used engine oil + winter storage why is it a bad idea ?

[Warpath]

Here what Mobile says about moisture.

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[NoVaGT]

It's not that it attracts it, it's that moisture collects inside the block after the block cools.

If the engine isn't being run, there's no heat cycles, no moisture. If the car sits during a Canadian winter, moisture isn't the slightest bit of a problem.

 

[Warpath]

If the engine isn't being run, there's no heat cycles, no moisture. If the car sits during a Canadian winter, moisture isn't the slightest bit of a problem.

How did the car get to where it's stored?

 

[NoVaGT]

How did the car get to where it's stored?

Are you being deliberately obtuse?

Or do you just no understand the factors at play here?

 

[Warpath]

Are you being deliberately obtuse?

Or do you just no understand the factors at play here?

You mad about something guy? I was just having a conversation on how I thought moisture could get in an engine. Air carries moisture, air gets in a block and even in blow by of a piston and into a crankcase. Depending on when it was last driven how much moisture was in the air when the block surface temp dips below the airs saturation temp it will condense. Fact. That's what I'm saying.

 

[Balr14]

You mad about something guy? I was just having a conversation on how I thought moisture could get in an engine. Air carries moisture, air gets in a block and even in blow by of a piston and into a crankcase. Depending on when it was last driven how much moisture was in the air when the block surface temp dips below the airs saturation temp it will condense. Fact. That's what I'm saying.

The article you just posted says you don't have to worry about that.

 

[Warpath]

The article you just posted says you don't have to worry about that.

If you drive it enough, but if it sits and doesn't go through the heat cycles to burn it off it becomes a problem.

 

[NoVaGT]

You mad about something guy? I was just having a conversation on how I thought moisture could get in an engine. Air carries moisture, air gets in a block and even in blow by of a piston and into a crankcase. Depending on when it was last driven how much moisture was in the air when the block surface temp dips below the airs saturation temp it will condense. Fact. That's what I'm saying.

One heat cycle (from parking it for the winter) isn't going to leave enough moisture to be an issue. And real winters are drier than a bone in the desert.

 

[Warpath]

One heat cycle (from parking it for the winter) isn't going to leave enough moisture to be an issue. And real winters are drier than a bone in the desert.

Oh, I agree that it may not be enough to do anything. The ambient air might be dry but the air in the block still may contain the humid air from when it last ran.

 

[NoVaGT]

If you drive it enough, but if it sits and doesn't go through the heat cycles to burn it off it becomes a problem.

Moisture doesn't magically finds it's way into the engine, and then become an issue. Engine oil is not hygroscopic.

New/additional moisture is not entering the engine after it's shut-down. And that one, last heat-cycle isn't going to cause enough moisture to be in the engine to become an issue.

 

[Warpath]

Moisture doesn't magically finds it's way into the engine, and then become an issue. Engine oil is not hygroscopic.

New/additional moisture is not entering the engine after it's shut-down. And that one, last heat-cycle isn't going to cause enough moisture to be in the engine to become an issue.

Look, thats what i said. The humid saturated air sitting in the crankcase then sits in the cold winter ambient air. When the block surface cools the block below the airs saturation temp crank case humid air that was pumped in there from when it last ran will condensate on the inside blocks surface.

 

[NoVaGT]

Look, thats what i said. The humid saturated air sitting in the crankcase then sits in the cold winter ambient air. When the block surface cools the block below the airs saturation temp crank case humid air that was pumped in there from when it last ran will condensate on the inside blocks surface.

If the engine is completely up-to-temp when it's shut down for the winter, the moisture is burned off from the heat of the engine as it cools. New atmosphere is not getting into the engine during this process.

Moisture is only an issue in engines that aren't run up to temperature before being shut down, when there isn't enough heat in the engine to burn the moisture off when it's shut down.

 

[Warpath]

If the engine is completely up-to-temp when it's shut down for the winter, the moisture is burned off from the heat of the engine as it cools. New atmosphere is not getting into the engine during this process.

Moisture is only an issue in engines that aren't run up to temperature before being shut down, when there isn't enough heat in the engine to burn the moisture off when it's shut down.

Burned off when it shuts down? That air that was pumped in when when the engine was shut down at operating temp has some how "burned off the moisture" in the crankcase. How and where does it go on shut down?

 

[Strokerswild]

Considering today's oils, I wouldn't worry about it whatsoever. And I don't.

I used to build engines on the side. I've seen more than one that had sat in a garage for several decades (even a few that have sat outdoors, but covered), and have never seen an indication of an issue at a crankshaft journal and bearing interface upon teardown. A film of dirty oil, that's it. You might see a minute spot of rust/corrosion on an internal part surface (head, block, etc.) that hasn't had an oil film on it in years.

Store the car properly and don't fret it. If you're that paranoid about it, oil is cheap, change it.

 

[RPDBlueMoon]

Considering today's oils, I wouldn't worry about it whatsoever. And I don't.

I used to build engines on the side. I've seen more than one that had sat in a garage for several decades (even a few that have sat outdoors, but covered), and have never seen an indication of an issue at a crankshaft journal and bearing interface upon teardown. A film of dirty oil, that's it. You might see a minute spot of rust/corrosion on an internal part surface (head, block, etc.) that hasn't had an oil film on it in years.

Store the car properly and don't fret it. If you're that paranoid about it, oil is cheap, change it.

This is kinda how I feel about it too. I don't think its really an issue unless you live in a place like Siberia. The biggest issue with storage is tire pressure becoming low and the battery draining imo, but both of those can be easily solved and are only minor problems.

My grandfather has an old Lincoln that has sat in his garage for 20 decades and its runs fine. I've also seen Humvees from the 90s still work after sitting outdoors before I was even born. I find it hard to believe that a modern engine would break/fail after it sitting the garage for 3-4 months.

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