Winter storage oil

[mcditalia]

I usually run good grade synthetic in the summer time, amsoil, redline. To cut costs i wanted to use a conventional oil during winter storage months when it doesnt get used. Anyone see a detriment to doing this?

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

Yes. Change the oil before winter storage and you're all set for driving next spring. No need to change oil in an engine if there's been no usage. You may want to read up on which synthetics are suitable for old flat tappet engines like our. Most synthetics and dino oils do not have sufficient ZDDP.

 

[compyelc4]

I usually run good grade synthetic in the summer time, amsoil, redline. To cut costs i wanted to use a conventional oil during winter storage months when it doesnt get used. Anyone see a detriment to doing this?

It is not logical that you would put new non-synthetic oil in you car just to store over Winter. After all, it's just going to sit in the bottom of the oil pan. Now, when you drain that unused oil in the Spring and do your synthetic oil change, what are you saving? Where does your unused new dino oil go, in the can? Hope not.

I suggest you just drain your old synthetic (if it is time), install new sythetic and let that sit in the bottom of your pan over Winter. Then, at least, you'll be ready to go when the new driving season arrives. Savings? 5 quarts of dino and labor for that fill.

 

[compyelc4]

It is not logical that you would put new non-synthetic oil in you car just to store over Winter. After all, it's just going to sit in the bottom of the oil pan. Now, when you drain that unused oil in the Spring and do your synthetic oil change, what are you saving? Where does your unused new dino oil go, in the can? Hope not.

I suggest you just drain your old synthetic (if it is time), install new sythetic and let that sit in the bottom of your pan over Winter. Then, at least, you'll be ready to go when the new driving season arrives. Savings? 5 quarts of dino and labor for that fill.

Oh, and don't forget to change the filter!

 

[Huskerman]

Ya...what he said....just change out your synthetic this fall and you are ready to go......

 

[mcditalia]

Whatever happened to the either mileage or time rule? If its going to sit for 6 months + wouldnt condensation build up in the engine and drain in the oil pan?


Today, 08:18 PMVettehead Mikey
Yes. Change the oil before winter storage and you're all set for driving next spring. No need to change oil in an engine if there's been no usage. You may want to read up on which synthetics are suitable for old flat tappet engines like our. Most synthetics and dino oils do not have sufficient ZDDP.

Amsoil and redline have sufficient zddp for flat tappet engines.

 

[steveb01z06]

I don't see any problem with what you are doing: you're trying to avoid running the engine on oil diluted with condensation after sitting for a long time. I think that not many people are taking a car out service completely for extended periods, anymore, so the logic escapes them.

My college roommte had a "pickleling" technique that almost guaranteed no corrosion after a long sit: he would literally fill the engine with oil until it ran out of the fill port in the valve cover. It took a long time to drain the oil and required pulling spark plugs before starting up and it smoked like crazy for a while, but we were pretty confident it didn't rust.

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

Whatever happened to the either mileage or time rule? If its going to sit for 6 months + wouldnt condensation build up in the engine and drain in the oil pan?

The 'time rule' is generally 12 months. Condensation doesn't build up in engine oil more than any other surface- unless there's cycles of heat above and below the dew point. That's why an engine should NOT be run while it's in storage.

 

[Hib Halverson]

For a period of time less than a year or so, changing the oil for winter storage is a waste of time and oil.

As long as you are using a high-quality 10W30 engine oil, change the oil and filter according to your normal oil drain interval or annually, whichever comes first.

When it comes time to store the car for the winter, worry more about a good car cover, keeping the fuel tank full, avoiding rodent infestations and rust formation in the brake hydraulics.

 

[gmjunkie]

For a period of time less than a year or so, changing the oil for winter storage is a waste of time and oil.

As long as you are using a high-quality 10W30 engine oil, change the oil and filter according to your normal oil drain interval or annually, whichever comes first.

When it comes time to store the car for the winter, worry more about a good car cover, keeping the fuel tank full, avoiding rodent infestations and rust formation in the brake hydraulics.

 

[mcditalia]

Guess ive been wasting oil for the past decade or so. I got to be honest i never heard using oil for a year if i dont reach the mileage.

I always assumed the mileage or time applied to both cars that are sitting stationary or being used. A season for me is usually May to November. NJ winters can get brutal.

 

[Hib Halverson]

Guess ive been wasting oil for the past decade or so. I got to be honest i never heard using oil for a year if i dont reach the mileage.
(snip)

For as long as I can remember service manuals have said xxxxx-mile or once a year, which ever comes first. Of course, of late they say when the oil life monitor comes on or once a year.

 

[JJS]

Condensation

I have always changed my oil in the spring because I worried about condensation developing over the winter months.
Although I didn't store my car in my own garage which gets pretty cold in the winter, the place where I stored my car
was only ~45 degrees all winter long.

 

[JohnZ]

I have always changed my oil in the spring because I worried about condensation developing over the winter months.
Although I didn't store my car in my own garage which gets pretty cold in the winter, the place where I stored my car
was only ~45 degrees all winter long.

If you don't start the engine during winter storage, the physics that result in crankcase condensation won't exist. Change the oil prior to storage, and leave it alone; when Spring comes, just drive it. Don't over-think this stuff - engines aren't "delicate".

 

[haganml]

If you don't start the engine during winter storage, the physics that result in crankcase condensation won't exist. Change the oil prior to storage, and leave it alone; when Spring comes, just drive it. Don't over-think this stuff - engines aren't "delicate".

Oil is not the same as when I was a young man.

Check this website <http://www.substech.com/dokuwiki/doku.php?id=engine_oils> for complete information on the properties of current engine oil. The following was quoted from The Substances and Technology web page.

"Combustion gases containing water vapors and other chemically active gases partially penetrate to the crankcase and may cause corrosion. In addition to this some constituents of the combustion gases dissolve in the oil and increase its acidity. Such oil may become aggressive to the metal parts contacting with it.
Corrosion inhibitors are added to engine oils in order to provide protection of metallic (both ferrous and non-ferrous) parts."

This would suggest that a oil change prior to an extended storage would be beneficial. The concentration of acids in the oil will depend on the age of the engine and the oil, changing the oil will remove what acids and water vapor that do exist. Rather than change the oil that has rested on the bottom of the oil pan (no combustion products) over the winter just start it up and have fun.

Engines are not "delicate" as JohnZ has said. When the most damage to these mechanical devices occurs is during start up and shut down of the running of the engine. There are procedures to minimize this damage. These are all time consuming and expensive, not really worth the mitigation of these issues.

In short, get the engine hot (so the oil flows better) drain the oil. Change the oil filter and the oil, using your usual products. Briefly run the engine to dilute what oil is left in the engine. Store for the winter. On the next fine Spring Day go for a drive!

 

[haganml]

Oil is not the same as when I was a young man.

Check this website <http://www.substech.com/dokuwiki/doku.php?id=engine_oils> for complete information on the properties of current engine oil. The following was quoted from The Substances and Technology web page.

If you have any concerns about oil or just need to know more than you ever wanted to know about oil take a short trip to STEVESNOVASITE.COM and jump to their Forums,> Body, Chassis and Mechanical,> Driveline and Performance,> Flat Tappet Warning,Lack of ZDDP in Modern Oils. (ZincDialkylDithioPhosphate) The thread started in Dec. 2007, encompasses 30 pages and is exhaustive in scope. It will take quite a while to read through, that thread has answered any of my questions about oil and related wear.

My son has a 1964 Chevrolet Nova and I spend some time on Steve's website.

Mark.