no torque = perfect for the snow!

 

Wow.

This thread is full of overkill. You don't have to change the oil before you store it. Nothing will get hurt if you don't. I do agree that you should change it after storing it for a long period of time just to be safe. My car has been stored since Jan of this year and has had two oil changes - one when I got back in June from a deployement and just last week after being stored for another 2 months while I was gone again. Car runs absolutely fine.

 

you can also change the air in your tires to helium so the car will be lighter and not stress the suspension while in storage. Don't forget to put a battery tender on your flux capacitor and to put some extra grease on your muffler bearing.

 

I'm amazed how worked up people get about storing a car.

I've been storing cars and motorcycles every winter since 1978. I change the oil in the fall to get rid of the acids and byproducts of combustion, (do it in the spring if you want, it's not that critical), pull the battery and put it on a tender. In the spring I put the battery in, adjust the tire pressures and go. Never had a problem.

Unless you plan to keep the car a million miles, don't sweat the small stuff! Chances are if you are storing it, you'll end up selling with low miles when you get bored with it.

 

[QUOTE=Conedodger,Oct 25 2008, 07:50 AM] I'm amazed how worked up people get about storing a car.

 

okay, looks like ill just change the oil then, just thinking if i should do mobil 1 or pennzoil platinum this time. (mobil 1 isn't as cheap here as it is in the USA, its $38.99 for a 4.4L jug, PP is $33 for a 4.78L jug).

What about the tranny/diff? i just changed them this year, ill probably do it again next summer but these dont' have to be changed for winter storage correct?

And i've also gotten mixed responses on the changing oil before pulling it out in spring as well. If i change it now, and it sits in an unheated garage for 5-6 months, can i drive on the new oil im going to put in before it goes into storage?

I would winter drive it, but i have a winter car right now, and the S would definately not make it through some days here where we'll get 2 ft of snow overnight. I woudl also rather not drive it in -35 celcius weather either.

Thanks for the responses guys!

 

Bump for more suggestions.

To add another (controversial) question to the mix, my car was bought brand new in the summer and only has something like 22xx miles on it. Now, I've been lurking on this board for much, much longer than the info under my username suggests and have read the debates on the existence (or lack thereof) of break-in oil.

To be honest, I'm not sure what to believe about break-in oil as both sides seem to have good arguments.

But my question is, given that I only have a little over 2000 miles on the car (and the oil), should I still change it before the winter sets in? I already don't plan on driving it anymore until next year.

 

Let me add to the storage list, if you live in an area with high humidity you might consider putting some desiccant in the trunk,cabin area and engine compartment. I use three one pound bags per vehicle when storing vehicles in the winter. The areas stay dryer and fresher smelling throughout the winter, even in a heated garage/shop.

http://www.sorbentsystems.com/desiccant_overview.html

 

I was in the same boat when mine was new. I changed the oil, but added a can of Moly to it. After 5 years and about 100 autocross events, car runs great and burns no oil.

http://www.mrmoly.com/html/break-in_-_new_...lt_engines.html