Given the synthetic oil in the car, is it ever safe to put it away without changing the oil until spring? The oil life monitor says that there is 65% left.

 

I change my oil once a year in April. But I only drive 3-4K a year.

 

Shouldn't be any problem - I know there are some pureists (no offense to them) who insist upon changing the oil before storage, but for me, it kind of depends on my time - if I have time in my fall projects, the oil gets changed (then it's ready to go come spring), and if not, the old oil stays until next spring when I change it. either way, no problem

 

I change mine once a year in the spring when I bring it out of storage. The argument for changing it before storage is that the oil has acids in it and will sit, but the pan is aluminum, and I don't think it's that big a deal. I'd rather run in the summer on oil just out of the bottle than oil that has been sitting in the pan for 5 months. I don't think the $ is justified to change it for storage and then change it when you take it out too!

 

If you ship it down to one of us southern members for winter storage, we'll change your vette's oil and will turn the tires for you daily to prevent flat spots and tire rot. You won't have to worry about rodent nests either!

- Wisdom

 

Thanks for the feedback guys! I'll think about that offer to turn the wheels for me.

 

6-8K a year on mine and change it once in the spring and thats it.

 

I believe the oil should be changed if your storing it cause the condesation that may be mixed with the oil from driving will seperate over the winter. This would be true for both the pan as well as were any oil is sitting in the engine.

 

The argument about changing oil before putting the car up for storage may have valid points...if you never start the car during the hibernation. My oil generally gets changed by the DIC or once a year. I don't change it for winter storage, especially with MOBIL 1 full synthetic.
If you're like many who decide to start the car during hibernation to allow it to idle (not a good idea), then you've lost the "benefits" of the fresh oil. If you're like many who decide to periodically drive the car during hibernation, allowing for thorough lubrication of everything and weather permitting, then you've lost the "benefits" of the fresh oil as well.
Where I am winter time usually means no driving for 3-4 months. I do not start my car during hibernation. However, with the climate changes we're seeing in the SW, we may never see significant snow during the winter again. I prefer to keep the car ready to take out if possible. I don't care if it's 40 degrees outside, as long as the sky is clear and sun is shining.
Some of these "myths" are perpetuated by owners of stock in big oil companies.

 

Provided the car has been driven for an extended period of time, and has been allowed to reach full operating temperature and then stored, condensation should not be an issue. Typically, condensation build up is precipitated by "cold weather" driving, where the engine does not operate long enough to reach full temperature;thus, not burning off condensation.

If it makes you feel better, change the oil. What's a few $$ for piece of mind?

 

Hotwheels: what climate changes are you seeing in the SW? We're not seeing much in the NE

 

I change my oil every November. I do take it out during the winter when its is a nice day and I do get it to full temp. This year the DIC said I had 75% oil life left which prompted this thought. I use Mobil 1 in my 2000 Blazer also,think I could put the oil from the vette in the Blazer? The Blazer is my DD and I change that every 6K. Am now at 171K and give the Mobil 1 a lot of credit for that too! Would sort of be a recycle thing huh?

 

I use Mobil 1 in my Trailblazer V8 and have no problems. I also change that once a year in April, it usually has 7500 miles or so on the oil.

 

The majority of our annual rainfall comes during the summer months, called monsoon season. It was been much less than in previous years this past summer. This time of year, we're still seeing unusually warm weather with no usual snowfall in northern AZ yet.
The winter is supposed to bring snow to the mountains to the north, which in turn the snow melts and brings water down through several river channels. The snow fall has been much less as well.
Metro Phoenix, AZ receives water from the Central AZ Project series of local uncovered canals, coming from the Colorado River. Since CA and NV also share that supply, it's a dwindling resource. The rest of AZ replies on pumping ground water...no rain or snow have reduced that.
We've been in a drought for several years. The predictions for the SW are hotter dryer summers and warmer dryer winters. It's hard to support the water needs of well over 6,000,000 people (mostly in metro Phoenix) and 10,000 a month moving into the metro Phoenix area.

 

I put 20 to 25K on mine a year thats why I change it out every 6K

 

Purists not only change the oil before storage, they also remove the sparkplugs and fog the cylinders with an oil purposely designed for storage to ensure no moisture laden air can cause corrosion on cylinder walls and there is a thin lubricant film on those walls for start up..

Pragmatists change the oil before storage because they know once oil has circulated through an internal combustion engine, it is contaminated with combustion by-products... acid and water which cause corrosion on internal engine parts.

Plebians don't know any better, think it doesn't matter and often passionately defend their position.

We all need to decide what we want to be when we grow-up....

I decided to be a Pragmatist.... because I got tired of skinned knuckles...

 

stored my vert yesterday just before all the snow and salt today..
i just change oil before i store it and put tires up on hard styrofoam and hook up my battery tender.
and wait and wait for spring!!

 

Exactly what I do, I also plug my exhaust, crack the widows, loosen the T-Top then cover it.

 

Hey GPZ where are you (living)? Snow and salt already!