Damage from repetative starting car without driving??

[Valeria H.]

Can I be setting my car up for possible damage by starting and running the engine of my car without driving it?? With the weather less than optimal lately, I've been going out nightly to the garage and starting my "60, turn on some tunes and run the car for maybe 15 minutes. Is there any possible damage to the engine/etc that can occur with this practice?

I think I am doing the right thing for the car but I just might be mistaken.
Any thoughts?
Valeria

[Keith B.]

Re: Damage from repetative starting car without driving??

that is the worse thing you can do. just let the car be.

[Bill I.]

Re: Damage from repetative starting car without driving??

All you are doing with that is bringing the oil up to near operating temps. The rest of the drivetrain is just sitting there NOT heated up. You are putting more strain on everything by doing this . Just put a 'float' charger on the battery and forget about it. Bill

[Robert S.]

Re: Damage from repetative starting car without driving??

Disconnect the battery, connect a battery tender to the battery, and let the car sleep soundly until the good driving weather returns.

[Michael L.]

Re: Damage from repetative starting car without driving??

Do Not forget to put stabilizer in the gas it goes bad Much quicker then you will
think Good luck and enjoy

[Michael W.]

Re: Damage from repetative starting car without driving??

As previously advised:

https://www.forums.ncrs.org/showthread.php?p=462397&uid=6466#post462397

90% of engine wear occurs during engine start. If you've been doing this for a while, the oil has probably been diluted and contaminated with blowby from the combustion chambers. Best change the oil asap and don't start the engine unless a good long drive is planned.

There is NO need and NO benefit in starting an engine just to let it run.

[Jim D.]

Re: Damage from repetative starting car without driving??

Do Not forget to put stabilizer in the gas it goes bad Much quicker then you will
think Good luck and enjoy

Total waste of money. Gas will be fine for 1+ years without any added snake oil. I've never used it and have never had a problem.

[Don H.]

Re: Damage from repetative starting car without driving??

The discussion here converted me to changing the oil in the fall instead of spring. That way the engine sits with new oil coating the parts. Don H.

[Valeria H.]

Re: Damage from repetative starting car without driving??

Thank you to everyone that responded. I try to take the old girl out as often as possible but it has not been possible lately.
Dang, I have really enjoyed my start ups at night with the old tunes coming out the radio and a glass of wine.
What are the qualifications for a great battery tender? I know there is a differance.
Valeria

[Robert I.]

Re: Damage from repetative starting car without driving??

<Total waste of money. Gas will be fine for 1+ years without any added snake oil. I've never used it and have never had a problem.>

On our lawnmowers, some years I forget to add Stabil. It doesn't seem to make any difference.

But on our boat, which is a much higher performance engine, when it's winterized, they add a stabilizer. Seems like it runs horribly until that tank of gas is used up.

[Ronald L.]

Re: Damage from repetative starting car without driving??

Use the Satbil, the gas goes bad, and gums up the system, lawn mowers included. The fuels these days have a higher propensity for this due to their alcohol content that, absorbs h2o from the air left in the toop of the tank, put it in fill er up. In hot humid type climates, this happens in 6 months,I've had the experience, again depends on the fuel.

Same goes for the oil. Good oil has antioxidants, remember to take your vitamins! and give some to your car too. Change in fall cycle her good and rest assured. I had one stored that way 8 years un touched and it went vroom when the started.

[Gerard Q.]

Re: Damage from repetative starting car without driving??

What are the qualifications for a great battery tender? I know there is a differance.
Valeria

One of these should do the trick.

[Terry M.]

Re: Damage from repetative starting car without driving??

Dang, I have really enjoyed my start ups at night with the old tunes coming out the radio and a glass of wine.
What are the qualifications for a great battery tender? I know there is a differance.
Valeria

I would be concerned about breathing all that CO2, or my propensity to fall asleep (permanently) with the music and spirits -- but that's me.

I have several Battery Tender + units ($45 or so) that have worked well for several winters. The C6 needs battery support when parked for more than a couple of weeks. I also have a Battery Minder ($20, but I got mine as a door prize at a chapter event) that I am using for the first time this year. Jury is still out on that one, but so far nothing negative to report.

I see there are battery maintainer units from as low as $5 on sale at Harbor Freight to as high as over $100 from some of the boutique auto suppliers. There have been other threads on here about just this subject in which others have reported on their experiences.

A couple of things to watch for: Look for a unit that will de-sulphate the battery. I am not sure they will bring back the dead, but this feature should reduce the chance of sulphation. Look for units that will also maintain the charge on gel cells and AGM type batteries. This could be an advantage in the future as these styles of batteries become more common.

[Michael W.]

Re: Damage from repetative starting car without driving??

One of these should do the trick.

That's what I use. The car sits from Novemberish to Aprilish with a tender attached and starts first turn of the key in the spring. No Stabil or avgas any other magic elixir.

[Valeria H.]

Re: Damage from repetative starting car without driving??

Thanks for all the great advise. I'm going to do an internet search for a bettery tender with the specs you have suggested.
Valeria