Winter Storage: Change Oil?

For those of you that store your car over the winter, do you drain the
oil and put fresh in and then change it again come spring? I was told
once that oil turns acidic through time and that it wasn't a good idea
to let it sit for more than three months. Is this true?

Thank you,

--
Sean

Fao, Sean opined in :

> For those of you that store your car over the winter, do you drain the
> oil and put fresh in and then change it again come spring? I was told
> once that oil turns acidic through time and that it wasn't a good idea
> to let it sit for more than three months. Is this true?
>

Purely speaking theoretically, not being a chemical engineer - though I did
once stay at a Holiday Inn Express- ,it's combustion byproducts plus water
that creates the acidity.. as in H2SO4.

In storage, it seems to me, you're only going to get condensation. Water and
oil dont bond but oil and acids interact

So if I put a car away, I would change the oil just before storage.

Then after taking it out, just drive it for a couple hours...

Backyard Mechanic wrote:
> Fao, Sean opined in :
>
>
>>For those of you that store your car over the winter, do you drain the
>>oil and put fresh in and then change it again come spring? I was told
>>once that oil turns acidic through time and that it wasn't a good idea
>>to let it sit for more than three months. Is this true?
>>
>
>
> Purely speaking theoretically, not being a chemical engineer - though I did
> once stay at a Holiday Inn Express- ,it's combustion byproducts plus water
> that creates the acidity.. as in H2SO4.
>
> In storage, it seems to me, you're only going to get condensation. Water and
> oil dont bond but oil and acids interact
>
> So if I put a car away, I would change the oil just before storage.
>
> Then after taking it out, just drive it for a couple hours...
>
>

Erg, brings back painful memories of chemistry. Funny how I did so well
in Physics yet absolutely struggled through chem.

At any rate, condensation is more than enough incentive to do an oil
change before winter storage :-).

Thank you much for the advice,

--
Sean

Am I missing something here? What is the concern? Corrosion of?? After the
initial cooling off of the engine what condensation will occur? What
combustion byproduct is in the oil to result in the formation of sulfuric
acid? Hell, I would be more concerned about mould growing in the interior
than engine corrosion by leaving in used oil. Aren't we all changing oil in
3k mile intervals. Not exactly old oil.

--
Richard

'94 GT 'vert
Under Drive Pulleys
Transgo HD2 Reprogramming Kit
High Stall Torque Converter
4:10 Gears
Gripp Sub Frame Connectors (welded)
FRPP Aluminum Drive shaft
FRPP M5400-A Suspension
Laser Red

"Fao, Sean" -WANT-NO-SPAM> wrote in message
...
> Backyard Mechanic wrote:
> > Fao, Sean opined in :
> >
> >
> >>For those of you that store your car over the winter, do you drain the
> >>oil and put fresh in and then change it again come spring? I was told
> >>once that oil turns acidic through time and that it wasn't a good idea
> >>to let it sit for more than three months. Is this true?
> >>
> >
> >
> > Purely speaking theoretically, not being a chemical engineer - though I
did
> > once stay at a Holiday Inn Express- ,it's combustion byproducts plus
water
> > that creates the acidity.. as in H2SO4.
> >
> > In storage, it seems to me, you're only going to get condensation.
Water and
> > oil dont bond but oil and acids interact
> >
> > So if I put a car away, I would change the oil just before storage.
> >
> > Then after taking it out, just drive it for a couple hours...
> >
> >
>
> Erg, brings back painful memories of chemistry. Funny how I did so well
> in Physics yet absolutely struggled through chem.
>
> At any rate, condensation is more than enough incentive to do an oil
> change before winter storage :-).
>
> Thank you much for the advice,
>
> --
> Sean

Richard wrote:
> Am I missing something here? What is the concern? Corrosion of?? After the
> initial cooling off of the engine what condensation will occur? What
> combustion byproduct is in the oil to result in the formation of sulfuric
> acid? Hell, I would be more concerned about mould growing in the interior
> than engine corrosion by leaving in used oil. Aren't we all changing oil in
> 3k mile intervals. Not exactly old oil.
>

I actually change the oil more than everything 3k miles so the oil
definitely *shouldn't* be dirty yet. Somewhere, I thought I had read
once that you should change your oil every 3k miles or every 3 months,
whichever comes first. It's quite possible that I'm just making the
second part up :-).

--
Sean

On Sat, 04 Dec 2004 21:10:18 -0500, Fao, Sean wrote:

> For those of you that store your car over the winter, do you drain the
> oil and put fresh in and then change it again come spring? I was told
> once that oil turns acidic through time and that it wasn't a good idea
> to let it sit for more than three months. Is this true?
>
> Thank you,

I change my oil & filter before winter storage and when I bring her out.

Is it necessary? Beats the hell out of me but for the amount of money it
cost to be safe...who cares? :-)

Jeff
01 GT
FIPK

Jeff opined in news
> On Sat, 04 Dec 2004 21:10:18 -0500, Fao, Sean wrote:
>
>> For those of you that store your car over the winter, do you drain the
>> oil and put fresh in and then change it again come spring? I was told
>> once that oil turns acidic through time and that it wasn't a good idea
>> to let it sit for more than three months. Is this true?
>>
>> Thank you,
>
> I change my oil & filter before winter storage and when I bring her out.
>
> Is it necessary? Beats the hell out of me but for the amount of money it
> cost to be safe...who cares? :-)
>
> Jeff
> 01 GT
> FIPK
>

Well, you're not gaining anything by changing it after storage... there will
be a little water from breathing condensation, if it's in unheated garage...

BUT draining the oil wont get that out, it has to be evaporated out.

And like I said, the oil doesnt get acidic if the engines not runnning

Once a long time ago I had an Alpha Romeo, which doesn't really mean
anything. But it did come with a very in depth owners manual which went
into some detail on how to store the car. They suggested draining the oil,
removing the spark plugs and squirting oil into the tops of the cylinders,
then cycling the engine a few times before replacing the plugs and putting
the car under wraps.


"Backyard Mechanic" > wrote in message
...
> Jeff opined in news >
> > On Sat, 04 Dec 2004 21:10:18 -0500, Fao, Sean wrote:
> >
> >> For those of you that store your car over the winter, do you drain the
> >> oil and put fresh in and then change it again come spring? I was told
> >> once that oil turns acidic through time and that it wasn't a good idea
> >> to let it sit for more than three months. Is this true?
> >>
> >> Thank you,
> >
> > I change my oil & filter before winter storage and when I bring her out.
> >
> > Is it necessary? Beats the hell out of me but for the amount of money it
> > cost to be safe...who cares? :-)
> >
> > Jeff
> > 01 GT
> > FIPK
> >
>
> Well, you're not gaining anything by changing it after storage... there
will
> be a little water from breathing condensation, if it's in unheated
garage...
>
> BUT draining the oil wont get that out, it has to be evaporated out.
>
> And like I said, the oil doesnt get acidic if the engines not runnning

That sounds like long term [year(s)] storage advice.

--
Richard

'94 GT 'vert
Under Drive Pulleys
Transgo HD2 Reprogramming Kit
High Stall Torque Converter
4:10 Gears
Gripp Sub Frame Connectors (welded)
FRPP Aluminum Drive shaft
FRPP M5400-A Suspension
Laser Red

"KEITH MCCUMBER" > wrote in message
...
> Once a long time ago I had an Alpha Romeo, which doesn't really mean
> anything. But it did come with a very in depth owners manual which went
> into some detail on how to store the car. They suggested draining the
oil,
> removing the spark plugs and squirting oil into the tops of the cylinders,
> then cycling the engine a few times before replacing the plugs and putting
> the car under wraps.
>

Unless you have rapid temperature changes, you won't have any
condensation in your engine. Just don't start and run the engine for
short times and you're fine.

I would do an oil change shortly before parking it. Drive it really
hot, park it, and put some low current charger on your battery.

On Mon, 06 Dec 2004 05:28:31 GMT, Backyard Mechanic
> wrote:

>Jeff opined in news >
>> On Sat, 04 Dec 2004 21:10:18 -0500, Fao, Sean wrote:
>>
>>> For those of you that store your car over the winter, do you drain the
>>> oil and put fresh in and then change it again come spring? I was told
>>> once that oil turns acidic through time and that it wasn't a good idea
>>> to let it sit for more than three months. Is this true?
>>>
>>> Thank you,
>>
>> I change my oil & filter before winter storage and when I bring her out.
>>
>> Is it necessary? Beats the hell out of me but for the amount of money it
>> cost to be safe...who cares? :-)
>>
>> Jeff
>> 01 GT
>> FIPK
>>
>
>Well, you're not gaining anything by changing it after storage... there will
>be a little water from breathing condensation, if it's in unheated garage...
>
>BUT draining the oil wont get that out, it has to be evaporated out.
>
>And like I said, the oil doesnt get acidic if the engines not runnning

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