Needs some opinions on how long you can let your car sit without running it and not do any damage.

I bought a second car this year partly to save wear on the Max during Ohio winters. But I'm a bit paranoid about how long to let the max sit without taking her for a spin. I haven't had to go more than a week up till now, but as of today it'll be 10 days since my last spin in the max. But there's still wet streets and slushy snow around (with the accompanying salt remnants) that I want to avoid. It is garaged at all times.

Opinions from those with knowledge/experience in this area appreciated.

Thanks all.

 

When I killed a control arm I let the car sit for a few months. During that time I would start it and let it warm up/run for about 10 -12 minutes 2x/wk.

 

If you are not going to start it ~once a week, drain all the fluids out of it, disconnect the batery and let her sit- it will be fine for a month or 2. If you will go out and start it every once and a while, leave the fluids in it and put some Stabil or something in the gas tank to keep the fuel from going bad and gumming up the filter/injectors. Then change the fluids when you are ready to put her back in service. It wil be ok for a few months...

my 0.02c.

-Matt

 

WHY would you drain all the fluid out??? So all seals will dry out and the leak when fluids are refilled. Everything is better to stay lubricated.

Here is a link with some tips:

http://www.techguys.ca/howto/winter.html

 

I left mine for a month befor starting it started ok but it needed a boost I dont suggest leaving it that long enless you have to

 

It can sit for a few months with few problems. If you know in advance, it helps to have a fresh oil change and fuel stabilizer in the fuel tank. Make sure your tires are fully pressurized and in fact IMHO it's a good idea to put them all up to 35 or 40psi.

If you can, it definitely helps to start it up and let it idle for a few minutes every month or so.

Dave

 

Thanks for the input guys. I'm not really into storing it for the whole winter, on sunny days when the roads are salt free I still want to be able to drive it.

I just wondered what the maximum number of days it could go without being started would be. If starting it and just letting it idle for 15 min once a week is ok then I'll just do that. But I thought I remembered "they" said that idling for too long isn't good for the engine either so I wanted some input. Plus the battery doesn't really recharge much while just idling does it?

I ASSUMED it would be ok letting it go maybe 2 weeks between runs, but you know what happens when you assume.

 

i've left my car for 1-2 weeks multiple times, and i didn't cause any damage to it. You'll be ok as long as its not an excessive amount of time.

 

Get a battery tender

 

if he was not going to start it the WHOLE winter, how would fluid even be getting to the seals to lubricate them if it was sitting in the bottom of the pan???

then after all the fluid has been sitting in the bottom of that nasty pan for a few months and has collected crap and formed sludge, when you go to start it that all gets sucked back up in your oil pump and distributed throughout your VQ...

And by fluids, I meant the gas and oil, not like windshield washer fluid or brake fluid...

-Matt

 

I still wouldn't recommend it. I would just change before storage, and then again after. But it's your car...

My brother stores his Supra every winter. As long as it is done right, then there shouldn't be any problems.

 

I got back home from college for the weekend and my car hasn't been started for a month, so it's been just sitting there on the driveway. Anyway yea got back home and it started up on the first start, no problems FTW!

 

a few months? I had maximas sit for 1-2 years without starting up once within the time period and when i needed it, started up fine with no problems. I don't recomend letting it sit for that long but when the car is in storage with no out door interactions like the rain/snow/ice or pets (squeerls/rats/etc), then there should be no problem. Oh yeah, battery removed so it doesn't die.

Also, when you idle, the battery DOES get recharged, sometimes when my battery dies from overloading it, i jump the car and let it idle for a hour or so, battery getts fully charged. LOL

 

i let mine sit for 4months at a time. i did that a couple times. all i did was disconnect the battery. when i come back, i reconnect and it always starts on the first hit.

 

Thanks again for the opinions guys. I guess I shouldn't have been so paranoid. Better safe than sorry tho eh? I'll just start her up at least once a week and let er' idle to optimum temp.

Maxima long and prosper.

 

Shawn,
Just one more opinion. I'm retired military and I've done this exactly 4x with 4 different cars, a 88 Dodge Daytona stored for 18 months outside in AL started 2x a month. A 90 Saab 9000s stored indoors in TX for 14 months not started. A 99 Volvo S80 stored outside in IL for 10 months, not started and my 97 Maxima SE stored in KS in a garage for 8 months. Rodents got in the Daytona and Volvo and ate some wires. The Saab developed flat spots on the tires and a very nasty valve cover leak. I took what I learned from the first 3 cars and applied them to the Maxima. Store it indoors if possible, wash and wax it real good, cover the car with a good quality carcover. Take off the tires and lay them on their side, wrap the rotors in plastic, top off the oil and trans fluids, remove the battery and either place it on a mat or give it away, lastly put moth ***** all over the engine and inside the car to keep rodents away. Also, write down on a pad any issues you had prior to storage that you would want to get fixed after you revive the car. Things like the clutch is soft or the rear brakes are squealing.

 

Doing that often enuff can ruin an alternator. A battery tender, as suggested earlier is a good idea.

 

Yes, good idea.

Dave

 

Thanks for the additional info. I'm not really planning on storing it for months at this time tho. If the weather is sunny and roads are not wet or have salt on them I'm going to drive it. I guess my main concern was if the roads had salt/snow on them for weeks if it would damage the car at all to not start/drive it during that time.

There may come a time when I will store a car for months tho so your experience and info is appreciated.



btw....Saab 9000, Volvo S80 , Nissan Maxima and Dodge Daytona. One of these words is not like the other, one of these words is not quite the same.... lol

The 88 Daytona was kind of a nice looking car, unfortunately that's about it. :