View Poll Results: When do you change your oil?
Before winter
25
48.08%
In the spring
27
51.92%
Voters: 52. You may not vote on this poll
Oil change
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,857
Likes: 106
From: Sloatsburg NY
Oldtimer
Oil change
Here in the northeast, in a couple of months we'll winterizing and putting the cars away for a long winter's nap. My question is, how many will be changing their oil prior to covering up for the winter versus dumping the oil in the spring. I put mine away with the battery tender and don't really start it more than once or twice over the 4 months.
I change mine in the spring.
I change mine in the spring.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 898
Likes: 48
From: Olympia WA
From the Pacific NW but when I deployed before retiring, I usually knew how much life was left on my oil, so I didn't worry too much about that because the car wouldn't be used on a daily bases.
However, I asked a neighbor who owned a '66 Vert to come over, start and run the engine to normal temps but not drive it. He came over about every 2 weeks until I got back (usually 6-12 months). I did not use a battery tender either and it drove like I never left when I drove it for the first time again. I also poured a bottle of Stabil in the gas tank to keep the gas preserved and not collect moisture in the tank.
With you being near, I believe you can do this yourself without any issues come spring. I can't verify that starting and getting the engine up to temps helps but I remember my Dad telling me that starting the engine every week or so took care of the front and rear main seals and kept internals lubed.
My 2c
However, I asked a neighbor who owned a '66 Vert to come over, start and run the engine to normal temps but not drive it. He came over about every 2 weeks until I got back (usually 6-12 months). I did not use a battery tender either and it drove like I never left when I drove it for the first time again. I also poured a bottle of Stabil in the gas tank to keep the gas preserved and not collect moisture in the tank.
With you being near, I believe you can do this yourself without any issues come spring. I can't verify that starting and getting the engine up to temps helps but I remember my Dad telling me that starting the engine every week or so took care of the front and rear main seals and kept internals lubed.
My 2c
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 2,222
Likes: 796
From: Fort Myers Beach Florida
I have an unusual situation. My vert remains at my winter home in Florida when I return to my New England summer home for a few months. I put about 2000 miles a year on the vert and do oil changes every two years just before I put it into summer storage with a battery tender. This year I had to replace the AC Delco battery because it was not happy being on the tender for 3-4 months. Yeah, I know oil changes are recommended every year by the guys who sell oil and service but ...... the vert has not complained yet
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 26,040
Likes: 157
New oil before you put it away and if it's staying on the floor, roll it a foot or so one way or the other every month to prevent flat spots on your tires.
I haven't had a winter yet with this car but my Z28 spent 8 yrs hiding from the snow. Stuff your exhaust pipes to keep critters out and a couple of dryer sheets in the car helps to keep mice out.
I haven't had a winter yet with this car but my Z28 spent 8 yrs hiding from the snow. Stuff your exhaust pipes to keep critters out and a couple of dryer sheets in the car helps to keep mice out.
Last edited by Murray Anderson; Sep 9, 2016 at 08:17 PM.
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Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 4,095
Likes: 42
From: Pewaukee WI
While I can drive my Vette year round and don't have to deal with this issue, if I had to store it for the winter, I would change the oil before putting it away, simply because I'd rather store it with clean oil in the crankcase rather than used oil. And it would still be clean oil in the crankcase when winter is over and time to pull the Vette out of storage.
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That's the way I have always done it.
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If I storing it for winter I would want clean oil in the car, not dirty oil like others mention.
Clean is better then dirty.
Clean is better then dirty.
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 146
Likes: 30
From: Perry OH
I have driven the car 15,000 miles over the last two summers, in No. Ohio. I run it about halfway through the summer, and change, then again just before I put it away. Clean oil all winter.
The dealer told me they thought the problems w/ oil sensors were due to people leaving dirty oil in in the cars over storage. Made sense to me. I use Mobil 1, nothing's too good for my 'Vette, so what's and extra oil change once a year??
The dealer told me they thought the problems w/ oil sensors were due to people leaving dirty oil in in the cars over storage. Made sense to me. I use Mobil 1, nothing's too good for my 'Vette, so what's and extra oil change once a year??
Last edited by MikeWyatt; Sep 9, 2016 at 10:00 PM.
1/4 mile/AutoX
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 11,441
Likes: 2,186
From: Buffalo Texas
In the old days, it was common practice to change oil in the spring, due to condensation and carburetor engines leaking gas into the crankcase, ether through the carb flooding over or the fuel pump having a bad diagram and leaking gas into the crankcase. Not to mention the oil back then was no where near what we have now and how much cleaner our engines of today run. The is is just a few examples, today I don't think it really matters one way or the other !!!!! Remember oil never loses it's ability to lubricate, it just gets contaminated !!!!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 3,399
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From: Havre de Grace Maryland
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 5,038
Likes: 846
From: Rotonda West, FL 2015 Z51 M7 3LT
Oldtimer
Oil is the cheapest thing you'll put into your car to protect it. I no longer have to put it to bed for the winter, but when I did I changed the oil before putting it away AND when I took it out in the spring. I used to put about 3k on it during the "season".
Fall, gets rid of built up contaminates during use.
Spring, gets rid of built up contaminates during non-use.
Now, that was the theory "once upon a time", does that still hold true given todays oils? Someone else smarter than me would have to answer that.
Fall, gets rid of built up contaminates during use.
Spring, gets rid of built up contaminates during non-use.
Now, that was the theory "once upon a time", does that still hold true given todays oils? Someone else smarter than me would have to answer that.
1/4 mile/AutoX
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 11,441
Likes: 2,186
From: Buffalo Texas
