Car sitting around for ages

Car sitting around for ages

Author
Discussion

Super Sonic

Original Poster:

9,564 posts

69 months

Sunday 17th July 2022
quotequote all
If a car has been sitting for three years without moving, are it's tyres shot? Should it's oil be replaced?

Old Merc

3,694 posts

182 months

Sunday 17th July 2022
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Definitely change the engine oil and filter, also the brake fluid.
As for tyres, how old are they? any idea of the miles they have covered. I suppose if they are under five years old, in good condition, haven't been left flat, then keep them.

Super Sonic

Original Poster:

9,564 posts

69 months

Sunday 17th July 2022
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Many thanks that saves me buying new tyres, just the oil, filter and brake fluid then the tyres had been on there less then a year and looking at their tread they've not done a lot of milage. :-)

cuprabob

16,722 posts

229 months

Sunday 17th July 2022
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Super Sonic said:
Many thanks that saves me buying new tyres, just the oil, filter and brake fluid then the tyres had been on there less then a year and looking at their tread they've not done a lot of milage. :-)
Surely if the car hasn't moved in 3 years but the tyres were replaced less than a year ago then they will have done zero mileage, unless part works were fitted?

GreenV8S

30,857 posts

299 months

Sunday 17th July 2022
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Old Merc said:
Definitely change the engine oil and filter
Why?

Super Sonic

Original Poster:

9,564 posts

69 months

Sunday 17th July 2022
quotequote all
cuprabob said:
Surely if the car hasn't moved in 3 years but the tyres were replaced less than a year ago then they will have done zero mileage, unless part works were fitted?
Sorry meant to say the tyres were a year old when the car was parked 3 year's ago! ;-)

Edited by Super Sonic on Sunday 17th July 14:03


Edited by Super Sonic on Sunday 17th July 14:04

Super Sonic

Original Poster:

9,564 posts

69 months

Sunday 17th July 2022
quotequote all
GreenV8S said:
Why?
Manufacturer recommends oil change baste on time or milage whichever soonest. Water can condense in engine o'night and if engine isn't used it will accumulate.

ARHarh

4,738 posts

122 months

Sunday 17th July 2022
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Rather than just asking some random people on a forum if it will be OK, I would be inclined to have a look at the condition of the tyres and make a judgement based on appearance etc. If you don't have the experience to spot any potential problems with the car get some who has some knowledge to check it over before driving for an MOT.

Myself I would check tyres, wipers lights etc. Make sure the brakes work and take it for an MOT. ( I would also have the knowledge to check it all but understand most don't have that knowledge) If all is well then give it a good service.No point wasting money on servicing a car that fails an MOT and is beyond economic repair. And whatever anyone says a few miles to the MOT shop will not kill the engine even if the oil is old.

GreenV8S

30,857 posts

299 months

Sunday 17th July 2022
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Super Sonic said:
Manufacturer recommends oil change baste on time or milage whichever soonest. Water can condense in engine o'night and if engine isn't used it will accumulate.
Oil degrades in a running engine due to contamination and extreme heat. It also accumulates large amounts of water in normal use which will boil off next time the engine gets good and hot.

None of this applies to an engine that is simply sitting unused. If you fill an engine with clean new oil and leave it to sit for ten years, at the end of those ten years it will still be new clean oil that is at the beginning of its useful life.


Super Sonic

Original Poster:

9,564 posts

69 months

Sunday 17th July 2022
quotequote all
ARHarh said:
Rather than just asking some random people on a forum...
I wasn't asking random people, I was asking PH 'rs. They're the experts.

Super Sonic

Original Poster:

9,564 posts

69 months

Sunday 17th July 2022
quotequote all
GreenV8S said:
Oil degrades in a running engine due to contamination and extreme heat. It also accumulates large amounts of water in normal use which will boil off next time the engine gets good and hot.

None of this applies to an engine that is simply sitting unused. If you fill an engine with clean new oil and leave it to sit for ten years, at the end of those ten years it will still be new clean oil that is at the beginning of its useful life.
So how does the water get in?
Condensation. At night the air gets cold, as does the engine. As the air warms up in the morning, the engine warms more slowly. For a few hours each morning, the engine is colder than the ambient air. The crankcase is not airtight, therefore atmospheric air enters. If there is moisture in the air, it will settle on the cold surfaces the way it settles on a cold glass. When the engine is run, this is boiled off. If the engine isn't run, the moisture will accumulate.

Edited by Super Sonic on Sunday 17th July 19:40

jm8403

2,515 posts

40 months

Sunday 17th July 2022
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GreenV8S said:
Oil degrades in a running engine due to contamination and extreme heat. It also accumulates large amounts of water in normal use which will boil off next time the engine gets good and hot.

None of this applies to an engine that is simply sitting unused. If you fill an engine with clean new oil and leave it to sit for ten years, at the end of those ten years it will still be new clean oil that is at the beginning of its useful life.
So the manufacturer recommendation to change after a certain time period is nonsense?

loskie

6,266 posts

135 months

Sunday 17th July 2022
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we had a focus pool car at work
a 1.4

sat for 3 years

it started but the alternator belt started to smoke massively

would the water pump have been seized

Lincsls1

3,692 posts

155 months

Sunday 17th July 2022
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jm8403 said:
So the manufacturer recommendation to change after a certain time period is nonsense?
No of course not. But they will be based on a number of worse case conditions.
If this car has been sat in a nice warm dry damp free garage for 3 years, the condensation build up within the engine will be practical zero.
The oil will be just fine. As will the tyres most likely.
However, if its been sat outside in all weathers, condensation will be much more of a problem for the oil and the sun UV effects on the rubbers including tyres.

Super Sonic

Original Poster:

9,564 posts

69 months

Sunday 17th July 2022
quotequote all
loskie said:
we had a focus pool car at work
a 1.4

sat for 3 years

it started but the alternator belt started to smoke massively

would the water pump have been seized
Now you're scaring me :-0

GreenV8S

30,857 posts

299 months

Sunday 17th July 2022
quotequote all
Super Sonic said:
So how does the water get in?
Condensation. At night the air gets cold, as does the engine.
No, this is not how water accumulates in a running engine. The blowby gases that fill the crank case have a very high water concentration and this condenses inside the crank case as it cools. An engine that is only used for short trips can have large amounts of water in the crank case. When the whole engine including the oil in the sump gets up to working temperature than the water will boil out of the oil and be carried out of the breather. The water is also quite acidic and the high temperatures that boil off the water also break down the acid.

The amount of condensation that will accumulate in an unused engine is trivial in comparison and it will be gently evaporating and carried out by the same mechanism that introduces it. In any case the water isn't causing the oil to degrade and will simply boil off when the oil comes up to temperature.

Super Sonic

Original Poster:

9,564 posts

69 months

Sunday 17th July 2022
quotequote all
GreenV8S said:
No, this is not how water accumulates in a running engine. The blowby gases that fill the crank case have a very high water concentration and this condenses inside the crank case as it cools. An engine that is only used for short trips can have large amounts of water in the crank case. When the whole engine including the oil in the sump gets up to working temperature than the water will boil out of the oil and be carried out of the breather. The water is also quite acidic and the high temperatures that boil off the water also break down the acid.

The amount of condensation that will accumulate in an unused engine is trivial in comparison and it will be gently evaporating and carried out by the same mechanism that introduces it. In any case the water isn't causing the oil to degrade and will simply boil off when the oil comes up to temperature.
Car hasn't run for three years.

E-bmw

11,050 posts

167 months

Monday 18th July 2022
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Super Sonic said:
GreenV8S said:
No, this is not how water accumulates in a running engine. The blowby gases that fill the crank case have a very high water concentration and this condenses inside the crank case as it cools. An engine that is only used for short trips can have large amounts of water in the crank case. When the whole engine including the oil in the sump gets up to working temperature than the water will boil out of the oil and be carried out of the breather. The water is also quite acidic and the high temperatures that boil off the water also break down the acid.

The amount of condensation that will accumulate in an unused engine is trivial in comparison and it will be gently evaporating and carried out by the same mechanism that introduces it. In any case the water isn't causing the oil to degrade and will simply boil off when the oil comes up to temperature.
Car hasn't run for three years.
But when it does the "trivial" amount that may be in there will boil off, as was said above.

tapkaJohnD

1,997 posts

219 months

Monday 18th July 2022
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Its not just tyre rubber that deteriorates when not used, all rubber parts do.
Suggest you work through the car and replace every bit of rubber.


Old Merc

3,694 posts

182 months

Monday 18th July 2022
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Everyone has different ideas on this issue. Some say do lots of stuff, others say just start it up and drive it.
Cars in general do not like standing still for ages. The important thing is what it was like before it was laid up, where it was parked, inside, outside, hard standing, well ventilated or damp, etc etc.
I can remember my mates old Subaru, sat in his barn for TEN a years. All we did was clean all the moss and crap, fit two wiper blades, a new battery, and STARTED it up !! Drove it to a MOT bay and it passed.
He then sold it as it was.

Edited by Old Merc on Monday 18th July 09:58