I used to work with a guy who ran champ cars, he would turn each motor some percent of a revolution per week specifically to prevent any one valve spring from staying compressed.
Start engine periodically during winter storage?
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gathermewool
Site Donor 2023
Originally Posted By: CBR.worm
I used to work with a guy who ran champ cars, he would turn each motor some percent of a revolution per week specifically to prevent any one valve spring from staying compressed.
Is an individual spring fully relaxed with the valve seated? What's the difference between partially and fully compressed? Is fatigue (# of cycles) or time fully compressed the major culprit for spring failure or loss of elasticity?
I used to work with a guy who ran champ cars, he would turn each motor some percent of a revolution per week specifically to prevent any one valve spring from staying compressed.
Is an individual spring fully relaxed with the valve seated? What's the difference between partially and fully compressed? Is fatigue (# of cycles) or time fully compressed the major culprit for spring failure or loss of elasticity?
Only if you are going to run it long enough to get the oil up to operating temps to cook the moisture out of it and the exhaust. Otherwise it's like a short trip scenario with moisture build up. I've heard the valve spring argument but don't have any experience with that beyond my cars/bikes, but they don't have champ car engines in the either.
Patman
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Originally Posted By: fdcg27
How many miles do you have on the Corvette these days?
IIRC, you used to use the car during the winter.
It just hit 69,000 miles the other day. I don't drive the 2005 during the winter, but I drove my 98 every day for the first 7 of the 9 years that I owned it, including the winters. Once I got my Civic, there was no need to drive a Corvette through the nasty weather anymore.
When I started this thread I was already leaning towards continuing my practice of not starting the car unless I was going to drive it, but now I'm 100% sure it's still the right thing to do.
How many miles do you have on the Corvette these days?
IIRC, you used to use the car during the winter.
It just hit 69,000 miles the other day. I don't drive the 2005 during the winter, but I drove my 98 every day for the first 7 of the 9 years that I owned it, including the winters. Once I got my Civic, there was no need to drive a Corvette through the nasty weather anymore.
When I started this thread I was already leaning towards continuing my practice of not starting the car unless I was going to drive it, but now I'm 100% sure it's still the right thing to do.
Originally Posted By: gathermewool
Originally Posted By: CBR.worm
I used to work with a guy who ran champ cars, he would turn each motor some percent of a revolution per week specifically to prevent any one valve spring from staying compressed.
Is an individual spring fully relaxed with the valve seated? What's the difference between partially and fully compressed? Is fatigue (# of cycles) or time fully compressed the major culprit for spring failure or loss of elasticity?
Both would factor in.
Originally Posted By: CBR.worm
I used to work with a guy who ran champ cars, he would turn each motor some percent of a revolution per week specifically to prevent any one valve spring from staying compressed.
Is an individual spring fully relaxed with the valve seated? What's the difference between partially and fully compressed? Is fatigue (# of cycles) or time fully compressed the major culprit for spring failure or loss of elasticity?
Both would factor in.
For at least the last 12 years I've winter "stored" my car in my semi heated garage, usually from early November through mid/late April. I try to take a highway run to get the engine oil to operating temps. Then I park it in the garage, attach the battery tender to it and start it up in April again. Never had a dry start or any other problems when starting again. As long as you have a good anti drain back system, whether in the block or in the oil filter you're good. Oil clings to engine parts and you're not introducing raw fuel into the engine which can wash the oil off engine parts if you don't touch it while in winter storage. This is just my experience and
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Whimsey
Whimsey
Yup-leave it alone as indicated. I've 'brought to life' engines that have sat for up to 20 years. If in good shape when stopped with clean oil, there were no problems. ( yes-first ones checked with borescope and I'd always shoot some light oil in the cylinders and crank over under no load with fresh oil/filter)
My wife's Accord does not leave the garage during the winter. When it was three or four years old, I didn't crank it over for several months and found the battery to be dead. Since then I leave it on the charger. Once a month / six weeks I disconnect the charger, make sure the fuel pump fuse is out and crank it for 30-35 seconds until the oil pressure light goes out. Then I re attach the charger and leave it be til next time. Seems to require less time to turn out the oil pressure light if I keep to the schedule. And no problems starting in the spring.
My MG sat unused for 18 years in a garage without any prep, but it didn't take much to get it running. I'd be more concerned with getting moisture in the oil and not having it evaporate by driving it for a long time. I just fill the tank, put stabilizer in the gas, unhook the battery, and put the battery maintainer on it once a month. I'm sure it's fine sitting for a few months.
Once its stored for Winter, let it sit till Spring...
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