Share your winter storage tips

[Inrfire]

I though it was just about winter storage tips That is what I do for my winter storage! I think you were assuming I had a cold engine with your response to my post.

 

[Jimmy N.]

I though it was just about winter storage tips That is what I do for my winter storage! I think you were assuming I had a cold engine with your response to my post.

That depends on how we define "cold", I suppose. To me an engine that is not up to operating temperature is cold, whether it was started at -20 or 100 degrees ambient.
Hence the term "cold start" is applicable at any normal temperature.

Anyway, I just hate cold starting engines in the first place, and if at all possible will get all fluids up to temp before shutting it off again, that's all.

 

[Inrfire]

Ok Jimmy N!

 

[BULL]

Our cars do have water/oil temp gauges.

Anything North of 200degF for me counts as "full warm"

No, it's not the 240degF I get when I'm running hard, but hey, it works for me.

 

[Jimmy N.]

Agree. 200 is warm. Just not quite warm enough to boil any water out of the oil.
And it's indeed the oil temp gauge that tells me that it takes a bit to get over 212...if those gauges are somewhat accurate.

 

[HWDan]

and when it's time to start, Jim Wilder SRT engineer says ...

https://www.dodgegarage.com/news/article/how-to/2019/04/its-a-crime-not-to-prime.html

 

[mmack338]

Any recommendations on Battery Tenders?

 

[Jimmy N.]

I've had very good results with PulseTech and BatteryMINDer units.
There are other good ones out there, but not many with desulfation.

 

[Jungle Cat]

I can’t believe guys that store their cars bother starting them. I have seen guy ruin engines starting them in winter then Reving them. It’s not an issue letting them just sit. It’s not a good thing starting unless you drive it. I avoid salt at all cost. It’s not getting driven.

 

[Jungle Cat]

Basic battery Tender or Plus are simple and work great I have one that is 20 or so years old. I bought a new one to replace it but probably didn’t need to.

 

[Jimmy N.]

I can’t believe guys that store their cars bother starting them. It’s not an issue letting them just sit. It’s not a good thing starting unless you drive it..

Agree. Since the engine doesn't know or care how long it's been sitting, I can't see any reason to cold start it any more than necessary.

Heck, I couldn't be that cruel even to a rental car.

 

[Inrfire]

I can’t believe guys that store their cars bother starting them. I have seen guy ruin engines starting them in winter then Reving them. It’s not an issue letting them just sit. It’s not a good thing starting unless you drive it. I avoid salt at all cost. It’s not getting driven.

We all have opinions, thats granted. But to say it's not a good thing to start unless you drive it, I disagree. This is a quote from the article that HWDan posted from an SRT engineer standpoint. "If your baby has been hibernating for a while, without a start, then the oil might gradually concede to gravity and slide down to low spots or into the oil pan. That leaves some high-stress surfaces that are metal on metal. When you go to start it up, there’s that moment where the engine is firing and spinning before the pump is able to push the oil everywhere it needs to be."

In essence, by starting it once in a while, you are keeping oil in and on bearing surfaces to avoid the bind and grind. If it were an issue, it would be in bold letters I am sure, in the owners manual.

 

[Jimmy N.]

The drawbacks with cold starting unfortunately aren't just opinions.

And for that initial start in the spring, there's a simple procedure for cranking the engine without it starting, which solves the oil pressure/film issue.

 

[Inrfire]

Thats why this was posted after I said we all have opinions! "If your baby has been hibernating for a while, without a start, then the oil might gradually concede to gravity and slide down to low spots or into the oil pan. That leaves some high-stress surfaces that are metal on metal. When you go to start it up, there’s that moment where the engine is firing and spinning before the pump is able to push the oil everywhere it needs to be."

Why wait till spring if you start it like the article says! Don't make a mountain out of a mole hill! The article is 100 percent correct! Not trying to argue, but how many engines do you know that have been ruined by someone running it every so often during storage. I am a farmer and we have big engines on tractors that we start, as well as I would say 50 cars I have had. Never ever been an issue. Just saying!

Sure you can wait and never start it, using your procedure for not starting the engine to solve the oil pressure/film issue that you state! But if the film isn't there, because of everything being static for so long and draining back down via gravity. You have metal to metal friction to get back to the point of coating everything up. The engine still has to turn! Where as this could have been solved by simple starts every so often.

Maybe Dodge will come out with pre oilers on our engines when they think it is necessary.

 

[Jimmy N.]

Yes, that oil eventually drains down is a fact. But so is that cold starts create wear (up to 80% if memory serves me), and that not getting the engine up to temp creates other problems.

Which is why I prefer to not start mine, but prime the oiling system by cranking the engine before starting it.
That way I avoid the inherent drawbacks with cold starts, and prevent metal on metal contact.

 

[Inrfire]

Jimmy, seriously! You do what makes you feel good for your motor. I can respect that! But I can honestly say it's a non issue for me. We can slice and dice it 50 ways, but the engineers I think probably know best! When its in the manual, or they are adding pre oilers, I will be concerned. Every time you slide in the seat there is wear. But at what point do the springs in the seat bottom become a concern!

 

[HWDan]

Any recommendations on Battery Tenders?

I've been using the NOCO G7200, the past 2 winters

https://no.co/g7200

It's an intelligent charger so it won't just continuously charge but repeats in a cycle as needed. I installed the quick connect cable to the power port in the engine bay last weekend as I find the spring clips a bit week. It remembers settings when unplugged so I also will put it on a timer. It does create some noise on the AM radio band so I have to run it at times I'm sure I won't have the radio on in the house as I usually leave sports talk radio on during the day all day)

 

[Jimmy N.]

Every time you slide in the seat there is wear. But at what point do the springs in the seat bottom become a concern!

See, yet another reason not to get into the car and needlessly start it. Even the seats will be happier.

 

[Hickster]

Turn the a/c to 75.

 

[Jimmy N.]

Turn the a/c to 75.

Oh, oh, I'm in trouble. First and foremost, I don't have A/C. Also, the garage doesn't get that hot.

I guess I could start the Hellcat once a day and get it up to 75 in the summer that way. But what do I do in the winter?? Leave it running, or let it suffer at 60 degrees?