How often should I start my 4G63?

[4gfun]

My Galant VR-4 is not my DD. I want to make sure that I get her started every once in a while though while I work on different parts of her.

Does anyone have any thoughts on how often I should start her?

How often do I need to drive her and how far do I have to drive her?

Thank you!

 

[Niteninja01]

Well how long is the car going to be sitting for? And if it's going to a long time just start it up once a week. You don't really have to drive it my down the driveway, just to keep the break seals good.
If you were just to let it sit for along time seal would start to wear out. It happened to my bosses 70 chevelle.

 

[4gfun]

Well how long is the car going to be sitting for? And if it's going to a long time just start it up once a week. You don't really have to drive it my down the driveway, just to keep the break seals good.
If you were just to let it sit for along time seal would start to wear out. It happened to my bosses 70 chevelle.

Thanks, no telling how long it's gonna sit for. I know it might sound crazy, but I blew up my first 2 91 DSM's and the more this sits the better!

I'll just start it once a week.

 

[JMiller]

You might want to drive it a mile every week or 2 just to get everything moving and warmed up(motor, tranny, etc.) but if you cant just make sure you start it and let it warm up.

 

[Niteninja01]

I would probley put some fuel stablizer in, especally if has a full tank depending on far your going to drive it. You don't want that gas going bad on you.

 

[C_Keagy]

I'm sitting in afghanistan and I have a friend starting up mine once a week while I'm gone.

 

[Boiler2]

I was out of the country for 3 years and had it started once a month and driven 2 miles or so after warmup. Came back and drove it 12 hours to my new home without issue. Hopefully this gives some insight. Had a battery issue in the winter initially which was solved by using a trickle charger for that period. Other than that, no issues with seals or anything else.

 

[jnbracing]

The trickle charger is a good idea. I try to start mine every few days if I'm not driving it just to keep everything lubricated.

 

[nyTalonTsi]

You don't really have to start it.

Depending on how long it will sit, id just change the oil and maybe the coolant.

Disconnect the battery and trickle charge if you choose to.

 

[99gst214]

I would recomend starting it up bout once a week and driving it at the same time if possible. I would get a trickle charger with float mode!

 

[DSM1G90]

Just start the thing, put it in gear and drive it as it's supposed to be driven. Doing these once a week startups to just warm it up, keeping the fluids going and that other nonsense, without putting the thing in motion is worse on them than doing the DD thing.

For all you're doing is keeping the motor active while the rest of the car is being wasted away - like tires will develop flat spots that will never roll out, bearings will do the same, movable joints will be affected as well, et.al.

-DSM

 

[firefighter]

Don't just take the car for a spin or warm up in the driveway you end up doing more damage doing things that way.You'll end up ruining the exhaust system, it will end up rotting out from the inside because of all the moisture.If you use e85 gas you'll get extra water in your fuel system this is because of the alcohol in the gas. Remember alcohol absorbs moisture{dry gas} I could go on and on.The best thing to do is to winterize the car like a inboard boat. just remember do not cover the car in a plastic tarp get a nice fitting car cover or better yet if you could store it indoors all the better.

 

[davidreckless]

I would recommend driving it at highway speeds for 30 minutes every couple of weeks or so, just to keep the gas from settling and to help burn excess build up in the exhaust system.

 

[DSM1G90]

Big issue is to get the oil at operating temperature of 265*F, for if you don't, the oil will absorb any form of moisture within the block and will cause the oil to break down quicker.

Simple storage procedures, is to take the tires off and inflate them to 40 lbs with laying them on their side and block the vehicle up on blocks, disconnect and remove the battery and set it away from the vehicle, but have a full tank of gas so to reduce the moisture condensation that can develop in empty tanks with a stabilizer.

 

[dsmfa9nutter]

Here you go:


Change oil before storage.
Sta-bil in the gas, run car AFTER to get sta-bil throughout fuel system.
Pull spark plugs and spray fogging oil into cylinders.
Remove battery from car and trickle charge it somewhere warm.


That's it. Letting it idle long enough to get to operating temps will wash down the cylinder walls. Driving it out on the salted roads and then parking it is begging for the car to rot from the bottom up.

 

[caboose]

my car has set outside for 5 vermont winters with no issues, i am not saying this is ideal but i haven't noticed anything terrible happen to it. I am more worried about mice/rodents getting into it, having it sitting is the least of my worries.

 

[4gfun]

How about driving it once a week to the commuter lot? Commute is 8 miles each way. Would this be enough?

I like to save gas with my DD and want to preserve the GVR4 for a brighter day.

Thanks

 

[mosul210]

During my last deployment I had my family drive my car once per month. Ideally I would prefer them to drive it once every two weeks, but once monthly was fine. I did not have any issues what-so-ever after 13 months of deployment.

Now the previous deployment my car sat for months without being driven. The tires were flat - ruined beyond repair. Also the battery was dead - besides that the rest was fine.

Bottom line, I would recommend the car being driven shortly once every 2 weeks.

 

[4gfun]

During my last deployment I had my family drive my car once per month. Ideally I would prefer them to drive it once every two weeks, but once monthly was fine. I did not have any issues what-so-ever after 13 months of deployment.

Now the previous deployment my car sat for months without being driven. The tires were flat - ruined beyond repair. Also the battery was dead - besides that the rest was fine.

Bottom line, I would recommend the car being driven shortly once every 2 weeks.

Wow, I know the feeling...I have had people sell me cars that had flat spots on em and they blew up!

I'll just drive it to the commuter lot every week or two.

 

[DSM1G90]

How about driving it once a week to the commuter lot? Commute is 8 miles each way. Would this be enough?

As long as you get the oil hot enough. Yet, in all due actuality, getting it on a freeway to get it up to highway speeds would be a lot more helpful on it instead of just town driving so you can keep the carbon levels down in the motor. That way, even the fluid in the tranny can get warmed up as well.

 

[4gfun]

As long as you get the oil hot enough. Yet, in all due actuality, getting it on a freeway to get it up to highway speeds would be a lot more helpful on it instead of just town driving so you can keep the carbon levels down in the motor. That way, even the fluid in the tranny can get warmed up as well.

Good info! Most of my driving is in town.