Limited driving/Storage COVID

[911]

Hi all, 

Seeing as though the weather in Melbourne has been rubbish and we have been in lockdown with 5km restrictions, my 3.2 has been left sitting in the garage on trickle charge for the last month and a half. 

With the crappy weather and uncertainty around restrictions, if the car sits for another month or two will any harm be done? Is there anything I should do in the meantime. 

I know starting the car and letting it run isn't the best thing to do. 

 

Thanks 

[Coastr]

Trickle charger and under cover for a couple of months won’t hurt.  If you do start it drive around the suburb until the oil gets hot.

If it’s humid check to make sure the interior is not growing mold, might have to crack the windows.

[Dalai]

6 hours ago, Coastr said:

If it’s humid check to make sure the interior is not growing mold, might have to crack the windows.

Wouldn't it be better to just open the windows a little rather than damage them? 

[911]

I've never heard about opening the windows. It's the middle of winter, so I don't think humidity will be an issue? 

[hugh]

So long as it’s stored somewhere nice and dry it will be fine. 

[Skidmarks]

11 hours ago, wangan said:

Hi all, 

Seeing as though the weather in Melbourne has been rubbish and we have been in lockdown with 5km restrictions, my 3.2 has been left sitting in the garage on trickle charge for the last month and a half. 

With the crappy weather and uncertainty around restrictions, if the car sits for another month or two will any harm be done? Is there anything I should do in the meantime. 

I know starting the car and letting it run isn't the best thing to do. 

 

Thanks 

Chap Laps ...

[Philbee]

13 hours ago, hugh said:

So long as it’s stored somewhere nice and dry it will be fine. 

Agree with Hugh... stored undercover & on charger will be just fine!!

[autojack]

Mine hasn't been driven in 5 months since I moved into my new house. It's parked in a very tight spot in the back yard, with access through a narrow lane. I need a spotter and a lot of back and forth to get it in and out. It's under a gazebo so staying dry, but I've been worried about the petrol going off. I'm going to get it out for a drive this weekend, but I think maybe I should put some fuel stabilizer in it.

I'm in the process of building a garage which will make access much easier.

[OZ930]

Agree with Hugh as well, unless....you have a mouse plague.  

Don’t cover it because the little bastards get under the cover anyway, even onto the roof.  Open the boot and engine lids, Keep windows and doors closed.  Remove the carpet from the boot and open the smugglers box.  This is to remove any dark, cosy, warm areas they like to nest in.

I know that the weather is bad at the moment in Victoria, but the cold temps have knocked the mouse and rat numbers down.

Slight thread shift, Hopefully useful.

 

[Coastr]

Is the standard mouse advice to leave a box of tissues in, to give them something to shred should they decide to invade?

[911]

8 hours ago, OZ930 said:

Agree with Hugh as well, unless....you have a mouse plague.  

Don’t cover it because the little bastards get under the cover anyway, even onto the roof.  Open the boot and engine lids, Keep windows and doors closed.  Remove the carpet from the boot and open the smugglers box.  This is to remove any dark, cosy, warm areas they like to nest in.

I know that the weather is bad at the moment in Victoria, but the cold temps have knocked the mouse and rat numbers down.

Slight thread shift, Hopefully useful.

 

Is this advice for cars that are outside, or under a carport?

My cars kept in a garage. I've just got a flanalette sheet on top to stop the dust. 

[rminc]

Could have issues like leaking shocks if the car sits an for extended period of time. Probably others too. 

So is the advice here to leave the windows cracked, bonnet and engine lid open while the car is in a garage and under a car cover? Never heard of this before.

I'd understand the moisture issue if the car was outside, but the garage is news to me. 

[OZ930]

44 minutes ago, wangan said:

Is this advice for cars that are outside, or under a carport?

My cars kept in a garage. I've just got a flanalette sheet on top to stop the dust. 

My cars are in a garage, normally covered and closed until the mouse plague.

 

49 minutes ago, rminc said:

So is the advice here to leave the windows cracked, bonnet and engine lid open while the car is in a garage and under a car cover? Never heard of this before.

No, windows closed.

[OZ930]

13 hours ago, Coastr said:

Is the standard mouse advice to leave a box of tissues in, to give them something to shred should they decide to invade?

Haven’t heard that one.

 

[Merv]

Send it up to QLD.  We will look after it for you through winter.

 

(PS move the car around so you don't get flat spots on tyres)

[Coastr]

Maybe it’s not an issue in less humid climes but I left a car locked up for a stretch, and when I came back the interior was covered in mildew and mold.  The seatbelt was the nastiest, followed by the Steering wheel.

Mice can stil get in a closed up car,  then older the car the easier it is for them.  

[911]

Another few months dormant in Victoria since we're in lockdown with 5km restrictions and some pretty crappy weather. 

Once I do start her up after about 4 months of no use on trickle charger are there any recommendations like pulling a fuse, relay or cracking a few times before allowing it to start? Or will it be fine, just jumping in turning it on and on my way? It's been 4 months since fresh fuel too. 

[mc968cs]

32 minutes ago, wangan said:

it be fine, just jumping in turning it on and on my way

This. No big deal on modern cars bar keep battery charged and tire pressure up. 

[Stockydude]

I've made a point of looking for a break in the weather and taking the car out for a run within the 5km radius (ish) each weekend - probably 30-40 minutes in total, including getting out for some short exercise so all compliant. Probably easier for me as I live on the Mornington Peninsular (1 set of traffic lights only along my route) but whilst storing is OK, I like getting everything fully warmed up and moving regularly when possible.

[rminc]

I've been in the same boat. My car hasn't been started in about 4 months. It's just on tickle charge. Hoepfully we will have some freedom soon. 

I rememeber watching a video a while ago about a guy who had not started his for a while and pulled out a relay and just continuously cranked it before starting. Maybe to protect something. 

As far as I know, as long as the battery is charged, if the cars been sitting there for 6 months to a year, there's nothing you need to do except turn it on and maybe drive softly till it's upto temp and get some fuel to dilute the old fuel. 

Octane booster is interesting too. I've never used it. It was mentioned above. Is it worth doing? 

 

[911]

@rminc straight from the BP website:

Petrol in equipment tanks
The storage life of petrol in equipment fuel tanks is one month. This can be extended by topping up with one third of 
fresh fuel, which restores the volatile components that have evaporated.
Topping up with fresh fuel will help, however it is not a foolproof strategy for engines that are used only intermittently. 
The following principles may also help:
> Keep the tank half full to stop water 

[rminc]

There you go! I never knew that. My cars been out of action for 4 months now. Any recommendations on how to go about driving it for the first time. I didn't actually realise fuel went stale that quick! 

[1q2w3e4r]

drive it.  Don't use full throttle

[Peter M]

1 hour ago, 1q2w3e4r said:

drive it.  Don't use full throttle

Variation: Just drive it and use full throttle once the engine comes up to temperature.

I think pulling fuses is just BS. 

 

That BP factsheet was interesting:

As the volatiles evaporate fuel gains about 1 RON in octane and about 40g in density per litre after being stored in a equipment fuel tank for 5 weeks.  Never seen actual metrics like this before.

What I hadn't thought about is this effectively makes the engine run richer with a change from 13:1 to 12.3:1 over the same period.  I guess that could further compound the cold start issue that is made more difficult by the loss of volatiles.  

My view with fuel is, if the engine will start cold, just drive it.  If it's hard to start, only top up with fresh fuel then.  If it is a motorcycle or lawnmower, pushing into the sun to warm up often does the trick.

 

[1q2w3e4r]

I wouldn't use full throttle in anything that has old fuel in it