Honda itself states in the S2000 manual "If possible, periodically run the engine until it reaches full operating temperature (the cooling fans cycle on and off twice). Preferably, do this once a month." Any thoughts? I grabbed this from another member from a different winter storing thread but it was never answered.

 

Problem is with condensation in the exhaust.

 

Our S is a 2004. It sits all winter outside under a cover made for outdoor storage. We have no issue with it in the spring. We just replaced the battery last year. We don't start it at all until it's time to go somewhere. Most of the car guys we know say it is better for the engine to let it just sit until it's time to drive it.

 

I have my battery in my basement but still on the battery tender, along with my riding mower batteries. I stored my car with rags in the air intake and exhaust. Hope I don't get a surprise. I stored on 2" Styrofoam that came with a layer of plastic on one side and foil on the other, then taped my seams. I did not change the tire pressure what-so-ever. There are decent indents in the foam but not as much as I had anticipated.
I stored with all existing fluids and once I bring the car out, I will replaced fluids so that they are fresh for when the engine is "under stress", rather than just sitting. If I had replaced my oil before storage, I would surely want to replace it again after storage because of the severe and frequent temperature fluctuations.
I left my roof unlatched but it seems the weight of the S2000 factory cover alone has the roof quite compressed - perhaps not as much as when latched though. ???
I washed and waxed prior to storage. I'll see how it looks when I uncover it but I agree that you need to have a certain temp to detail and not all of us have indoor facilities to do so. I left a note that sits on the drivers seat that lists what I did to winterize so, I will work backwards from that to make sure I don't forget anything.
I said I would not bring my car out until May 1. Man....that's going to hard to do as this weather continues to improve!
Tick...tock....tick....tock....

 

In the off-season, during the time my family owned race cars, we would disconnect the battery, pull the spark plugs and manually rotate the crank ¼ turn every few days. We believed a crank rotation would help eliminate valve spring fatigue -- a degradation that’s mostly responsible for high RPM valve float or spring failure.

After storage, prior to starting the engine, we would squirt oil into the cylinders, reconnect the battery, and then we would crank with the starter until oil pressure was present. Only then would we re-install the spark plugs and start the engine(s).

It may be overkill but I do the same with my S2000.

gary

 

the 1/4 crank every few days does seem a bit much. how do you even do that?

i do like the squirt of oil into the cylinders before initial startup. clever.

 

It’s easily done with a 19mm socket and a handle on the harmonic balancer bolt. The engine will rotate very easily (the transmission should be in neutral). It takes 45 seconds out of my life at best.


gary

 

Damn, looking at all my comments over the 10 years this thread has been up makes me feel really

 

That's cause you are!

 

no Dave was really old when the thread started....