Oil interval question
- Thread starter Bdubbs
- Start date
Good idea
I'm not informed on cold weather storage issues of a vehicle and what it possibly does to oil.....what are the concerns? Additional moisture build up? How is your garage.....is it insulated? What kind of interior temp extremes is the car going thru during storage months...
With such a high quality oil, I personally wouldn't worry about changing it again for this year. Didn't you have some issues with your oil smelling like fuel? Did you figure that out?
I use RP HPS 5w20 I've had it tested also. I use to change my oil 2 times a year until I had it tested and did my research. I also use a k&n filter. Now if I go to the track or Dyno I still change my oil after but I do it so I can have it tested to make sure there is no metal or high amounts in it. If I putt around on the weekends all year I change it in the spring. If you are using Amsoil and a good filter or RP and a good filter in a dd both those oils do not break down for several 1000 miles. So I guess I still change good oil sometimes too but every time I've had it tested (knock on wood) it was still good.
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I only had ethanol smell with royal purple hps oil. The Amsoil I don't smell any.
As for cold weather and oil I'm not sure. I was told heat cycles are what contribute to oil breaking down. My garage isn't insulated or heated.
As for cold weather and oil I'm not sure. I was told heat cycles are what contribute to oil breaking down. My garage isn't insulated or heated.
From what I've researched if you change your oil in storage as long as you don't start the vehicle you will be fine. When you start it from what I read is when you get moisture. You definitely want it to get to operating temperature. In the winter I would think even if you started it let it get to op temp then shut it off you could still get moisture in it.
Like stated above I change mine when I know I'm not going to start it till spring. I've done this in my 04 since I've had it. As well as my 92 GT for years. Honestly Bdubbs for peace of mind even though Amsoil is good with you running E85 I'd change it. Use the old oil for your lawn mower save some for a snowblower if you have it too. maybe send a sample to black stone?
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Like stated above I change mine when I know I'm not going to start it till spring. I've done this in my 04 since I've had it. As well as my 92 GT for years. Honestly Bdubbs for peace of mind even though Amsoil is good with you running E85 I'd change it. Use the old oil for your lawn mower save some for a snowblower if you have it too. maybe send a sample to black stone?
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Rotella T6 here. I change it before the winter after I drain the e85 and put 93 in. I'll run that oil in the spring while running out the 93 and getting some e85 in the tank. Then ill change the oil every 3k. So usually 2 to 3 times per season before the 93 goes back in.
I never start my car in winter. Temps fluctuate so much and can contribute to condensation. One day it can be 30℉ and the next -20℉.
I'll be changing oil along with plugs this spring. I may drive on this until the 92 is out of the tank. Once I switch back to ethanol I'll change oil.
I'll be changing oil along with plugs this spring. I may drive on this until the 92 is out of the tank. Once I switch back to ethanol I'll change oil.
That's not a bad idea once you change fuel. Same here in Ohio man it's been pretty mild this winter. Technically spring now but 56 today by tomorrow night 23 lol. Will have the car out soon though lol.
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Yeah I'm getting anxious lol. Looks like chance of rain the next 10 days. Which will clean off the roads nicely. I don't take it out until we get good rain.
I'm the same way and it looks like rain almost all next week. Which will clean them nicely.
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that's why I said change it IF it was 2 years old lol.
I've never liked RP. Amsoil is far superior IMO ...
I don't change it when I put it away for the winter. Whats the point? Have new oil sit in the oil pan and possibly collect moisture? Northern climate dwellers know things sweat constantly as the temp changes in the spring. I change it right away when I get it out.
BTW, don't you just love how clean the oil dumps when using E85? Even if you put a bunch of miles on it, like in your d.d., the oil comes out about as clean as you put it in.
BTW, don't you just love how clean the oil dumps when using E85? Even if you put a bunch of miles on it, like in your d.d., the oil comes out about as clean as you put it in.
That's why I never understood why some people up here start up there cars in the winter. The other day I popped the hood to check things out. Motor was sweating all over due to temperature swings.
Its important to keep the engine lubricated, I don't know how long something has to sit to become a dry start but I think id want to start every month or two. My car only had 8500 miles on it in 10 yrs so it obviously did lots of sitting. When the heads came off the cam journals had some scarring which was attributed to dry starts. The whole motor was gone through and thankfully the bottom end looked like new.
If you let the car warm up it should evaporate the water out of the inside of the engine. The best/cleanest oil in the world does no good when its not coating the parts anymore.
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I'm still a firm believer in letting it sit. I did your method years ago on my foxbody. Even though I let it get up to operating temp, by spring every bolt in the engine bay was rusty.
Upon starting it for the first time in spring, gas pedal to the floor with clutch pushed in, and I crank it over for 10 seconds.
The gas pedal deal is kind of a feel good thing but probably doesn't help. When you go to crank the motor if the oil film is gone the parts are wearing on dry surfaces. Also the oil pump is spun off the crank in theory it moves the same amount of oil per revolution. If it takes 20 revolutions of the engine to lubricate the motor what difference does it make if the motor does it via the starter or the first few revolutions of the engine under start up.
I understand if leaving it off all winter helps with rust prevention.
There's others reasons as well. Do you realize how long it would take for it to get to operating temp on a -15° day just idling? The fact that I've had mice in my garage before makes it much more appealing to them by a warm motor.
This is like beating a dead horse. Everyone won't do it the same. I believe my friend who's a old school mechanic leaves his Nova and Monte Carlo sit all winter without starting it.
I just make it part of my ritual to change the oil when it comes out of storage. I put a less than 1k a year on the Cobra.
I don't put oil into it before storage, the only reason to do that would be to have fresh oil without contaminants in the motor while it sits but with limited miles on the oil, it probably isn't very contaminated anyway. And the new oil is going to just sink into the pan anyway while it sits.
I think like most things in a vehicle though, if the temperature isn't controlled there is a chance of moisture getting in, and that could be reason to change it... at least theoretically. Ofcourse that moisture might theoretically evaporate within the first hot run too.
Just spit-balling... eh, I change oil every spring.
I don't put oil into it before storage, the only reason to do that would be to have fresh oil without contaminants in the motor while it sits but with limited miles on the oil, it probably isn't very contaminated anyway. And the new oil is going to just sink into the pan anyway while it sits.
I think like most things in a vehicle though, if the temperature isn't controlled there is a chance of moisture getting in, and that could be reason to change it... at least theoretically. Ofcourse that moisture might theoretically evaporate within the first hot run too.
Just spit-balling... eh, I change oil every spring.
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