? bout my 02 S2000, Just stored my car for the winter

Probably a stupid question, but would appreciate some feedback. Changed my oil & filter after I parked it. Should I start it to cycle the clean oil through the engine? I use stock Honda filter & Mobil 1 10/30w. Thanks again for the help.

I would run it. There's no harm in running the engine for 10 minutes. Also make sure you've got a relatively full tank of fuel in there.

Why are you storing such an old car?

I have heard mix reviews on idling stored cars. The major downside is the condensation that builds up and is not burned off during the idle.

Car is then left to sit until next idle.

Never having stored a car through a winter there are folks who will know more.

Good for him to not have to drive it in the winter.

Lester, I have stored my car every winter since new. I usually start the car up every two weeks to keep the battery charged and get the oil circulating.

I store with no start. I change all of the fluids, start it until warm up to check the oil, top the fuel off completely and put the battery on a tender. I then pump the tire pressures up to 50 psi, park it on plastic and a big soft mat, to keep moisture out and minimize flat spots on the tires (although even if you do get some flat spots they wear off after a short drive in the spring).

There is pretty strong opinion that starting it every couple of weeks can actually do more harm than good, because a couple of weeks is just enough time to allow the oil to settle completely.

I just bought my 01 and stored it too I got one good weekend out of it. But man, so freaken cool! Can't wait till spring. All I did was fill it to the top with gas, add a fuel stabilizer, and change the oil and filter. It just hit 30 k so when the spring hits I think it gets new trans and diff fluid, along with a new air filter. I was told the cars frame was not meant to be suspended for long periods of time, so it's best to leave it sitting on tires instead of on blocks. Don't forget to unplug your battery. Congratulations on your new car!

i feel sorry for you guys. The S is just as fun in the winter (sans snow) as it is in the summer.

Top down, windows up, heat on

I bought mine out of state and drove it top down on the interstate heater full blast. One of the best drives so far.

If you are form the Savannah area, I know your winter's are not as harsh as some.

When storing my car I don't start it again until spring. Who go through all those dry starts? Just do it once and get it over with.

Then you've made TWO mistakes!

Sucks storing my S, but New England winters and sports cars do not get along. I used to start it every month or so, but don't anymore. I agree with "my slow 2k": Why go through all the dry starts. What is different this year is that I chg'd the oil a few days after I parked it. Now I'm not sure if I should start it so the new oil can circulate. I have a word doc file for storing an S. Forgot where I got it, but it is quite good. I can send it to anyone who is interested. Thanks for all the feedback.

Thanks for the critique. Care to explain? Also, 9 years of this hasn't caused me any grief so....

A battery tender is to keep the battery charged. A tender brings it up to full charge slowly and then lets it slowly go back down and then repeats until removed. Starting the car up every couple weeks and running it does not do the same thing and really does not increase battery life.

It is my thought and the thought of quite a few others that 2 weeks is just about enough time for the oil to completely settle, so when you do start it, the car is subject to low lubrication on parts in the head and pistons, which are not horrible, but are not great on the car either (i.e. a dry start). So I myself prefer to minimize the dry starts and only dry start it once, the first time I am ready to drive it in the spring.

So there are your two mistakes

And this must mean to you that you have been correct? You have essentially added approx. 50,000 additional miles to your engine's wear and tear over those 9 years. Congrats. No grief? Not yet anyway. Read the reply from bgoetz. On this topic, he has displayed remarkable knowledge and intelligence. It is quite refreshing after reading some of the antiquated ideas in this thread.
New England winters and sports cars don't mix? Yeah, whatever. S2000's are driven all over Canada and in Anchorage, Alaska all winter long. Is your car handicapped?

I do understand his wish to store the car, I do the same. For me it is not the snow, it is the salt, now they have started to use sand . I have a DD, so why not expose that to all of the crap and keep the S2k clean. Plus, honestly it gives me a chance to not put miles on the S2k, if I drove it year around I would be afraid to know how many miles I would put on per year.

What is really so wrong with people not wanting to drive their cars during the winter? I am perfectly fine admitting the fact that I store my car for the winter. Here's a shock to, I only put about 4k miles on the car a year, including summer. Big deal. I have more than one vehicle I enjoy driving. So why the hate towards those that store?

That's cute. So lets see than my S has 68,000 miles on it instead of 18,000. I guess it is still low mileage.

Gees, based on the fact people are still driving these cars with over 200,000 miles I can continue thrash my car in this manner easily for another 9 years.

Anyway, thanks for everyone's input but you have failed to convince me since my experience trumps your theories.

Bogoetz your 2 week estimate is just a guess and I can guarantee that after a full winter the engine will be dry. I would rather start the car with a little bit of oil on the engine parts than guarantee a completely dry start in spring.

My car always starts up without any problem or noises. Running the car for 15 minutes every two weeks seems do the job of charging the battery, plus it heats up the engine and exhaust system in the process.

The bottom line is this, most people will not own this car for 10 years. I have been doing this for 9 years. I have had zero adverse consequences. I have never had to replace the battery, the exhaust or engine parts ;-), and the car is still as spirited at 9000 rpms as it ever was.

I doubt there is much difference in oil coverage between two weeks and a full winter. As for the battery, a $20 tender is the proper way to maintain a battery. Yes your's has lasted, but that may not even be a direct result of your maintanance habits, or lack thereof. I had a battery that sat in a cold garage for 4 years never started and it works perfectly in my DD. Plus when you heat the exhaust system and engine, you are leaving condensation inside of the exhaust. My guess would be by about the time it begins to dry you start it again and leave more condensation.

Anyway I was not trying to convince you of anything, people have all different ways of storing their cars, some my way, and some your's. I just like my way better

Fair enough.