Also contrary to what people think, you should not be starting the car a few times through the winter. There are no "seals" that will dry out if you don't start it.

When the car sits even for a week its as cold and dried out as it will be if you let it sit all winter. The first time you start the car up its hard on the motor and there is no oil in the head or around any critical components until pressure is built up. It takes a few seconds for that to happen so most of your engine wear is in the first few seconds of starting the car... Especally after winter when it's been sitting.

SO by starting the car every two weeks its like your starting it after a winters long hibernation but doing it 30 or so times through the winter. There is just no point to cause all that extra wear on the motor. Porsche doesn't even recommend warming up your car before you drive it, but to actually drive the car easily to warm it up. If your starting the car 30 times through the winter your just letting it sit and idle which is terrible for an engine.

Save the winter start, and only start in the spring when you intend to drive it again. All your doing is causing extra wear and wasting gas.

 

Jim is right on. Unless you are going to actually drive the car and get it fully heated up and this is not just water temperature but getting the oil up to full temp which can take at least a 1/2 hour probably more on a cold day. You are going to do bad things like have water vapor condense form acids and contaminate the oil. This will not be good for your engine. This is why you need to put fresh oil in before storage. Modern seals do not dry out as far as I know. Model A's used leather seals! Porsches do not use leather except for the seats.

 

Done 'em all - that's my routine also. Everything but the mouse traps! Remember to put car away with full tank with Stabil added. I also put extra air in (~ 5lbs per tire), oil/filter change, and bled brakes. Also, remember to cover it!

 

If you store your car for 4 months with nothing but Mobil 0W40 in it, do not be surprised is you leak oil in the spring. If you insist on staying with Mobil 1, at least fill the engine with their high mileage synthetic which has seal conditioner in it, or add a quart of after market seal conditioner to what is in there now.

Put some pantyhose feet over the tailpipes to keep varmits out of the cylinders and you can use the sticky mouse traps inside the car to protect your seats from becoming a home to the same varmits.

 

of course another way to store it is to sell it and get a Cayenne Turbo or new GTS manual for 12 month use.

that is what i am wrestling with at least!

 

I totally agree with you guys but all Porsche dealers will tell you otherwise. Your car leaks oil because the seals dry out from sitting.....read RMS and IMS which Porsche can't get them to stop leaking for about 10 years.

 

I hear what your saying, but some cars never leak other leak all the time no matter what.

Subaru don't seem to have that problem for whatever reason, so it's not because of the boxer style engine.

I leave my car all winter to sit and never start it, I have stored a lot of cars through the winter (other japanese cars I'v owned etc..) and never had a problem with "seals" drying up. Rubber seals don't dry up from sitting around in an engine.

I think Porsche says that as a way to try and help stop the problem even though there is no problem on some cars and there is on others and even that wont fix it. It's kind of like throwing a glass of water on a fire, it will do some good, but not much you're mostly wasting your time.

 

I agree. My car has been stored for 7 winters with 0w40 and has never leaked. Don't belive anything a Porsche deal tells you. Or any other dealer for that matter. They sell cars wind **** and sand if they can. They know very little and only follow repair procedures laid out by the factory. If you could talk to the engineers who designed these cars you might get some straight answers. Neopreem seals do not dry out!

 

The problem is not with the seal drying out, but with shrinkage.

 

Totally agree but they control the warranty so I just go along with what they say until I take it out. I believe the RMS and IMS are a total design flaw.

 

so whats the verdict guys???

start the car every couple weeks OR do not start the car every couple weeks?

thanks... and where can I can get some good fuel stabilizer?

 

From the threads I've read ie. on Rennlist, more seem to favor NOT starting it - unless you plan to drive it and fully warm it up, for the reasons noted above. As for fuel stabilizer, Stabil is excellent - available at Pep Boys, AutoZone etc. Just follow directions as to amount to be added, and make sure your tank is FULL when storing.

 

Sorry to bring this back but i need help

Stored the car at a buddies over winter. Started it a couple times and it was fine. Now I come over and the battery is dead. I have a 99 and the lever in the car but its not letting me in the trunk. I tried jumping it and now have a battery charger hooked up to the back jump spots. First, how do I get to the battery? The battery isnt dead but it still isnt letting me in the trunk and my remote isnt working. I used the key to get in and out of the car for the last 2 months of driving because my remote just stopped working right one day even though the red light still flashed away.

I tried turning the ignition over and its just clicking. When trying to jump the car with the cables hooked up and my buddies big new ford diesel HD truck still wouldnt turn over...... whats going on here?

 

Some extras you may want to think about:

1. Turn on the A/C for a 5-10 minutes to lubricate everything
2. Leave windows 30% open
3. Put the car in its one straight gear: reverse
4. Wax it, not just wash it
5. Change the oil
6. I like my gas tank full with stabil, and yes drive it.

Did everyone forget car cover?

 

Curious if the newer high Ethanol Pump Gas that we all have buy these days is better full or better empty in the tank with Fuel Stabilizer. (no I understand why the tank should be full for moisture issues) But, I have been hearing about gumming problems from this crap if left in the fuel system/injectors etc... too long >45days.
Is there a Ethanol Stabilizer product?