starting gen2 after lay-up
Discussion
In April I will start my 2010 boxster spyder after 5 months tucked up in the garage. On a simpler car I would turn the engine over without it firing or fuelling to circulate the oil, before starting properly. Is this worth doing on the spyder or might it damage the cats or throw a fault code? Or should I just fire it up and let it idle for a bit? Any tips appreciated, thanks.
I get the logic completely, the wear from the few seconds of rattles when starting a "dry" engine is probably more than driving it 1,000 miles at running temp, but I'm not sure if it's possible to restrict it from firing to allow you to crank the engine over for 10-20 seconds to circulate the oil. Is there a relay that can be removed maybe?
thegoose said:
I get the logic completely, the wear from the few seconds of rattles when starting a "dry" engine is probably more than driving it 1,000 miles at running temp, but I'm not sure if it's possible to restrict it from firing to allow you to crank the engine over for 10-20 seconds to circulate the oil. Is there a relay that can be removed maybe?
pull the fuse for the fuel pumpWaitforme said:
RDMcG said:
Started my GT3RS.2 yesterday. Kept n below-freezing conditions for last five months. Just had the Porsche charger on it. Started on first turn. Usual puff of smoke and everything normal.
Ah, back from the southern hibernation then I'd guess !I was in Arizona last month and saw temps in the 30's C.
The suggestion of warming up car by idling before driving off is actually damaging to engine. Oil protects the engine properly when it's warmed up, and it warms up much faster when driving than when idling. Starting a car in storage and running it up to temp then turning off again creates a lot of wear on the engine.
Suggest starting and driving off after 10 secs or so, driving lightly till warmed up fully.
Suggest starting and driving off after 10 secs or so, driving lightly till warmed up fully.
sleep envy said:
pull the fuse for the fuel pump
This is a popular recommendation but I'm not sure it offers any real benefit and could actually be worse then just starting the engine.The problem is the cranking speed is slow and this means the oil pump is slower in delivering oil. You have I'm sure observed upon starting your car's engine the engine RPMs zip up to nearly 2K and then drop down to either the hot idle RPM level or remain at the higher cold RPM level. There's a reason for this and one is I suspect that this gets the oil pump really cranking and the oil delivered while there is sufficient residual oil to keep metal to metal contacd at bay. I note every engine acts this way and there do not seem to be a goodly number of worn out engines. We have no real history with the crank the engine with the fuel pump removed to know if this is good, indifferent, or bad.
Additionally the cranking speed may be too low, below the threshold needed to form the hydrodynamic bearing (oil film) that the main/rod and other plain bearings need.
There is residual oil and this will form the hydrodynamic bearing but along with oil there needs to be speed and pressure. At cranking speed neither may be present in sufficient amounts and as a result the metal to metal contact one seeks to avoid by cranking the engine with the fuel pump fuse removed is in fact present and to add insult to injury self-inflicted.
My advice to the OP is to just start and run the engine. I'd let it idle a bit just to be sure everything is ok, there are no oil or other fluid leaks. After I'd stay close to home in case a leak or something else developed. Always my concern with a car left to sit unused is rodent infestation and the affects of this may not make themselves known right away.
mollytherocker said:
5 months? Has it been broken?
No, I bought it privately and wanted to give it a thorough clean and detail. I haven't just left it for 5 months - it's been regularly visited and pushed back and forth for access.I'm a driver not a detailer but I do like my cars 'right' once and then I can stay on top of them.
Once they've finally stopped gritting the roads and with longer days I should be able to use it regularly. At the moment the anticipation is half the fun.
Thanks for the input. I'll check it, start it and after the revs have settled take it out.
Edited by griffter on Wednesday 26th March 08:25
stratfordshark said:
The suggestion of warming up car by idling before driving off is actually damaging to engine. Oil protects the engine properly when it's warmed up, and it warms up much faster when driving than when idling. Starting a car in storage and running it up to temp then turning off again creates a lot of wear on the engine.
Suggest starting and driving off after 10 secs or so, driving lightly till warmed up fully.
If you are referring to my earlier post, read it again then you'll realise the above is not what I suggested. I simply suggested waiting until till the cold start routine is over. By that I mean emissions air pump ceases to operate and fast tick-over stops. This takes all of 2 minutes. Once it is over go for a steady drive and bring everything up to temp. Suggest starting and driving off after 10 secs or so, driving lightly till warmed up fully.
griffter said:
Well in the end I just got in and turned the key. It started (after 5 months) as though it last ran yesterday and ran perfectly on a drive out. A bit of condensation whilst idling (not unexpected - it was 5 degrees out).
I shall take the long way home!
You mean you didn't drain the fuel tank and refill with clean fuel, change the oil, then turn the engine over with the fuel pump fuse and spark plugs removed?I shall take the long way home!
Prepare for a trip to Hartech.
griffter said:
Well in the end I just got in and turned the key. It started (after 5 months) as though it last ran yesterday and ran perfectly on a drive out. A bit of condensation whilst idling (not unexpected - it was 5 degrees out).
I shall take the long way home!
Good on you. Like is too short to follow all the advice on here I shall take the long way home!
GregorFuk said:
You mean you didn't drain the fuel tank and refill with clean fuel, change the oil, then turn the engine over with the fuel pump fuse and spark plugs removed?
Prepare for a trip to Hartech.
I'm hoping that's sarcasm! Bit those are precisely the precautions I had in mind and might have taken with a different car. It's hardly the work of a moment on the booster though.Prepare for a trip to Hartech.
What did surprise me (given recent threads) was that the engine didn't even sound tappety.
griffter said:
I'm hoping that's sarcasm! Bit those are precisely the precautions I had in mind and might have taken with a different car. It's hardly the work of a moment on the booster though.
What did surprise me (given recent threads) was that the engine didn't even sound tappety.
Fear not. It was sarcasm.What did surprise me (given recent threads) was that the engine didn't even sound tappety.
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