Changing oil after storage

[mpali5]

Do you guys change your oil after storage? So I changed my oil right before I put the car away for winter, I did start it about every 3-4 weeks and ran it to operating temperature, moved it back and forth on driveway to lubricate trans and diff. Now should I change the oil again before I start driving it?

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[Skye]

In the Owners Manual, Ford recommends changing the oil before and after storage. Ford also recommends occasionally running the engine while in storage.

During the combustion process, two oxides form. Sulphur oxide, from burning fuel. Nitrogen oxide from the use of the atmosphere. Combined with humidity in the air and condensation from the cold, they become acidic.

Motor oils have antacids, to limit or null the effects of those acids. When the combustion process stops, the acids stop accumulating. The oil should neutralize their effects, especially if recently changed.

If occasionally running the engine, I can see a greater than expected amount of acids and condensation forming. Changing the oil yet again could be worthwhile.

I have not been following Ford's guidance. While I follow the Oil Life Monitor, I do not purposely change the oil before and after storage. If I notice the OLM will reach 0% while stored, I will change the oil before. Otherwise, I might let it sit, "dirty" oil and all.

The OLM counts down due to several factors. The counter will decrease 2% a week, even if the car doesn't move at all. I'm often down for four months, so the OLM loses about 30%, sitting.

I don't operate the engine while resting. Running the engine in-place, I don't care for that. I'm not getting good airflow across the components, leading to hot spots. I'm not running it long enough to bring the entire drivetrain up to operating temperatures. I'm not loading the engine at all.

Rolling the car back-and-forth along the driveway, it's not something I do. IMO, it takes more rotational action to do any good and properly lubricate the internals. Another example entirely, Toyota recommends occasionally operating my truck's transfer case for up to 10 miles / 16 kms, to properly lubricate all the internals and bring the components up to temp.

Some in my area will take their vehicle out to drive, when the road surface is dry and clear. Most don't. Once stored, most cars and trucks in the area sit until Spring.

I have been performing an oil analysis with each oil change. Each reading has come back nominal, everything within range.

You're following the Owners Manual, which is the standard. That's cool. I know of at least one other person doing the same. Mine and others' methods are an alternative that seems to be working well. It could save you quite a bit of oil and effort.

YMMV.

Edit,

A related topic to this subject: oil pressure and pre-oiling. Coming out of storage, I just start the engine. Every time we shutdown, the oil in the vertical position drains to the pan in moments. Horizontal passages, lines, coolers, the filter, just sit. The oiled parts are still oiled.

I came out of storage in February. Starting the engine, the pressure gauge moved as soon as the engine caught fire. I was pegging the needle in one second. Oil analysis has been showing nominal engine wear. Nothing to be concerned about.

Some will use the flood clearing procedure, to build oil pressure before starting. I've never done it.

 

[erocker]

The oil life monitor seems to take all of this into account. Changed my oil before storage, just took it out a few days ago and the oil life is at 29%. I'll run it 'till it's zero or whenever I get around to changing it.

 

[Decio]

I agree with Skye. I took mine out of storage yesterday with 4% on the OLM. Once I turned it off Columbus Day weekend that was it for the engine. I stabilized the fuel, put a battery tender on it and checked for rodent nests from time to time (found 1 even with the ultrasonic and light deterrent).

Hit the start button and she fired right up. It's at the dealership now getting the oil changed and the myriad of updates and recalls I've missed out on over the winter months (I turn everything off for storage).

Looking forward to some top-down weather soon in the northeast!

 

[robvas]

No, that's stupid. Your oil is fine sitting in the engine. No reason to change it.

 

[Ryunker]

Do you guys change your oil after storage? So I changed my oil right before I put the car away for winter, I did start it about every 3-4 weeks and ran it to operating temperature, moved it back and forth on driveway to lubricate trans and diff. Now should I change the oil again before I start driving it?

Absolutely never. I store vehicles all the time and have for decades.

 

[Neggytive]

My car is in constant storage, it may get driven a couple of times a week to the store and back

In the summer it is parked from May to the end of September.

Since October it has had a whopping 1500 miles put on it, almost 2 years of ownership, 1000 miles in the first 6 weeks, 700 miles to get it to Florida, 1500 last winter, a little more this winter as I still have another 6 weeks here....

First oil change at 1000 miles

Second at about 4000 miles, one year to the day after the first one

I reset the monitors and will change the oil again in October, not in August as what the oil monitor would have called for had I not reset it to fit my schedule.

But my point is the oil life monitor deducts for each month, there is no way you can get more than a year out of the oil by the oil life monitor.

When I left last April the monitor was over 20%, by the time August came around it was at zero, a year to the day since it was last changed.

The car did get started and driven every couple of weeks to keep the battery life BS from kicking on. car was driven til warm so any contamination from water vapor was boiled off and sucked thru the PCV system.

IMHO as long as you are following Ford's 1 year max oil change interval recommendation, and when you do start the car you let it come up to operating temperature, there is no need to do accelerated oil changes.

The worst thing you can do is get the oil to be acidic by short run cycles and dhort trips that don't get the vehicle up to operating temperature.

There is my 2 cents, YMMV

 

[hal26]

If you want to pre oil your motor after sitting for a while just hold the accelerator to the floor while holding the start button down. Disables injectors and will not start. I run it for 8 seconds and then release the accelerator while still holding it down. Starts right up and has a bit of oil pressure and pre lube.

 

[goodlettjr]

If you want to pre oil your motor after sitting for a while just hold the accelerator to the floor while holding the start button down. Disables injectors and will not start. I run it for 8 seconds and then release the accelerator while still holding it down. Starts right up and has a bit of oil pressure and pre lube.

This is a great tip for someone storing their car. Not really needed though for a car that gets driven as frequently as every few days. The trade off is stress on the starter. Will add that more than the 8 seconds is frowned on. You can overheat a starter motor quickly after that.

 

[robvas]

If you want to pre oil your motor after sitting for a while just hold the accelerator to the floor while holding the start button down. Disables injectors and will not start. I run it for 8 seconds and then release the accelerator while still holding it down. Starts right up and has a bit of oil pressure and pre lube.

Not this shit again

 

[robvas]

This is a great tip for someone storing their car. Not really needed though for a car that gets driven as frequently as every few days. The trade off is stress on the starter. Will add that more than the 8 seconds is frowned on. You can overheat a starter motor quickly after that.

Plus the "dry" spinning of the engine (it's not dry, so there's not even a point to doing this)

when you prime an engine you just push oil or turn only the oil pump (older engines), you don't spin the whole engine....

 

[hal26]

Not this shit again

WTF

 

[hal26]

Plus the "dry" spinning of the engine (it's not dry, so there's not even a point to doing this)

when you prime an engine you just push oil or turn only the oil pump (older engines), you don't spin the whole engine....

Brilliant LOL

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