The oil in my manual '90 will be 2 years old and 300 miles use this spring when it comes out of storage. I've always used Castrol GTX 10W30. On the stick it looks like it was just changed. Would you think it OK to drive it a bit (a few weekends) to ensure all is well before changing it?

As always, your thoughts are appreciated.

 

Yes, it's fine. Chevy even recommends oil changes for the Volt on a 2 year basis now. Many collector cars that don't get driven often don't go through a full service to drive a few miles here and there. Drive it, get it up to temp, make sure all is good. After a few runs if you plan on driving it go for the service and go from there.

 

I would definitely change both the engine oil and filter. Sitting for that length of time may have condensation to get into the internals. With the engine not being run for such a long time, pretty much all of the old oil will have drained into the pan. You could start the engine and let it get to operating temp (190 coant and around 160-180 oil temp Then shut the engine off and let it sit for about 30 minute to allow the oil oil to drain into the pan.

Castrol is as good as many of the other oils available, but consider going back to the factory fill of 5W-30. You didn't say what the total mileage was, but consider changing to a synthetic blend or a full synthetic oil in 5W-30.

Also check all of the fluids. A brake fluid flush and refill would be a good idea along with a flush and fill of the coolant. A 50-50 mix of the ethylene glycol anti-freeze (the green fluid) and distilled water was the factory fill.

 

I would drive it a day and let it get hot, then change the oil and filter.

 

You're fine. Any condensation in the oil will quickly evaporate.

 

Volt is a different car altogether with different specs on the engine, etc, etc. Also, I think it is a hybrid and doesn't use the motor as much as a regular gas car would. If you really want to know, stop smelling, feeling, looking, etc. Send it for a test and it will tell you objectively. There was a time that you used your 5 senses. That day is over. Blackstone Labs, and many others do have objective ways to tell.

 

Shouldn't make any difference what the mileage is. I have switched cars at over 50K and the biggest oil leak I had was when I found a leaky can in mid use.

I'd went with a 2 year brake flush, 3 year coolant interval simply because I owned 3 MBs and that was their interval so one day is coolant flush for all 5 vehicles, 2 bikes, 2 atvs. Next time it is coolant for all machines including the Jetskis.

 

The OP didn't say it was sitting for a long time and only asked about the oil, not everything else you can think of to spend money on it.
Nothing wrong with driving as is

 

Nothing wrong with changing it either since it is that old unless you can't afford the oil change price.

 

I agree

 

I would probably warm it up (10-15 min) and change the oil right away. It is amazing the amount of water that can condense and get inside your engine's oil. The water that gets into the oil is supposed top boil off when the engine gets warm. I let my car sit over a winter and then before using it I warm it up and put new oil into it.

Hello aklim,
I agree with your regular brake and coolant flushes. I have been on a five year brake fluid, coolant but neither see that many miles per year. On the ten year timetable I replace hoses, thermostat, radiator cap in addition to the five year flushes.
What kind of coolant and brake fluid does MB use that require such frequent flushes? Or is it that they like to support their dealers? What I read suggests that 3000 mile oil changes are wasting a lot of oil. Maybe with a good full synthetic I will try five thousand miles and have it tested.

Comments regarding the Chevrolet Volt are Interesting, the engine in the Volt is a single speed generator engine running at 3600 rpm continuously. It does not deal with slow speeds or higher speeds, it just runs like a generator charging the battery. I wish they had chosen a 1800 rpm diesel as it would have made the car easier on the ears. Have you pulled up next to a Volt while the engine is running? It just sits at 3600 rpm while you sit or when you drive, there is no connection to the car other than wires, it does not double for a primary engine and drive the transmission.
I think the Volt is a better design for an Electric Car. I am not trusting of a battery only powered Car nor will I ever buy a Toyota with their 'Hybrid" technology. If I bought a Tesla I would Buy a generator and mount it on a small trailer.... I know a German Company that makes sound attenuated Diesel generators that look like suitcase and made power almost silently. That would by my first choice for a generator in the trunk of a battery powered car.

A buddy of mine bought the first year Volt, he went over 6000 miles before using up his first tank of gasoline. He charged it at work and at home (both 110 VAC) and never used the engine. The engine runs on a schedule as well as needed by the batteries. He told me that people look strangely at the car at a stoplight with the engine running at 3600 rpm. They also designed this car to use a better type battery system. Give me one genuine battery that is heated and cooled as necessary to get maximum battery life and maximum range.

Hear me Elon, I don't want a car with 4416 batteries in it.

I worked my entire career in the Solar Industry and I caught more poop for driving Corvettes instead of a Prius. They thought I was a tree-hugger like most of them.
Having helped by built a lot of Solar systems does not mean I don't like fun when I drive. Most of my colleagues drove econo boxes and thought they were helping save the world...
Me, I LIKE Dinosaur juice!
Minus the corn alcohol added to it.....

Best regards,
Chris

 

I don't think the fluid is dependent on mileage. I believe it is done by Porsche, Audi and Mitsu? IIRC, the idea is that the fluid gets water and other crap in it, hence the color change, I suspect. I suppose you can stretch it a bit more if you lived in a really dry area? I wouldn't. It doesn't matter if I drive again but once I get going, I like to stop. Also, I have changed calipers on my MBs because the pin or bolt got stuck and we had to break things. I haven't changed it because the caliper piston seized up. Take it FWIW. As to coolant, the older ones use a 3 year standard but I believe the newer ones have changed the formulation and can go longer.

I believe they used to have Zerex G05 for coolant but changed to something better. Also the brake fluid is simple DOT 4. Problem is I don't think the system is as perfect as people like to believe.

He might hear you better if you write him a bigger check. It's all about the money.

Tell them to "Buy an Say". When they write the check for your car, they can have a say in what they want you to drive.

 

Hello again aklim!

On my 1987 VW Vanagon Syncro I am required to use a special Blue coolant (Pentosin) sold at VW dealerships. They tell me that using "anything else" will cause corrosion in my cooling system. That engine has the most hoses I have ever seen in any cooling system. It is the famous Waser-Boxer, the famous VW four cylinder with water-cooled cylinders.
I would love to find a set of rear disc brakes for that baby, it came with drums. A four wheel drive Vanagon is a funny looking Car being jacked up compared to the stock rear wheel drive versions. It holds more than ten 4x8 or 4x10 sheets of anything inside and even has an auxiliary heat in it. The VW guys were smart as the A/C system is on the ceiling like in aircraft and blows cold air down while the heat comes up from the heaters. I like German engineering. My right rear air intake is actually a snorkel attached to the fuel injection intake allowing me to cross streams. The lucky ones are those who own the camper version of the Syncro as the Westfalia versions go for BIG bucks. Mine is a seven passenger vehicle and extremely practical on anything but ICE....

I would rather replace the fluid early than wait for trouble to strike. The coolant is fine at 5 years but the brake fluid is critical to change as our C4's brake lines rust out easily. Routine maintenance is a good thing. I throw away working parts to prevent break downs on the highway. I have had enough excitement in my life....

Have you tried the Phoenix reverse Bleeding system? That really makes flushing the fluid easy. And if you ever have a bubble of air in the clutch this tool is just what you need. Having the right tools makes virtually any job easier.

I still have the Prestone Flush kit fittings on my hoses on my 1988 C4, they make it easy to flush the system using plain old water. I don't know if they even make those kits anymore.

 

IDK about VW but for MB, there is a spec and I suspect, VW has a spec. I don't believe that only Pentosin makes that coolant. AFAIK, you could use anything that meets that spec but not go below.

Funny you mentioned that. I was going to use a Motive Products one as I usually use. HOWEVER, I just checked on the Ford Powerstroke. I have an OBDLINX MX+ and I can actually pulse the ABS. It works for Ford, Lincoln and Mercury. I am using the program ForScan (or Foreskin, as I affectionately call it). Defintely looking for something besides SD Connect for the MB.

I believe they do still make it