and go to car meets. Meet some like minded people. If you have a wife or GF, dress up and strut. If not, use your car as bait and go get one. Live! Take a trip somewhere. Put some miles on it. At the end of the summer, change the oil and filter, go for a Sunday drive, when you get home, clean it up, inside and out, park it, put on the car cover, let it sleep through the bad days. Your not getting any younger. DO SOMETHING!
PPS: My 65 GTO got me a a great GF, Who became my wife 47 years ago, this June 3rd.
Wayne D. and Betty Jo (the real girl next door)
YMMV
Wayne
PS: Just crank it and go man. Put some miles on it. Find a quiet place and smoke the tires. Shine it up pretty and go to car meets. Meet some like minded people. If you have a wife or GF, dress up and strut. If not, use your car as bait and go get one. Live! Take a trip somewhere. Put some miles on it. At the end of the summer, change the oil and filter, go for a Sunday drive, when you get home, clean it up, inside and out, park it, put on the car cover, let it sleep through the bad days. Your not getting any younger. DO SOMETHING!
PPS: My 65 GTO got me a a great GF, Who became my wife 47 years ago, this June 3rd.
Wayne D. and Betty Jo (the real girl next door)
Originally Posted By: il_signore97
The best option, but also the most work, is to pull each spark plug and spray fogging oil into each cylinder after it has been parked for it's last time at the end of the summer.
Most people (save those who actually OWN one) have NO clue just how much "work" (and blood/pain/contortions) is involved to do this on a stock iron exhaust manifolded LSx in a 4th gen f body!
The best option, but also the most work, is to pull each spark plug and spray fogging oil into each cylinder after it has been parked for it's last time at the end of the summer.
Most people (save those who actually OWN one) have NO clue just how much "work" (and blood/pain/contortions) is involved to do this on a stock iron exhaust manifolded LSx in a 4th gen f body!
Originally Posted By: dailydriver
Originally Posted By: il_signore97
The best option, but also the most work, is to pull each spark plug and spray fogging oil into each cylinder after it has been parked for it's last time at the end of the summer.
Most people (save those who actually OWN one) have NO clue just how much "work" (and blood/pain/contortions) is involved to do this on a stock iron exhaust manifolded LSx in a 4th gen f body!
This is totally true! I change my plugs about every 5 years, and that's about all I can stand.
Originally Posted By: il_signore97
The best option, but also the most work, is to pull each spark plug and spray fogging oil into each cylinder after it has been parked for it's last time at the end of the summer.
Most people (save those who actually OWN one) have NO clue just how much "work" (and blood/pain/contortions) is involved to do this on a stock iron exhaust manifolded LSx in a 4th gen f body!
This is totally true! I change my plugs about every 5 years, and that's about all I can stand.
Patman
Staff member
I had a 98 Firebird Formula that I bought brand new in early 1998 and stored it every winter. If the roads were clear I would take it for a drive during those months, otherwise I would leave it alone and not start the engine at all. One winter I was not able to drive it for a solid 4 months and when I fired it up for the first time in the spring it sprang to life immediately and made no strange noises at all and that LS1 idled perfectly smooth as well. And this winter I was not able to drive my 2005 Corvette for about 2 1/2 months and when I fired up the engine for the first time it was as if I had just started it the day before. So these engines can sit for a long time without any need for any special pre storage prep.
Originally Posted By: dailydriver
Originally Posted By: il_signore97
The best option, but also the most work, is to pull each spark plug and spray fogging oil into each cylinder after it has been parked for it's last time at the end of the summer.
Most people (save those who actually OWN one) have NO clue just how much "work" (and blood/pain/contortions) is involved to do this on a stock iron exhaust manifolded LSx in a 4th gen f body!
Unless you're thinking about storing it for periods of years it's completely unnecessary to oil the bores. A mate had his Fiat Coupe off the road for over two years, outside, uncovered, in England. It had more moss on it than paint!!
I put a new battery on it, topped the oil up, started it and let it idle until the oil got hot and thinned out and the lifters pumped up again and hey presto the engine is alive and sounds great. Obviously it needed new tyres and some brake work etc but it's back in the world of the living now.
6 months is a drop in the ocean.
Originally Posted By: il_signore97
The best option, but also the most work, is to pull each spark plug and spray fogging oil into each cylinder after it has been parked for it's last time at the end of the summer.
Most people (save those who actually OWN one) have NO clue just how much "work" (and blood/pain/contortions) is involved to do this on a stock iron exhaust manifolded LSx in a 4th gen f body!
Unless you're thinking about storing it for periods of years it's completely unnecessary to oil the bores. A mate had his Fiat Coupe off the road for over two years, outside, uncovered, in England. It had more moss on it than paint!!
I put a new battery on it, topped the oil up, started it and let it idle until the oil got hot and thinned out and the lifters pumped up again and hey presto the engine is alive and sounds great. Obviously it needed new tyres and some brake work etc but it's back in the world of the living now.
6 months is a drop in the ocean.
Just wanted to say: nice car! Can we see some pics?
Also, we don't fog the engines we store in the winter. We just get them up to operating temp, fill up the gas tank and use stabil, and plug up areas where mice like to get in and put deterrents inside and outside the vehicle. We also don't start them up at all during the winter. When we first started up the 2001 Civic after winter storage, it sounded like any other start. No odd noises or hesitation at all.
Also, we don't fog the engines we store in the winter. We just get them up to operating temp, fill up the gas tank and use stabil, and plug up areas where mice like to get in and put deterrents inside and outside the vehicle. We also don't start them up at all during the winter. When we first started up the 2001 Civic after winter storage, it sounded like any other start. No odd noises or hesitation at all.
Originally Posted By: 2stroker
Noob post...
I've got a 2000 T/A Firehawk with 7,700 miles on it.
I use 5W/30 as per manufacturer (Mobil Syn). Car sits for 7 months, Oct-May each year.
I'm thinking I should be using 0W/30 to help with start up & summer driving?
Then again maybe it doesn't matter. I cringe at start up each season.
Matt
No need to cringe. I have a 99 Trans Am with 179,000 miles on it. I store it every winter in an unheated garage for 7 months. I change the oil (5-30 Syn) before I store it, put stabil in the gas (full tank - non ethanol if I can get it) and I hook up the battery to a battery tender.
Every May when I first start it I always grin when the car leaps to life the second I turn the key. I do regular UOAs on my TA and they always look good.
So I wouldn't worry about damaging the engine. Those LS1s are great engines and mine still hauls [censored] with 179,000 miles on it. Doesn't burn any oil either...
Noob post...
I've got a 2000 T/A Firehawk with 7,700 miles on it.
I use 5W/30 as per manufacturer (Mobil Syn). Car sits for 7 months, Oct-May each year.
I'm thinking I should be using 0W/30 to help with start up & summer driving?
Then again maybe it doesn't matter. I cringe at start up each season.
Matt
No need to cringe. I have a 99 Trans Am with 179,000 miles on it. I store it every winter in an unheated garage for 7 months. I change the oil (5-30 Syn) before I store it, put stabil in the gas (full tank - non ethanol if I can get it) and I hook up the battery to a battery tender.
Every May when I first start it I always grin when the car leaps to life the second I turn the key. I do regular UOAs on my TA and they always look good.
So I wouldn't worry about damaging the engine. Those LS1s are great engines and mine still hauls [censored] with 179,000 miles on it. Doesn't burn any oil either...
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