i asked a question on another forum about storing a car for the winter.. i asked is it ok to not start a car for long winter periods... i was just curious as to what happens to an engine.... here is what i found.

When the car has been sitting that long, the cylinders will be as dry the day the engine was assembled, so having some engine assembly lightweight oil or a teaspoon of Marvel's Mystery Oil inside the cylinder walls with the spark plugs removed is a good idea while turning the engine over. Even spraying a little WD-40 down inside the chambers will help reduce the friction of startup and engine oil pump priming.

1. spray around each spark plug with air to remove debris and dirt; remove the plugs
2. spray each cylinder with WD-40 or equiv. penetrating oil
3. add a teaspoon of Marvel Mystery Oil
4. put the plugs back in
5. let the engine sit for several hours
6. remove battery cable
7. put emergency brake on
8. put transmission into neutral
9. remove the spark plugs againhand turn the harmonic balancer to turn the engine over 1/4 turn at a time. If you cannot turn by hand, the engine is seized and the car needs to be towed to a mechanic. The cylinder heads may need to be removed and the pistons loosened with a rubber mallet before it can be turned over.
Source(s):
NYS Licensed Motor Vehicle Inspector for Ten years

 

That process is for an engine that has been sitting for years.

 

I agree.


Sounds like what I did to a car I bought that sat for 10 years after an accident. It had 30,000 miles on it. I squirted some oil in each spark plug hole and started it. After the smoke cleared it ran like new. I drove it for another 20,000 miles before selling it. If I shut down my C6 for a year or so I would remove the battery and not worry about the rest.

 

I just start my car once a week and let it idle until it reaches normal operating temp.
And that way battery is recharged also.