Question Changing engine oil before or after storage

[Joe Hogan]

I see many folks store their powered equipment without changing fluids, leaving that task to before the first trip in camping season.
It has always been my practice to change engine oil and any other fluid in need of changing prior to storage.
My thinking is to remove any built up acids and moisture prior to storage.

Thoughts?

 

[Neal]

I'm no expert in this area so my response is worth $.0001 but in my opinion I'll change it based on the service schedule and not storage. For example I have it changed annually at FL. If I hit a mileage that required the change then that would be the other trigger for a change. I think history has shown we are changing oil too frequently. Remember when cars was 3,000, then I think it went to 7500, and now it's per your engine life monitor.

 

[MapNerd]

What @Neal said but if I were part timing and my unit saw 6+ months of storage time, I can see how one might find it more convenient and easier to keep track of by just doing prior to or coming out of storage.

In that case, I would probably do it coming out of storage. Doing it before storage, your fresh fluids are just going to sit, just like the old fluids would have. Not necessarily bad, but I don’t think there is a huge advantage to one or the other except that if you do it when coming out of storage, there is zero question about the quality of your fluids. Also, if you do it before storage and the unit ends up sitting a lot, lot longer than expected, then maybe you just wasted fluids.

 

[Texas Clodhopper]

When attending Camp Freightliner many years ago, the instructor recommended changing fluids prior to storage. His rationale was the oil contains acid along with other contaminants.

 

[Joe Hogan]

Looking up this topic on the Rectangle Of Knowledge, i.e. IPhone, there are many opinions. Here is the closest technical source I can quickly find

RV 101® – Should I Start my Motorhome when it’s in Storage?

Question: We own a motorhome and my question is; when we are not using it, and this could be for several months at a time, should I start the engine periodically? Mark’s Answer: The quick answ…

rvingwithmarkpolk.com

 

[Neal]

Over the years I've discovered the RV community is full of "experts" and a lot of the same questions are repeated over and over, primarily on Facebook groups. Tank treatments, tire pressures, tire covers, on and on, it almost gets entertaining at times (or sad to see, not sure which). The best resource is probably the manufacturer of your engine, or a service center. The question will come down to "how long will it be in storage?", "What type of oil is in it?" If years is one thing, 2-3 months is probably different. I know Mike at Camp FL makes people think you should also store on plywood so your tires are not in contact with Earth. But the question is how many years does it take before some action like this (or myth, we need mythbusters) has any benefit?

What's more acidic, new oil or used oil? And that also depends on the type of oil. Synthetic, Mineral, etc.

 

[Scooterfan]

Yikes...you're supposed to change the oil I do it based on mileage and only when it's a bright sunny day and my back doesn't hurt (too much). Now, about those water tanks...Blessings to ALL

 

[Joe Hogan]

As in many topics, the term Storage is relative. To your point Neal, the length of "Storage" drives what type of "preparation" is necessary. Also, the type of fuel, Gasoline or Diesel, makes a difference. Also, in my case 7 qts of oil vs a diesels' gallons of oil makes a difference as well.
When I lived up North in Snow country, VT, MN, etc. storage was for six months or more. Winter was Cold. Storage prep was necessary to avoid damage from freezing, etc.
Now Living in Florida near the Atlantic brings different concerns with storage, mostly corrosion, sun and heat related issues.
Storage in our case is two to three months, not such a big deal.
However, old habits never die. With our gasoline powered RV I religiously make my annual oil service at the beginning of storage. If we have a busy year with many miles, an additional oil service might be necessary during season. No more than 5,000 miles between oil and grease services as recommended for 'heavy duty service' by Ford.

 

[Neal]

Hmmm, would I do my annual service prior to or after storage...I ask myself. I'd lean towards wanting fresh oil for when the oil has to do its job, driving. Do you want new oil sitting for months?

 

[MapNerd]

But the question is how many years does it take before some action like this (or myth, we need mythbusters) has any benefit?

RV Mythbusters would be a heck of a YouTube channel. But it has to be done to the level of the original myth busters. I’m willing to start this channel. Just need some donor RVs.

 

[MapNerd]

If oil contains acid (news to me, but okay) I would presume it has to be a very mild acid. No manufacturer of sound mind would allow for any oil with a strong enough acid to do damage to internal components to go into their engine - regardless of oil age and similarly no oil manufacturer would produce something like that without using some pretty obvious warnings on their packaging about the products intended use.

But let’s say the acid is there. Surely it’s not harmful when the oil is fresh right? So is the logic that the oil becomes more acidic as contaminates increase? I don’t buy it. Under that logic, you should store with the oil drained which seems like an awful idea.

 

[Joe Hogan]

Typically the acid in motor oil comes as a by product of combustion. The Sulphur content in fuels, currently limited by EPA regs, contaminate the oil via blow by and residue on cylinder walls.
The Sulphur combined with moisture from the air intake creates sulphuric acid. This along with other contaminants are collected, hopefully in suspension, in engine oil. This is one reason for regular oil changes.

Sulphur in Fuels EPA Standards for Fuel Sulfur | US EPA

 

[AbdRahim]

I asked at the light truck place that services my gas powered chassis. His thought was when taking out of storage. I was doing both. An extra 7 qts of oil a year is alot cheaper than any long term damage.

 

[Gizmo]

My engine manual on my Cummins states to change every 15,000 miles or 1 year. We store our Nov and Dec then head south in Jan for the rest of winter. We normally travel 10,000 to 12,000 miles per year and even in 2020, we logged close to 12,000 miles. So every Nov we have Freightliner change all filters and oils and do a safety inspection preparing for the next year's travels. This works well for us and we are not somewhere that we are not sure of the quality of service we will receive or how long it will take to get into service. We have built a relationship with our local Freightliner service center. This works for us....

PS In my state to get tags on a 1-ton truck is 1390 bucks to get tags on my 40 foot DP is 299. Switching to the motorhome SO FAR has saved us money because we can get our service is done at Freightliner for 800-900 dollars still have money left over for a few steak dinners. We have had zero engine repairs since we owned our motorhome.

 

[J&JD]

I’m with the camp that changes the 28 qts (good grief!) of oil in the Cummins every year/12k miles only because I’m an anal individual. However, I would be willing to bet that if you only changed the oil every 5 years/60k miles that big old Cummins would be ok, even if you stored it for a year.

Change the oil before or after storage as it’s just not going to make much difference in your engine for the time you will own the vehicle.

 

[Joe Hogan]

Unfortunately many of my engrained thoughts are from many years ago. Thoughts on oil is no different.
Pre Synthetic engine oil, sludge and oxidation/contamination participating out of used oil sitting for extend periods was an issue. Consequently formed sludge in engine oil pans and other parts of the engine.
Back in the 1960s and early 70s when I had the opportunity(?) to disassemble various engines to find copious amounts of sludge build up in oil pans (back when I purchased many used cars for CHEAP) and valve trains from poorly serviced vehicles. That memory has stuck with me.
Now that we have Low Sulfur fuels and Synthetic Engine oils, these issues may be a thing of the past or at least less common.
Next oil change I am going to take a sample and let it sit for 3 months or so to see if contaminates still participate out.

 

[Neal]

Also consider an oil analysis, in fact why not just do that now?

 

[Texas Clodhopper]

Blackstone can tell you probably more than you need to know about your oil.

Oil Analysis | Blackstone Laboratories

Learn what's going on in your engine with oil analysis. Our free kits are easy to use and we explain the results in plain English! Since 1985.

www.blackstone-labs.com

 

[AbdRahim]

Unfortunately many of my engrained thoughts are from many years ago. Thoughts on oil is no different.
Pre Synthetic engine oil, sludge and oxidation/contamination participating out of used oil sitting for extend periods was an issue. Consequently formed sludge in engine oil pans and other parts of the engine.
Back in the 1960s and early 70s when I had the opportunity(?) to disassemble various engines to find copious amounts of sludge build up in oil pans (back when I purchased many used cars for CHEAP) and valve trains from poorly serviced vehicles. That memory has stuck with me.
Now that we have Low Sulfur fuels and Synthetic Engine oils, these issues may be a thing of the past or at least less common.
Next oil change I am going to take a sample and let it sit for 3 months or so to see if contaminates still participate out.

In the north country it sits for 7 months.