The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Maintenance Running?

Should an engine be started and ran weekly for 10 minutes or so if it is not going to be driven for a couple years? My project truck's 235 is in excellent condition but being a project, the truck won't be on the road for at least another year or two. I currently start it up every Sunday and let it run until it warms up and shut it down. Should I keep doing this or just let it sit until everything else is done?

I think you're overdoing it, but it won't hurt. I think once a month would be fine. What you need to do is get it nice and hot so that any moisture in the oil or crankcase/valve cover spaces gets evaporated off.

Yes, 10 minutes is just enough to create blowby gases and condensation that will then stay in the oil and degrade it, cause rust, etc.

Get the engine up to operating temperature as if you are on a 30 minute cruise. Of course don't let ethanol fuel sit in the tank, fuel lines, or carb. Use non ethanol fuel and run it dry.

Otto is right (yes, I know who that is!).
Oil temp tracks load, letting it warm up in park does nothing.
If you're not going to drive it aggressively (not laps around the block) don't start it at all.

20 years ago my cousin showed me the dipstick of his 57 Chevy 2 dr. ht. 283. Rust. He would frown, fuss and cuss. 5 days a week his wife would drive it 3 miles and park it in a lot to catch a ride sharing bus to work. Reverse process coming home. He couldn't get his wife to understand that the car needed to be driven further to burn off the crankcase moisture. He had to change the engine oil frequently.

Ditto on the Ethanol comment above.

Thanks for the help everybody. I love this place! I was under the impression that it would be better to let it run every once in awhile, but it definitely makes sense that it would create more of a problem with condensation and gases building up. I'll take the battery out and let it sit. Thanks again!!

Read the Tech Tip “Seasonal Advice” on storage. Click on Tech Tips at the top of the page.

I suggest using nothing but non ethanol gas and adding Stabil. Do one more warm-up to insure the Stabil made it thru the whole fuel system. Others may suggest fogging the engine to protect the inside from rusting. I’ve never done that but I do run a dehumidifier in my garage and I let my truck and my wife’s VW Eos convertible sit for the winter months and have had no issues.

stlouis cardinals guy you could let it get really warm fog with marvel M.O. then give it 3 months,those Sunday runs will probably condense especially when it's humid.

I left one with a well worn-in 216 in the driveway for 18 years without ever starting it. One day, I cleaned the points, filled it with fresh gas and a new 6 volt battery, and it fired right up as soon as gas made it to the carburetor. It purred like a kitten just like it did 18 years prior.
Do I recommend that storage procedure? No.

Pretty lucky, well worn was the key!

Ed

That engine was the smoothest running engine I have have ever owned. The wear was evidently evenly distributed. I retired it rather than rebuild it due to a nasty crack in the water jacket. I drove the wheels off of that truck with that engine. The rest of the truck was a basket case.