This isn't a scare tactic or gasoline commercial but...

I think the biggest enemy is the varnish and gum build up - even if it does run after many months or years of storage.

That doesn't even mention the moisture (especially now with the methanol absorbing so much more water) buildup and the potential for corrosion.

I have had excellent luck (knock wood) with my engines using Stabil. If it's more than a couple of months it's cheap insurance.

 

I store our car for 4 months every winter.I fill the tank,add Stabil,change the oil and thats it.I do try to run it once a month bringing it up to opreating temp.

 

First thing that comes to mind is run it long enough so you don't leave condensate in the exhaust system.

You put the battery on a maintainer too?

 

You don't need to add stabilizer if you're only storing it for 4 months. A full tank will last that long with no problem and only negligible degradation.

Starting it once a month is putting extra wear on it. A month is PLENTY of time for all of the oil to drip down into the pan, and so all you're doing is adding a few more seconds of zero oil pressure run time to your engine's history each time you do that.

The best thing to do is to use one of those oil accumulator systems (google "Accusump" for an example) to prime the oil system before you start the engine.

 

Not to hijack this thread, but where do you dispose of old gas? I have old 2 cycle gas that I need to get rid of.

 

Not only that, but the Accusump also can be very helpful in fending off oil starvation on the roadcourse through high g sweepers.

 

How old is it?

What I have done is mix it in small quantity with a tankfull of gas (on my wife's minivan of course ). Takes a little while to get rid of but the alternative is to try to call state or county, DEP office - maybe look for a collection day.

I keep a close eye on my gas cans now - more than a couple of months unused it gets dumped into the car and I refill the can.

 

Googled accusump.Seems kinda pricey.Any other ideas to improve oil flow at start up? What about a 0w-30 synthetic oil?

 

The first number in the oil's viscosity rating is the cold weather rating. We're talking about below freezing. I'm assuming that the four months you store the car are during the winter. Since we're talking about winter time startups, it's that first number that matters.

A 0w oil is more runny than a 5w oil. This means it will drip down from the valvetrain and other upper components faster, so that you'll have to start the car even more often in order to avoid running without oil, and there will be even less oil up there when you do.

To be perfectly honest with you, you're better off not doing anything to your car while it's stored. It does the car absolutely no harm to sit, untouched, for a few months. It's only when you start it that bad things can happen.

If you're willing to put the time in, one very low-cost option would be to pull off the valve covers and just pour a little bit of oil over everything. Just make sure to get it put back together and fire up the engine the same day, and you'll be fine.

Moroso sells a kit just like the Accusump for a bit less money. I'm not sure who else makes them, but IMO $200-300 is a small price to pay to ensure engine longevity.