Starting The Engine During "Downtime"

[Paparazi]

Was going to add..chock your wheels and leave your handbrake off as the handbrake shoes do have a tendency to rust and stick to the drum/disc.....ideally for 'long haul' you would also take the load off your tyres....but 3 months isn't that long.
But then we are into a whole other area of storage....putting a squirt of oil down each plug hole.....waxoyling bodywork, covering seats to prevent bleaching etc.

Martin

 

[D-18]

I'm with DRUK on this one - just park it up.

When I put my motorbikes off the road for the Winter, I normally put them on a battery tender, drain the fuel from the carb float chambers and just leave them in the garage for however many months it takes before I feel like riding them again. Never had any problems firing them up again in the Spring.

 

[renault12ts]

I often don't use mine for a month at a time. I sometimes think I should start and run the engine, but the 270CDi would probably never warm up at idle. It's no good doing short journies either - it needs a run of towards 20 miles to warm it up thoroughly.

I would imagine your car would warm up bit quicker!

It will warm up fully, though not at idle. At 2000rpm it'll take about 15 miutes.

 

[st13phil]

Don't run the engine at idle to warm it, just induces condensation in the exhaust as that will not reach operating temp.

It's not just condensate in the exhaust that's a problem.

Combustion byproducts are acidic and running an engine for a short period - even if the oil does (just) reach normal operating temperature - is asking for trouble as the acidic condensate doesn't evaporate off as it would in a hot engine working normally, instead it remains emulsified in the oil. Once the engine cools this then causes corrosion of steel components in the engine (crankshaft, camshafts, etc.).

So ideally, the last time the car is run before you stop using it should be on a long(ish) journey that gets everything well up to normal operating temperature for an hour or so, as that will ensure the acidic combustion condensates will have evaporated off as much as possible. Then, as others have said already, just keep the battery in good condition and leave it.

 

[developer]

Thanks for all the replies.

I'll get the battery checked (and replaced if required) then lock up and leave.

 

[HB]

I'll send a trailer for it and bring it up to Glasgow. I'll use it over the winter for you , we don't get any snow up here. Sorted lad.

 

[Major774]

Stored inside a garage I would say it would be fine.

However, if it's outside and just sitting there (even with a cover) then problems can occur. I remember declaring my old Civic SORN for a few weeks... When I went to use it again the rear calipers were starting to seize. Before it was declared SORN the rear calipers were fine.

So I am with Alps... I use my car all year round and enjoy it... Less problems occur to.