Car sitting around for ages
Discussion
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?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
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.
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.
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.
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?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.
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
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?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.
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 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.Condensation. At night the air gets cold, as does the engine.
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.
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.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 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.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.
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.
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
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