Oil changes
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 7,818
Likes: 3,363
From: Foothills East of Sacramento
All good advice given. If you have a few minutes take a look at this website for a good discussion of oil.
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/motor-oil-101/
There is an incremental benefit of synthetic over dino oil as far as a little more protection (residue) when the engine is inoperative over time. You may want to take a closer look at a 0w-30 or 5w-30 oil; it is less viscous at start up.
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/motor-oil-101/
There is an incremental benefit of synthetic over dino oil as far as a little more protection (residue) when the engine is inoperative over time. You may want to take a closer look at a 0w-30 or 5w-30 oil; it is less viscous at start up.
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 8,743
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Why warming up engine or periodically starting a stored car is not good idea:
Most wear occurs while oil is cold. I heard a quote of 75% of engine wear. Idling does not warm up engine (and oil) as fast as just driving (gently). So by warming up the engine, you are actually causimg more wear than if you just drove it.
Likewise, driving around for 5 min in winter, its never going to warm up, and all you did was add 5 min of cold engine wear time. Even driving around for 30 min, you still added some cold engine wear minutes, and didn't gain anything, other than maybe cure some winter blues and charge your battery a little. There are better ways to accomplish both of those things...
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Most wear occurs while oil is cold. I heard a quote of 75% of engine wear. Idling does not warm up engine (and oil) as fast as just driving (gently). So by warming up the engine, you are actually causimg more wear than if you just drove it.
Likewise, driving around for 5 min in winter, its never going to warm up, and all you did was add 5 min of cold engine wear time. Even driving around for 30 min, you still added some cold engine wear minutes, and didn't gain anything, other than maybe cure some winter blues and charge your battery a little. There are better ways to accomplish both of those things...
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Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 22,648
Likes: 490
From: St-Redempteur,Qc.
The car does not require or need synthetic oil. Nor will it tangibly benefit from it unless you're driving WELL outside of the envelope of typical use.
There are good storage instructions on the owner's manual. They involve leaving the battery on a charger and then starting the car once you are ready to drive it.
Short, cold trips at any point are bad for the car/oil. Especially bad if you're doing dry starts every 3 weeks and then driving it for 5 mins in cold weather.
Thr only additon I would suggest is an oil priming when you're ready to go. Mine only needed about 10 seconds after sitting for 4-5 months.
There are good storage instructions on the owner's manual. They involve leaving the battery on a charger and then starting the car once you are ready to drive it.
Short, cold trips at any point are bad for the car/oil. Especially bad if you're doing dry starts every 3 weeks and then driving it for 5 mins in cold weather.
Thr only additon I would suggest is an oil priming when you're ready to go. Mine only needed about 10 seconds after sitting for 4-5 months.
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 8,842
Likes: 1,701
From: Illnoise. WAY downtown, jerky.
You bought a priming kit and got an entire car for free.
You unplug your fuel injectors...or both cam sensors....or pull an ECU fuse so that the car won't start.
Then you hold down the accelerator to WOT and crank the car for NO MORE than about 10 seconds at a time until the oil pressure light goes off. Obviously, it will turn back on when you stop cranking. But your goal is to initially pressurize and circulate the oil at cranking speed rather than idling speed.
The car is now ready to start (after plugging back in whatever you unplugged).
I do this usually one time per season. It requires a well charged battery and does take a bit of a toll on the starter.
You unplug your fuel injectors...or both cam sensors....or pull an ECU fuse so that the car won't start.
Then you hold down the accelerator to WOT and crank the car for NO MORE than about 10 seconds at a time until the oil pressure light goes off. Obviously, it will turn back on when you stop cranking. But your goal is to initially pressurize and circulate the oil at cranking speed rather than idling speed.
The car is now ready to start (after plugging back in whatever you unplugged).
I do this usually one time per season. It requires a well charged battery and does take a bit of a toll on the starter.
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 7,818
Likes: 3,363
From: Foothills East of Sacramento
You bought a priming kit and got an entire car for free.
You unplug your fuel injectors...or both cam sensors....or pull an ECU fuse so that the car won't start.
Then you hold down the accelerator to WOT and crank the car for NO MORE than about 10 seconds at a time until the oil pressure light goes off. Obviously, it will turn back on when you stop cranking. But your goal is to initially pressurize and circulate the oil at cranking speed rather than idling speed.
The car is now ready to start (after plugging back in whatever you unplugged).
I do this usually one time per season. It requires a well charged battery and does take a bit of a toll on the starter.
You unplug your fuel injectors...or both cam sensors....or pull an ECU fuse so that the car won't start.
Then you hold down the accelerator to WOT and crank the car for NO MORE than about 10 seconds at a time until the oil pressure light goes off. Obviously, it will turn back on when you stop cranking. But your goal is to initially pressurize and circulate the oil at cranking speed rather than idling speed.
The car is now ready to start (after plugging back in whatever you unplugged).
I do this usually one time per season. It requires a well charged battery and does take a bit of a toll on the starter.
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 13,815
Likes: 1,543
From: Chesterfield VA
Just unplug the fuel pump fuse. The car won't fire without fuel.
Which fuse? A search of the forum reveals:
From Billman: "The one that says "fuel pump" under the dash
check the legend on the left kick panel." 
-- Chuck
Which fuse? A search of the forum reveals:
From Billman: "The one that says "fuel pump" under the dash
check the legend on the left kick panel." -- Chuck
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 22,648
Likes: 490
From: St-Redempteur,Qc.
Originally Posted by B serious' timestamp='1460116998' post='23932168
You bought a priming kit and got an entire car for free.
You unplug your fuel injectors...or both cam sensors....or pull an ECU fuse so that the car won't start.
Then you hold down the accelerator to WOT and crank the car for NO MORE than about 10 seconds at a time until the oil pressure light goes off. Obviously, it will turn back on when you stop cranking. But your goal is to initially pressurize and circulate the oil at cranking speed rather than idling speed.
The car is now ready to start (after plugging back in whatever you unplugged).
I do this usually one time per season. It requires a well charged battery and does take a bit of a toll on the starter.
You unplug your fuel injectors...or both cam sensors....or pull an ECU fuse so that the car won't start.
Then you hold down the accelerator to WOT and crank the car for NO MORE than about 10 seconds at a time until the oil pressure light goes off. Obviously, it will turn back on when you stop cranking. But your goal is to initially pressurize and circulate the oil at cranking speed rather than idling speed.
The car is now ready to start (after plugging back in whatever you unplugged).
I do this usually one time per season. It requires a well charged battery and does take a bit of a toll on the starter.
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 988
Likes: 13
You bought a priming kit and got an entire car for free.You unplug your fuel injectors...or both cam sensors....or pull an ECU fuse so that the car won't start.Then you hold down the accelerator to WOT and crank the car for NO MORE than about 10 seconds at a time until the oil pressure light goes off. Obviously, it will turn back on when you stop cranking. But your goal is to initially pressurize and circulate the oil at cranking speed rather than idling speed.The car is now ready to start (after plugging back in whatever you unplugged).I do this usually one time per season. It requires a well charged battery and does take a bit of a toll on the starter.
Curious as to why hold the pedal at WOT?
If the fuel pump fuse isn't the one that's pulled, you'd be pumping the cylinders full of fuel.
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 8,842
Likes: 1,701
From: Illnoise. WAY downtown, jerky.
Originally Posted by B serious' timestamp='1460116998' post='23932168
You bought a priming kit and got an entire car for free.You unplug your fuel injectors...or both cam sensors....or pull an ECU fuse so that the car won't start.Then you hold down the accelerator to WOT and crank the car for NO MORE than about 10 seconds at a time until the oil pressure light goes off. Obviously, it will turn back on when you stop cranking. But your goal is to initially pressurize and circulate the oil at cranking speed rather than idling speed.The car is now ready to start (after plugging back in whatever you unplugged).I do this usually one time per season. It requires a well charged battery and does take a bit of a toll on the starter.
Curious as to why hold the pedal at WOT?
If the fuel pump fuse isn't the one that's pulled, you'd be pumping the cylinders full of fuel.
WOT makes the engine easier to crank. It would also lean out the fuel if you didn't pull the sensors that trigger fuel.
The sensors I've described all kill the fuel also. Unfortunately, you'll get a CEL which you'll need to erase. But after 5 months of storage with the battery unplugged....another 30 seconds of battery unplug is not a big deal.
Pulling the fuel pump fuse is your best bet though.
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 988
Likes: 13
Originally Posted by jetboater' timestamp='1460164320' post='23932815
[quote name='B serious' timestamp='1460116998' post='23932168']
You bought a priming kit and got an entire car for free.You unplug your fuel injectors...or both cam sensors....or pull an ECU fuse so that the car won't start.Then you hold down the accelerator to WOT and crank the car for NO MORE than about 10 seconds at a time until the oil pressure light goes off. Obviously, it will turn back on when you stop cranking. But your goal is to initially pressurize and circulate the oil at cranking speed rather than idling speed.The car is now ready to start (after plugging back in whatever you unplugged).I do this usually one time per season. It requires a well charged battery and does take a bit of a toll on the starter.
You bought a priming kit and got an entire car for free.You unplug your fuel injectors...or both cam sensors....or pull an ECU fuse so that the car won't start.Then you hold down the accelerator to WOT and crank the car for NO MORE than about 10 seconds at a time until the oil pressure light goes off. Obviously, it will turn back on when you stop cranking. But your goal is to initially pressurize and circulate the oil at cranking speed rather than idling speed.The car is now ready to start (after plugging back in whatever you unplugged).I do this usually one time per season. It requires a well charged battery and does take a bit of a toll on the starter.
Curious as to why hold the pedal at WOT?
If the fuel pump fuse isn't the one that's pulled, you'd be pumping the cylinders full of fuel.
WOT makes the engine easier to crank. It would also lean out the fuel if you didn't pull the sensors that trigger fuel.
The sensors I've described all kill the fuel also. Unfortunately, you'll get a CEL which you'll need to erase. But after 5 months of storage with the battery unplugged....another 30 seconds of battery unplug is not a big deal.
Pulling the fuel pump fuse is your best bet though.
[/quote]
Thanks!
I agree with your thoughts.
Though I pulled my fuel pump fuse to prime mine a few weeks ago and the check engine light came on while I was cranking but then went out by itself once I put the fuse back in---I expected to have to reset the light with my Acton but I didnt have to