Driving frequency and duration to protect seals and systems?
11-16-2017, 08:49 PM
#1
Drifting
Thread Starter
Driving frequency and duration to protect seals and systems?
Now that winter is here there are fewer pretty days to drive Corvette and longer periods on battery tender. Even so I am thinking the car should be started weekly and allowed to run to operating temp. At a minimum car should be driven monthly for 20 min. During monthly drive I operate HVAC system to circulate fluids. Any thoughts on these actions being sufficient or necessary to maintain seals and all systems?
11-16-2017, 09:28 PM
#2
Most experts say once parked leave it till spring. That's what I have done with all my old muscle cars, no problems leaving it sit for 3 month to even 6 months if properly stored.
11-17-2017, 07:57 AM
#4
Team Owner
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St. Jude Donor '15
"In honor of jpee"
There is one, former C6er, Gearhead Jim, who lives in a cold, snowy clime, and he has done something similar to what you are talking about. However, it is the exception to what most places recommend. I think Jim's procedure however was to make sure his long-ish driveway was clear of snow/ice and after warming it up, drive it up and down the driveway a few or more times. That gets the oil in various places moving around vs. just warming up esp. when you think of rear diff.
Me, I'd still go for not starting, leave on maintainer, wait until spring.
UNLESS there are some beautiful days in the middle of winter where the roads are good, the salt is mostly not there, and you can safely take the car for a good drive.
Just remember that your "summer" tires may never warm up (no matter how far, or long the drive) and give you max traction, esp. when making a full-stop, then turn move. Or an evasive maneuver.
Me, I'd still go for not starting, leave on maintainer, wait until spring.
UNLESS there are some beautiful days in the middle of winter where the roads are good, the salt is mostly not there, and you can safely take the car for a good drive.
Just remember that your "summer" tires may never warm up (no matter how far, or long the drive) and give you max traction, esp. when making a full-stop, then turn move. Or an evasive maneuver.
11-17-2017, 03:24 PM
#5
Depending where you like, you may still be able to take the car out for a drive over the winter time.
I'm in Denver, so only limit it to the weather being over 50 (so the tires can warm up to the point of allowing the car to be driveable), and the street cleared of the sand/gravel/CC they use to keep the roads drive able during snow storms instead.
If you don't have such conditions where you are to take the car out safely, and leaving the car stored for half season until it nice enough to take it out again, will not be a problem.
Hence it's low mileage older cars that are not driving for years, or decades in some events, that the seal dry up to cause problems isntead.
I'm in Denver, so only limit it to the weather being over 50 (so the tires can warm up to the point of allowing the car to be driveable), and the street cleared of the sand/gravel/CC they use to keep the roads drive able during snow storms instead.
If you don't have such conditions where you are to take the car out safely, and leaving the car stored for half season until it nice enough to take it out again, will not be a problem.
Hence it's low mileage older cars that are not driving for years, or decades in some events, that the seal dry up to cause problems isntead.
11-17-2017, 03:42 PM
#6
Drifting
Don't start the car unless you drive it a long enough distance to get the temperature up to *driving* levels. Not 160 degrees, or 180, but 195-200+. There is zero point in starting the car and just letting it run. Even driving it up and down the driveway will do more harm than good.