Months between driving
Racer
Joined: Jan 2023
Posts: 335
Likes: 172
Engines can sit for months. And yes, the oil will drip off parts like camshaft lobes. The bearings are tight enough that typically the surfaces are not dry upon a startup after setting long periods. However temperature is a factor when starting an engine after long periods of setting. It is best the ambient temperature be 80F so that the engine is likely in the 60-70F range. This allows the oil to flow more freely upon start up. Only let it idle upon start up so the oil can flow and coat the surfaces.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 2,193
Likes: 2,203
From: Massachusetts
I recently watched a service-tech video with a good idea.
For those who have cars idle for months...
Press the gas peddle fully before the START button. This is the normal 'flood-mode-clear' function and the engine is not allowed to start.
The engine will crank for 5-10 seconds which will prime the oil-lubricate system.
Release the gas pedal and press START again and let the car idle a few minutes before moving.
As for oil, oil has surface-retention that keeps a layer and will replenished in seconds after a cold start.
If you are going to run the engine, do it on a day you can drive the car. Hopefully after a day that rain washes away salt and sand. That's what I do.
Even in Massachusetts, I usually get a chance to drive within 4-5 weeks after a snow, ice, or sanding.
Best wishes to all;
For those who have cars idle for months...
Press the gas peddle fully before the START button. This is the normal 'flood-mode-clear' function and the engine is not allowed to start.
The engine will crank for 5-10 seconds which will prime the oil-lubricate system.
Release the gas pedal and press START again and let the car idle a few minutes before moving.
As for oil, oil has surface-retention that keeps a layer and will replenished in seconds after a cold start.
If you are going to run the engine, do it on a day you can drive the car. Hopefully after a day that rain washes away salt and sand. That's what I do.
Even in Massachusetts, I usually get a chance to drive within 4-5 weeks after a snow, ice, or sanding.
Best wishes to all;
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Good advice by Ron. Unless you can get the car out and drive for a while, I would not just start it up for a few minutes.
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2021
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I have stored cars and motorcycles for 5-6 months every year for 50 years. My oldest vehicle is Honda Goldwing bought new in 1978. None of my vehicles are started during storage. While Honda does recommend 15ccs of oil in each cylinder pre-storage, I never did that and no engine problems with 488,000 kms.
Re: flood-mode-clear to "prime" the system: Whether engine is just cranking (3 RPMs per second) or starting there better be oil available so I am not sure there is a benefit.
Re: flood-mode-clear to "prime" the system: Whether engine is just cranking (3 RPMs per second) or starting there better be oil available so I am not sure there is a benefit.
Last edited by gdb069; Jan 27, 2025 at 02:18 PM.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2023
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Oil will drip off engine components and what you are left with on the wear surfaces is called boundary lubrication. This will protect moving parts at startup from damage. How much wear actually occurs depends on how fast pressurized oil reaches these critical parts. In an ideal world, we would want to preheat the oil and prelube the engine with either an accusump or a motorized preluber before starting as this would drop the incidence of start up wear to zero, but no one is going to do this on a regular Corvette. Cranking in flood mode is a good way to prime the oil system before starting. Starting your car without actually driving it is more damaging as it loads the oil and engine surfaces with combustion byproducts that are acidic which causes degradation. Leave your car dormant until you are ready to use it again. Use a battery tender.
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Joined: Apr 2016
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From: Pittsburgh
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I store my Corvettes from November until March every year without being started as do many others, you will have no issues
Le Mans Master
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Best not to overthink it, remember LT2's are just high-performance variants of what is essentially a pickup truck motor. GM has tested these things in every weather condition, every abuse condition, in every way you can imagine. Ittl be fine setting for a couple months.
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Drifting
Joined: Mar 2016
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From: Glenelg MD
Spinning the crank with the starter motor is significantly easier on the cylinders/rings than doing so under the pressure of mini-explosions happening at the top of every piston...
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2005
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From: FORT LAUDERDALE FL
Been storing cars for decades. I have never started one if it was not going to be driven, period. My C7 sat for 37 months due to a medical issue I had. Started right up and continued to do the same without issue....I have put them up for up to seven years without issue. I can't drive them all so they sit from time to time...again, without issue.