Leaving my car idle for a week in the cold

[LuckyTaxi]

I'm leaving the country first week of feb and if today is any indication of what's to come, I may have to make plans for my car. There were days when it wouldnt want to cut over during the cold and I'm not looking forward to coming home after a week and the car not starting. what about frozen gas lines, is that possible? a friend of mine told me to disconnect the battery, is this advisable?

 

[Jugernot]

I live in Alaska and it gets damned cold here.... as long as your fluids are good (antifreeze is good at winter temps), you have a winter weight oil, and have a good battery... you'll be fine letting it sit.

After reading the subject line, I thought you meant you were going to let your car idle, running for a week straight.... :Q

Jugs

 

[LuckyTaxi]

yea after i hit the submit button i was like "crap watch someone think im running the car for a week!"

 

[iamwiz82]

A week is nothing. I wouldn't really worry about it.

 

[Vetterin]

Originally posted by: LuckyTaxi
yea after i hit the submit button i was like "crap watch someone think im running the car for a week!"

How big of a gas tank to you have in that thing? :laugh: Actually, I store my 85 Vette every winter in my mom's garage and all I do is disconnect the battery. It keeps it from slow drainning itself but if you are only going for a week you will be fine.

 

[MovingTarget]

Originally posted by: Vetterin

Originally posted by: LuckyTaxi
yea after i hit the submit button i was like "crap watch someone think im running the car for a week!"

How big of a gas tank to you have in that thing? :laugh: Actually, I store my 85 Vette every winter in my mom's garage and all I do is disconnect the battery. It keeps it from slow drainning itself but if you are only going for a week you will be fine.

That is what I was thinking... But to answer your real question, it will be fine. If you are looking to having it idle for a longer period (say if you were going to be out of the country for a few months), I'd suggest a trickle charger. Coleman makes a solar-powered version that works quite well for that purpose.

 

[DVad3r]

I wonder how long your car would last idling with a full tank of gas?

 

[StageLeft]

Nothing will happen in a week that wouldn't happen in a day of the car sitting and cooling entirely.

 

[AdamK47]

Originally posted by: LuckyTaxi
yea after i hit the submit button i was like "crap watch someone think im running the car for a week!"

That's what I thought. I was going to say do it.

 

[Q]

Originally posted by: AdamK47

Originally posted by: LuckyTaxi
yea after i hit the submit button i was like "crap watch someone think im running the car for a week!"

That's what I thought. I was going to say do it.

Those 3 cars in the sig yours?

You should put an actual goat picture instead of the GTO for the lulz

 

[AdamK47]

Originally posted by: Quintox

Originally posted by: AdamK47

Originally posted by: LuckyTaxi
yea after i hit the submit button i was like "crap watch someone think im running the car for a week!"

That's what I thought. I was going to say do it.

Those 3 cars in the sig yours?

You should put an actual goat picture instead of the GTO for the lulz

Photoshop that photo with a goat sticking it's head out of the pasenger side window and I'll replace it with that one.

 

[BarneyFife]

I wouldn't even worry if it was sitting for a month.

 

[Vetterin]

Originally posted by: DVad3r
I wonder how long your car would last idling with a full tank of gas?

From what I could find out it seems as a general rule of thumb most cars would use somewhere around 1/2 gal. +/- a few pints to idle for 1 hour. Actually, that doesn't seem too bad as I thought it might use much more. Does anyone want to put 12 gallons of gas in their car and see if it will idle for 1 day?? :shocked:

 

[DVad3r]

Originally posted by: Vetterin

Originally posted by: DVad3r
I wonder how long your car would last idling with a full tank of gas?

From what I could find out it seems as a general rule of thumb most cars would use somewhere around 1/2 gal. +/- a few pints to idle for 1 hour. Actually, that doesn't seem too bad as I thought it might use much more. Does anyone want to put 12 gallons of gas in their car and see if it will idle for 1 day?? :shocked:

Someone should invent a system that you install where it automatically turns on your car once a day and lets it idle for like 20 minutes to heat up and shuts off automatically while the doors and everything stay locked. It would be awesome for people who always go away for long amounts of time.

Good idea?

 

[funboy6942]

It probably wouldnt hurt to to actually take your battery out and put it in your home while you are gone, if it is going to be getting really, really cold. As far as fluids go, make sure to have a newish oil change, if not may want to do so and have your antifreeze tested. If your really going to be paranoid about your water freezing I guess you can always drain the system, but it in 2-3 gallon jugs, and keep them in the house with the battery. Main thing of it it all though if it were my car would to make sure I didnt have a thick weight oil in the car, something around 5w30, and to make sure my radiator had a 40/50 mix, NEVER fill with straight antifreeze for it is flammable in higher doses over 80%. You can also buy a engine block heater that you can plug into your ac outlet if you have one outside too. But what ever you do make sure to get at least your antifreeze tested, if that freezes the expanding water will crack your head or block, and that will cost a lot to fix.

Also DO not waste your money of premix 50/50, thats a waste of your money and should buy full strength in the bottle.

 

[thedarkwolf]

Originally posted by: DVad3r

Originally posted by: Vetterin

Originally posted by: DVad3r
I wonder how long your car would last idling with a full tank of gas?

From what I could find out it seems as a general rule of thumb most cars would use somewhere around 1/2 gal. +/- a few pints to idle for 1 hour. Actually, that doesn't seem too bad as I thought it might use much more. Does anyone want to put 12 gallons of gas in their car and see if it will idle for 1 day?? :shocked:

Someone should invent a system that you install where it automatically turns on your car once a day and lets it idle for like 20 minutes to heat up and shuts off automatically while the doors and everything stay locked. It would be awesome for people who always go away for long amounts of time.

Good idea?

Better off just letting it sit

 

[Twista]

Originally posted by: LuckyTaxi
yea after i hit the submit button i was like "crap watch someone think im running the car for a week!"

I did...

 

[dug777]

Originally posted by: Twista

Originally posted by: LuckyTaxi
yea after i hit the submit button i was like "crap watch someone think im running the car for a week!"

I did...

I assume nothing happened except it ran a bit out of sorts until you'd taken it for a good long warm run?

 

[bruceb]

You know by going back to your Initial Post, that you can Edit the Title of the post.

 

[desy]

Most command starts for sale around here have temperature control so if it dips below say -20 it will start it , warm it up, and shut off periodically.

 

[ViviTheMage]

I let my car sit for 2 or so weeks in -20's F temps...started up fine when I got back.

 

[LTC8K6]

As for idling, my scangauge2 says that my 5.7L hemi burns .70gph at idle. That's after a full warm-up on a cold ~30F day.

So, it would idle for approximately 30 hours on a full tank.