Winterizing: do I have to change the oil with less than 1,000 miles on?

I am having the LN bearing fitted which conveniently mean I get the oil and filter done just before I get to winterize the car. I probably would have put only 200 or so miles on it as we are coming to the end of fall and I�m not ready to put it away yet. I have a business trip coming up with a 5-700 mile round trip, I�d love to do it in the car as a final drive before winter. Should I change the oil again, or will it be ok as it will have just finished a good 250+ mile drive to help burn off any fuel and water in it?

It's new oil, why wouldn't it be OK?

I read you should change your oil if you store your car over a period of time due to the contaminents in the oil (From the car running) can corrode and damage the engine. I dont imagine it will be a problem but just wanted to check with others with more experience of winterizing cars

I never change oil before storage. But it's the first thing I do when getting a car out of storage. Nick

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It is a good idea to put the car away with fresh oil/filter which means the oil has the lowest level of acidity ever. OTOH, given the type of driving you plan on doing 1K miles on the oil shouldn't contaminate the oil that much. Yet I have to point out that there is a cost to "storing" a car for some time every year and this cost is preventative maintenance/service to keep to a minimum any risk of damage (corrosion on this case) from the car/engine sitting unused. I note too you are having the LN bearing upgrade done and the oil/fiilter changed at that time. But any engine work of that sort will result in an increase in debris the engine sheds as it runs and thus the oil after the upgrade will be a bit dirtier than it would have been otherwise though the filter will trap this dirt. So, given the trade off and risks (albeit low) my thinking would be to err on the side of caution -- I mean you already feel compelled to put the car away for the winter vs. exposing it to outside elements -- and change the oil/filter before putting the car away to ensure the inside of the car, the engine anyhow, is not exposed to the elements (so to speak) while idle over the winter months. An advantage is since you put some mile so the engine after the LN bearing uprade and put the car away with fresh oil the next oil change you can examine the filter housing oil and element and know anything you see is since the last oil change which should have seen the worst of the uptick in debris removed at the last oil change. Sincerely, Macster.

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The best analogy for this came from another Rennlister. I wish I could remember the handle or the thread: "If you work really hard all day, build up a good sweat and get all dirty, would you shower before you go to bed or in the morning?"

Let common sense be your guide. Furthering Targatoo's analogy - In your case you haven't "worked all day" and "gotten all sweaty". You got up late in the morning, , had a shower, kicked around the house, walked to the corner store for a pint of milk, relaxed some more, then ate dinner and watched a movie on Netflix. Are you going to shower before going to bed?

LOL^^^

Waste of money and polar bears to change it.

Ha, too funny. If you really want to remove it to eliminate exposure of the aluminum interior parts to corrosion, why not just drain it into a clean sealed container and use it for your next mid-next-year oil change... no one said you had to throw it out right (that would be wasteful)? Best of both worlds then... clean oil for storage (so you can rest) and no waste of perfectly good oil. Go get a $6 new drain pan so you have clean storage and save the planet man! I'm here for you! BTW - I would not change it if it were me, and I am pretty **** retentive. 9 quarts of synthetic can handle way more contaminants than 1k could throw at it... it's probably 10% use up, maybe. Not worth the hastle since this will not be the reason you stop driving your car one day... it will not be the limiting factor of ownership. Let us know what you decide!

Well after much debate I decided to just get the gearbox fixed and not change the IMS to the LN bearing, mine isnt causing me issues, after 40k the clutch is perfect and there is no sign of oil from the IMS or RMS, tech even checked the AOS and it was in good shape. So after much reading I had to make the call today whether to have it changed or not, I chose not. I'll take my chances on the IMS front. So when I get the car back it will have 3,000 miles on the oil, so I'd drive it another 700-1,000 miles, change it before winter and send an oil sample for analysis.

Sounds like a good decision to me. ^

Move to Florida and drive year-round! Giving it some thought...why fret about it all winter and debate in your mind whether you should have or not? An oil change is nothing and if it gives you peace of mind you should just do it.

I also question if changing the oil is really needed before storage if the oil has a few thousand miles on it. Years ago before advanced synthetics became available I could see the reasoning for changing oil before storage. Especially since the cost was reasonable. A fully synthetic oil includes a very comprehensive additive package which is designed to encapsulate particulate and also maintain a proper ph for extended drain intervals. So why not stick with the Porsche recommended yearly schedule?

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When a car is sitting for months, oil just sits in the pan. Change oil before start up or soon there after. Nick

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That's correct as far as you have taken it. But the oil sits everywhere, well, is retained in a number of places in the engine besides the oil sump/pan. For instance it is in the valve lifters. The minute the engine stops running the oil begins to stratify. Any contaminates like unburned gas or water seek their own layers. The water at the bottom of whereve the oil is and the unburned gas at the top. The water is almost certainly itself contaminated with acidic compounds thus there is a layer of acid under an accumulation of oil In the sump this acid attacks the sump metal. In the valve lifters it attacks the extremly high precision components, their fits, finishes, that are the zero lash adjusters. Sure oil with low miles doesn't have much of thus stuff but remember we are not talking about the engine going unused just overnight but for months. Months during which this acid can work its evil. I still say that the best course of action when putting a car away for the winter is to do so with the oil as fresh as possible. Ideally the oil/filter is changed just before the car is due to be put away, the engine is run enough to check the oil level and the car then possibly taken for one last farewell drive -- as long as weather conditions permit -- then with other precautions taken tucked away for its winter slumber. Sincerely, Macster.

Similar question...I currently have just under 5,000 miles since the last oil change and plan to put about another 1,000 miles on my 83K mile '99 C2 before a 3 month winter rest. Should I change the oil now or wait until I am ready to put it in storage? This is my DD with occasional spirited driving but nothing too extreme. I have not had to add oil since I purchased it in April when the oil was last changed (I also had the IMSB, RMS, AOS and clutch replaced when purchased).

change it at 6k when your ready to put it away

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Depends.......... lady offering access to her charms??????????? don wanna wear yer "welcome" out!

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LOL ^^^ It's interesting I go to sleep dirty sometimes after having worked on cars. This also coincides with me not changing the oil religiously before storing any of my cars. It's also interesting that I'm able to get away with this considering my wife sleeps next to me. I guess it's better to have brown stains on your pillow than in the middle of the bed. Who's seen that FRAM commercial? That's me....