So the mustang has been sitting all winter without being started. I was going to change the oil today. I was always taught to start a v ehicle and run it until it's hot before changing the oil. In a vehicle that has been sitting like this should I do that or just drop theplug how it sits. It seems to me like the oil should be completely drained into the pan at this point and not starting it is my best bet. Am I overthinking things?
if the filter has a check valve that holds oil in the upper part of the motor, then there should be oil through out the motor
Run it. It drains much better hot.
How much time / mileage was on the oil before you put it into storage? If it's not over a couple years or pushing it mileage-wise, I would probably just drive it as-is and change it later or before storage next winter, depending on how much you drive it.
The oil is probably a year old and less than 1000 miles.
leave it... don't touch it until you start driving the car, then only change it after you take it for a good long drive to get the oil nice and hot.
I wouldn't change the oil yet...but it's always better to run the engine before changing.
Run it long enough to get to operating temperature, this will boil out the contaminants . then run it to your normal change mileage.
Being that it hasn't been started all winter, so no short runs to load the oil up with moisture, I see no reason to change it yet. I'd just run it until the end of the season or it comes due because of mileage, whichever happens first.
In the future, if you're worried about it, I'd tend to change before storage, rather than after (that way it's sitting with the fresh, less acidic oil in it). Sitting in storage without being started won't hurt the oil. Any tiny bit of condensation it does get will burn off within a few minutes.
I wouldn't bother with changing it either.
With a year on it I'd drop it after warming it up.
Hot oil is thinner and drains more completely.
Well I kind of went my own way on this. I went ahead and dropped the plug cold, and let it drain while the battery charged and I checked the steering linkage and what not. I have it plenty of time. Then I took it for the first drive of the year. I wouldn't have predicted getting it on the road in February in Ohio but it was kinda warm and really sunny. They hadn't salted the roads in quite a while so I said what the hell. I like driving it.
Motor oil degrades over time, so one year old? change it.
I always change it hot. That way all the contaminants are fully suspended in the oil and drain out, rather than sitting in a sludge in the oil pan that doesn't drain out.
i change mine before storage and after. usually after one good trip around town to make sure its warm.
I kind of forgot how much fun I have driving that thing. Its kind of the anti-miata. Floaty suspension, crappy brakes, wandering steering, in short, it inspires no confidence. But good Lord the power and noise is intoxicating. Big torque and a four speed make up for it's shortcomings.
As a general rule of thumb I change the oil hot and before putting in to storage to get out all the acids that build up. Wait till your ready to drive it again now.
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