I have never gone this long w/o starting my car and in the next few weeks will be doing so. I was hoping to change the oil beforehand, but last Fall did not have chance to put the car on the wood blocks like I have done in previous years, and with my car being lowered, cannot fit my jack under the car to change it. Should I just start it w/o caring? I do intend on changing the oil as soon as I can get the car off the ground to access the plug/filter. I was thinking abbout adding 1/2quart before starting just to get some oil in the upper channels of the engine, tho it may be over filling it a bit. Will the momentary start hurt anything? Suggestions? Any precautions? thnx. -Jeff

 

Pouring some more oil in is not really going to do anything. It will just drain directly down to the pan. Of course it will dilute the old oil just a little. If I was worried about it, I think I would have changed the oil and circulated it before I put it up and if you want to be more precautious, change it again before starting it. That may be overkill.
You might consider pulling the IGN fuse under the hood to unpower the coil and maybe the injector fuses (though you might get a code from it). You can then crank the engine until there is decent oil pressure. Put the fuse(s) back in and then crank her up.

 

Thanks for the response. I will try pulling the fuse (s).

Should I even be worrying about?

...oh, when I said "change oil beforehand", I should have stated that I did change it before storing it, but also wanted to change it before starting it the first time this Spring and it was the getting it up on the wood blocks that I was not able to do last Fall, not the oil change.

 

Pull the spark plugs as well if you want to be extra cautious. Not good to have compression on bearings with no oil.

 

screw all that!

Just jump in and start it up. That is what I have done every year and mine sits from Oct-early May with no problems (knock on wood). Just be sure to change the oil soon and only go to half a tank of gas before refueling with highest octane you can get.

~Adam M.

 

Could somebody explain more in-depth, why it is better to crank the engine to get oil pressure vs. starting it like that ?

I store my car for 6 months and when spring comes, I just connect battery cable and start it.

 

well, every time you change your oil you have no oil pressure for a little longer than normal on that first startup, so wouldn't it have the same effect?

 

Over several months the oil drips off all the bearings.

 

Better for it to spin at 400 rpms than at 1500 or 2000 when there is little oil on the bearings.

 

Ideally you would want to crank the motor without starting it and get oil pressure. But I wouldn't worry about it. I also parked my cars for winter, and never had any problems. Its better to let it sit, then to start it for a few mintutes every week. A few years ago I did the start it up, let it run, maybe drive up and down the driveway, well fouled the plugs!