Hello all -

 

I've got a '90 Legacy which has been stored for 7 months (I disconnected the battery, filled the tank with premium and added stabil, so I hope everything will be ok!) I changed the oil shortly before putting the car into storage (total mileage since the last oil change is probably about 300).

 

I had always heard that engine oil can break down over time, even if the car has not been driven. I'll be taking the car out of storage later this week, and just tried to make an appointment with the local Subaru dealer for an oil change. When I described the situation, the service guy told me there was no need for an oil change, that time was essentially irrelevent if no mileage had been put on the car. I'm always impressed when a car mechanic tells me it's NOT necessary to do work, but wanted to check here to see if others agreed that there should be no harm driving the car with 7 month old low-mileage oil.

 

And assuming that I'm ok not changing the oil, would I be ok driving 700-800 miles and then putting the car back into storage for another 3-4 months without an oil change? (I would do an oil change upon taking the car out of this second period of storage, sometime this fall.)

 

Thanks for any info,

Zack

the BIG question, did you squirt any oil in the cylinders before you stored the car. Did you cover the intake and exhaust?

When fuel hits the oil it can make an acid. When there is no mileage put on the car go by time, since the oil did see 300 miles on it, i would change it.

Besides there is nothing worng with 30.00 worth of insurance vs a engine wiped out.

 

nipper

the BIG question, did you squirt any oil in the cylinders before you stored the car. Did you cover the intake and exhaust?

When fuel hits the oil it can make an acid.

nipper

Did not squirt any oil into the cylinders, did not cover the air intake, DID tape closed the exhaust.

 

Zack

Squirt oil in the cylinders. Dissconnect the ignition wires, crank the engine Then start it up. Wou may have rust in the sylinders, as they are steel sleeves. WOuld prefer you to try to turn it by hand first with the plugs out to make sure the rings arent stuck.

 

nipper

Don't forget the rear diff, and the transfer case. The steel gears in both these units are lubricated by being turned through a pool of oil that comes about halfway up in their housings. So, if the car is stored ,and not moved, for extended period of time the upper portions of the gears can rust. Sometimes, they can rust solid!!!! You're proabaly looking at more than seven months for this to happen, but you might want to keep it mind.