| Author | Message | ||
     Vladimir Ivanovich Kirillov Grand Master Username: soviet Post Number: 848 Registered: 2-2013 |
This is what I want to know. If I have a vehicle that has been sitting for five years without being started have all or any of the oils lost their ability to lubricate? Is the idea that sitting oil loses its ability to lubricate fact or is that idea something oil companies simply created to sell more oil? | ||
| Omar M. Shams Grand Master Username: omar Post Number: 1448 Registered: 4-2009 |
oil that comes out of the ground is millions of years old an that stuff still works...... I know because we get lots of money when we sell it..... I would consider an oil change if it is convenient but if it is not I would see no harm in starting the engine with 5 year old oil in it. This assumes it feels and smells right. If it is fuel laden or thick as treacle then no. | ||
| Brian Vogel Grand Master Username: guyslp Post Number: 2546 Registered: 6-2009 |
Thank you Omar. Having started vehicles that are "barn finds" after checking that they have oil in them, and that the oil does not appear or smell compromised in any way, I have yet to see one suffer any consequences at all. One should, of course, change said oil at the earliest convenience, but that entails getting the vehicle somewhere that this task can reasonably be undertaken (that is, if it will start and move). Brian | ||
| Vladimir Ivanovich Kirillov Grand Master Username: soviet Post Number: 850 Registered: 2-2013 |
Thanks chaps for the info. The swine that put me onto this dribble that oil losses its ability to lubricate over time was the Mad Scot who also believes there is something incredibly wrong with my Cadillac's steering because it feels so light. I have the Pano, a Ford Falcon which I left in a paddock for three years and thereafter thrashed it mercilessly for another eight years without changing the diff oil and that diff is still fine and so is the auto trans but the engine was worn out from high mileage at 300,000 and used to empty the sump out the dip stick hole so I replaced the engine with one I found at the local dump. Another notorious myth is if you leave a battery on a cement floor that damages the battery. Had a boss in Sydney that thought that was as true as women are wallet emptiers. Marvellous are the myths of the mechanical world. | ||
| Mark Luft Prolific User Username: bentleyman1993 Post Number: 175 Registered: 10-2016 |
The oil does not lose lubracity by sitting. But it does gather condensation from the air. So you may find water in the oil and that would cause harm. | ||
| Larry Kavanagh Prolific User Username: shadow_11 Post Number: 158 Registered: 5-2016 |
I take a look at the dip stick for any signs of moisture before attempting to start a car that has been sitting for a long time. If the oil looks OK I remove the spark plugs and squirt a drop of oil into each cylinder to aid lubrication and leave it a while to soak around the piston rings. If it's not too difficult I remove the valve cover and squirt a little oil over the cam then turn the engine over a few times using a pulley or starter motor if the battery is good. This helps to get the oil to the top end to aid lubrication. Then refit spark plugs & attempt to start. If you attempt to start up a dormant engine without going through the above procedure it will be dry around the top end and this may cause some wear as the valves/tappets and/or cam until pressure builds up sufficiently. I wouldn't drive too far before changing the oil & filter and checking again for any moisture in the oil or white oily scum inside the radiator cap. It's a good idea to remove the sump and clean it out and clean the gauze filter at the bottom of the pipe to the oil pump as sludge may have built up which would hinder oil flow to the pump. |
