Just curious, if I am only putting about 1-2k miles per year on the car, I was told that I should be changing oil every 6-months.

Is there anything else I should change more frequently or anything else I should be doing with the car being driven so infrequently ?

Thanks,

 

With that few miles per year you would be fine with changing your oil once a year. Other than that routine maintenance/cleaning is all that's required.

 

If I only drove my s2k that much, I would probably start it and let her run for a couple minutes every day or two. It might help to keep the hoses and stuff from corroding faster, and keep all the fluids moving. Just a suggestion.

 

if you're gonna do that every day or two, might as well just drive the damn thing. majority of engine wear happens on initial start up. starting the car once a day or every other day is too much.

better off doing it every other week. and run it longer then just a few minutes. at least 30 minutes. you want the exhaust to get nice and hot to get the water to evaporate. obviously water sitting in your exhaust system will speed up corrosin.

 

I agree, do not start it every couple of days. If you do start it, let it get up to temp fully (drive it).

I'd change the oil once a year, Tranny, brake and diff fluid every three years or so.

 

Ahh I see. I suppose I wouldnt know since I DD mine. It was just a suggestion though.

 

Thanks for the feedback. I was planning on starting it once every 1-2 weeks.

 

One of the items I would strongly consider is the fuel quality. If the same or some of the same fuel remains in the tank over extended periods it is advisable to add fuel stabilizer.

 

Also make sure you get all your seals good with grease, the longer things sit, the more likely it'll get brittle. A good interior/seals/whatever greasing/conditioning will keep the inside sexy and the seals supple

Don't forget your brake and clutch lines, as they'll pick up moisture and corrode everything faster if they just sit around.

Coat as much of the electronics as possible with some sort of electronic contact helper or a penetrating oil, I noticed on cars that get driven very rarely that they often have electrical problems because of the corrosion.

 

If the car is going to sit for a while - do NOT start it every couple of days. Start your car only if you're going to drive it. Starting is where most of your wear occurs - idling is also hard on cars.

Here are some suggestions for extended and long-term storage:

If your car is going to sit for more than 45 days:
- Use a quality fuel stabilizer in the tankful before you store it. Store your car with more than 3/4 tank, but less than full to allow for expansion.
Amsoil makes a great fuel stabilizer that will ensure a quality gasoline will last for over a year in storage.
I stored my car for 3 years with a little more than 3/4 tank of gas. I then used a vacuum extractor to siphon the old gas at then end of storage -prior to starting the car. I used the access panel on the top of the tank (hard to get to without dropping the tank - but I was able to do it). I used the gas in my rental car - and the rental actually ran better! Amsoil says their stabilizer will preserve gasoline for 1 year - I found the gas is good for 3 years if you plan on subsequently using the gas in a rental car ...otherwise dispose of the old fuel according to federal, state and local laws.

Fog the cylinders: pull the spark plugs and spray a fogging oil in through the spark plug holes - then take a 19mm socket or wrench and turn the motor over by 90 degrees (make sure the transmission is in neutral!), then repeat and fog the cylinders every 90 degrees, through 270 degrees. I recommend setting the crank at #1 TDC for reference. Put the plugs back in and torque to specification (20-22 ft lbs). Amsoil and Sta-bil make cylinder fogging oil.

Turn the motor over by hand (19mm wrench or socket) 45 degrees every week or so - this keeps the same valves from being compressed and prevents ring corrosion on the same spot in the cylinder over time. Again - make sure the transmission is in neutral.

If the car will be stored for multiple months (or years as in my case) - you can fog the engine every 6 months (if you're with or have access to your car) or consider filling the cylinders with a small amount of oil through the spark plug holes. Do this only when the cylinder (being treated) is at TDC. Then turn the motor over by hand with the spark plugs removed (do not use the starter!) - IMPORTANT - do NOT fill a cylinder at BDC as there will be too much oil in the cylinder - and do not replace the spark plugs until the oil at TDC is well below the spark plug hole - failure to do this can result in hydrolocking the motor.
A fluid extractor (vacuum extractor) is handy in removing excess oil from the cylinder.
I used this procedure when I stored my car for 3 years while I was stationed in the Middle East. I actually pulled the cams as well to keep valve springs from being compressed (no one was available to periodically turn the motor over by hand where I stored the car). The oil will slowly leak down past the rings over a few weeks, but will keep the rings coated. I also over-filled the crank case with oil.

It's a good idea to change the oil and filter prior to starting your car - if it's been stored for more than 6 months. Consider pulling the valve cover and coating the cams with fresh oil - underfill the crank case by the amount you plan on using on the cams to prevent overfilling the crank case. Consider pulling the plugs and refogging the cylinders prior to starting. Additionally, you can disconnect the injectors (at the injectors), leave the spark plugs out and run the starter until the oil pressure light goes out. Then hook everything back up and start her up.

-Put the car on jack stands and remove the wheels (I treated my tires with 303 Aerospace Protectant and then bagged the wheels) - I also used adjustable RV leveling stands below the lower ball joint at all four corners to prevent the suspension from hanging (lightly loaded the suspension).

303 Aerospace protectant is by far the best rubber, vinyl, plastic, leather protectant I've used. 303 aerospace protectant on everything but the paint - to include the top. The OEM top is essentially a vinyl material - it is not cloth unless you installed an aftermarket top manufactured with cloth. My car still has the original top and it looks as good as new (2003 w/67k miles). The seats look great and every plastic and rubber part still looks factory fresh.
It's important to use a good product with no water, silicone or wax on all non-painted surfaces. However, I did use the Honda weather seal grease on the rubber door/trunk seals (after applying 303) - it does have silicone.

Other notes for long-term storage: put stainless steel wool in the exhaust to keep rodents from making a home there. I also covered my aftermarket air filter with a plastic bag and surrounded it with stainless steel wool to keep the critters out.

Some of these suggestions are obviously not needed for short-term storage.
It all depends on how OCD you are about your car.

Amsoil products: www.Amsoil.com
303 products: www.303products.com