Priming engine after storage before firing it up?

Just crossed my mind and wanted to know what you guys have to say about starting an engine after storage... I made the mistake of not storing it in fully heated garage. The garage is attached to the house and is insulated but it's not heated... I was wondering if there is anyway to disable the fuel pump without getting any lights to go off on the dash. Ideally I would like to give it a few clicks to get the oil up/distributed. Or would it be easier to somehow disable the ignition in order to prime things up... Once spring time comes, I am def expecting some smoke out the tail, the only issue that concerns me is the few seconds after it fires up.

I wouldn't worry about a thing.....except a dead battery.

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I got the battery tender on, and check it occasionally. I am just wondering about that first start up, and the fact that I didn't store it in a heated place. The way the weather fluctuates here is crazy.

I just fired up my 996 for the first time since mid November this past weekend. I keep the Porsche battery maintainer on it and it fired up without an issue.

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I'm not just going to fire it up and let it idle for a few minutes. Once I fire it up, i'll be driving gently till the highway and then go for a long run so it could reach it's proper driving temp. No need to just start it once in a while for kicks...

I still wouldn't worry about priming the motor..

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There's some debate about the need to dry crank the engine after a long period of inactivity. Unless the engine has been apart or unless the car/engine has sat for too long (too long? I spotted a 993 Turbo S the other day that had sat unused for around 3 years and it required new fuel pump, fuel lines, injectors and some other attention so the engine would crank and start and run -- that's *too* long) there's no real need but you can if you want. Remove the fuel pump fuse and you should be able to turn the key to on and start and crank the engine some and it won't fire. Don't crank too long: 10 seconds or so -- just my WAG -- and then wait a while to let the starter cool before you crank the engine again. OTOH, you could just start the engine. The engine oil pump will put out plenty of oil from the outset -- gear pumps are like that -- and the oil flows immediately. There is some residual oil on the various oil passages, bearing interfaces so it is not like the engine's oiling system is dry as it would be had the engine been apart for some work. But it is your call. There is no real harm in pulling the fuse and dry cranking the engine and if you feel better after having done it, well, that's worth something. Sincerely, Macster.

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Thank you Macster for this reply. You are dead on in what I was trying to point out. When I remove the fuse, would this trigger any ECU indicators which in turn would involve any CEL's? Or you think disabling the ignition would be a better option? Those split seconds after start up literally shave engine life off!

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Well, I don't quite think we are in agreement on the severity of the issue. Given reasonable time span of inactivity, non-use -- and my WAG is that non-use during the winter season is a reasonable span of inactivity -- the engine still has plently of oil at the various critical points and there is no wear at startup. It doesn't take much oil to meet the needs of a cold engine at startup. Much is made of the time (second or two) for the oil pressure gage to react/show full cold oil pressure of 4 to 5 bar but oil pressure and oil flow are not the same thing. Oil flows right now as soon as that gear pump starts to turn. The oil pressure sensor is my Porsche techs tell me located quite a distance away from the pump about as far away as it can be, so it will lag a bit in showing/registering oil pressure since oil flow has to expel any air that got into the oil lines and goes to refill any zero lash injectors that bled down over time. Besides as I have mentioned oil remains most everywhere and this residual oil is enough to form a suitable hydrodynamic bearing oil film at cranking speed and to sustain this film for the time it takes fresh pumped oil to reach the bearings. But as I said earlier it is up to the owner to do what he feels he needs to do and if you want to remove the fuel pump fuse and dry crank the engine once or several times after a long period of inactivity before starting the engine the first time I see no harm in this. I do not believe the check engine light will come on. Since the engine doesn't start/run and the DME of course can't enter closed loop mode emissions are not even being monitored yet, let alone affected, and the DME generally only records an error code in the case emissions are negatively affected. But of course you are on your own. Should the check engine light come on, well, I was wrong. Also, remember during cranking the DME will still trigger fuel injector openings and raw fuel will be sprayed into the engine combustion chambers. This operation of the injectors with the fuel pump disabled will of course empty the fuel lines and the injectors will operate 'dry'. I do not think this short time exposure to operating dry will have any substantial impact on their life but no guarantees. Also, this raw fuel will tend to remain in the cylinders cause there is no combustion to help vaporize this fuel so it gets carried out with the exhaust gases, and this liquid fuel will tend wash away cylinder wall lubrication though again though I think the short time exposure, the very few times the pistons run up and down the cylinders, that there'll be any substantial impact on cylinder wall/piston/ring life. Sincerely, Macster.

I had a little bit of smoke on start up in late March last year after the car sat from Mid Nov. No worries - smoke went away in less then a minute. Can't see where the wear would be worse then what I put throught it on a track day!

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Most likely a major factor of the smoke was the stale gas or just some residual oil from the AOS draining down the intake runner walls into one or more cylinders over time. The oil aint' going anywhere until the engine starts anyhow. Also, these engines can smoke a bit upon a startup after sitting overnight after last being used. A bit of start up smoke after sitting some months is nothing to worry about, unless of course it doesn't stop or appears after the 1st start at subsequent starts, or is accompanied by noises, or other signs of engine distress. There is negligible wear from the track use. I have yet to see any significant numbers (make that any) owners who track these cars reporting the engine is knackered after some track time. Sure some engines suffer from some mechanical failure from the higher stresses finding the weakest link in the engine, so to speak, but worn out? I have read of any reports. And there is negligible wear from the first cold start after the car has sat a while. Again I have yet to see any reports from any owners reporting the engine has bearing knocks, oil pressure issues, flat camshaft lobes, none of the usual symptoms of wear at any of the possible wear points when these longer term storage cars are brought out at the beginning of the season. Doesn't happen. All I can remember reading about are problems associated with the lack of use: dead battery; stale gas; leaking RMS or perhaps from some other area; and once in a while rodent damage. Sincerely, Macster.

Yah the old gas and oil is what I'd worry about. Disappearing into the desert for a year I like to change the oil and do a fill up on gas with a 2 year dose of fuel stabilizer. Then upon returning its easy to burn a tank of gas in no time flat then fill the tank with injector and fuel system cleaner. The fuel sitting in the fuel rails and injectors is what I'd worry about getting gummy then gumming up or plugging injectors. There's some product called sea foam or something like that guys praise as being great. I don't know where to get it. Anyway with the fuel in the rails and such I've figured the whole rail dried up or drained and got laquered when returning after a year since the first start I'd hear the fuel pumps having to pump the system full of fuel again taking much longer than usual.

Up here in the North country, it is 11 below zero right now, we just consider it long term parking. To put them away, I just up the tire pressuer, fill with gas to the top to prevent condensation, put in a can of Sea Foam, wash, dry, wax, disconnect the battery and say goodnight. We have 450 club members in the Minneapoils area and no reports of long term problems. We prefer to just put them away and leave them alone. Fire them up in the spring once the salt is washed off the roads, get some heat in the engine and drive it like you stole it!

I like that answer ^^^^^

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I concur with pretty much everything you said. But one of my questions still has not been answered about an error code appearing. Either way I think i'll pull the fuse out. The only thing I do not agree with you is this comment "raw fuel will be sprayed into the engine combustion chambers" I think that no fuel should be sprayed if the fuel pump is not energized. By not being energized it cannot build up to the adequate specified fuel pressure specs in order for the injectors to spray fuel. I know this isn't a severe case, but I have a pretty new engine and want to maintain it as best as possible.

It does not matter if the engine is fairly new. Priming is very important for an engine that has just been built or rebuilt since oil has not yet coated the critical areas. I f our engine has ran before and hasn't sat for years all of the vital components of your engine will still have a coating of oil and will prevent damage you are afraid of.

I am almost positive it will not throw a CEL. Even if it does all you have to do is disconnect the battery for a few minutes and it will go away. It's not going to hurt your car one bit.

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It's true, It's a basic finish of a rebuilt engine, prime that sucker! Then run for a while and do a good oil change to get any excess stuff out. That first start up after 5-6 months in hibernation is what gets me. To us it's a second and a half of "OooH Ya It's Alive!" but to the engine it's "Ouch". I'm going to pull the fuse out, let it spray a bit, then start it.

I bought an old Mustang a few years back that sat in a guys backyard for almost 5 years. I pulled the engine out and looked everything over. The main bearings still had a nice coating of motor oil on them. I think you'll be just fine.

Hey, Yesterday the roads in NY were finally dry enough and clear enough to take my car out. It hasn't moved much since November. Anyway, it's been sitting with only 1/8 tank of fuel. I meant to fill it but didn't get a chance. The car started right up and ran fine. But after about 5 minutes of driving it started running rough and then felt like it was only running on 5 cylinders. The CEL came on and would flash then be on steady. I filled the tank with fuel, but the problem continued. I stopped to do a little shopping. When I got back in the car, the engine ran fine and was smooth the rest of time (about 10 miles). The CEL is still on but I bet it goes off soon. I don't know if the problem is fuel or electric. If I feel motivated I may change the plugs this weekend. So next time I will definitely add some fuel stabilizer before winter gets here. Normally I drive the car at least once a month, but this has not been a normal winter. Barry

are you worried about oil starvation upon start up?

Some vehicles when stored get put up on blocks to get the pressure off the tires so they don't get flat spots. I've come home to hairline cracks in the side walls which wasn't what I liked since the bike and tires were only a year and a half old. I think the best is to just keep the vehicle used once in a while. Of course when I had a guy ride my bike while I was gone he only got one ride in and informed me when he got back the bike has too much power. Whats with a brave guy like my friend not liking a 1 hp to 2.2 pounds bike. It's only like driving a 911 with 1,300+hp while sitting on a milk maids stool, sheeze guys these days. Long live the liter super bikes.

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The engine's behavior is typical of 'bad gas', the gas going bad over the time the car sat unused. Premium grades of gas don't have a a long shelf life. A Evo mag test of gasolines (in the UK) found differences in the test vehicle's behavior, output from fillups from various stations that was attributed to the gas just being 'old' because the station wasn't as busy as others. Before you put the car away you should have treated the gas to some stablization additive and run the engine a bit to ensure all fuel lines, even up to the injectors were charged with the gasoline with the additive present. Also, it wouldn't have been a bad idea to fill the tank to nearly full. This submerges all fuel lines, the pump, the fuel level sensor/hardware, etc. in gasoline. In addition this puts the current blend of gas in the tank. What can happen is a car is not used much and gas bought during say the summer season remains in the gas tank on into the fall and colder temps. This summer gas is blended to not as readily vaporize to avoid problems from high ambient temperatures that of course occur in the summer driving season. But in colder weather this gasoline is at a disadvantage because it can't as readily vaporize as gasoline blended for use in colder weather and this can manifest itself in the symptoms you describe. By filling up the gas tank in Nov. before you put the car away chances are very high you would have filled up the tank with fresh gas and gas blended for the colder temps of winter. You can replace the plugs if you want but my opinion is that unles they are due to be changed because of miles or time they're ok and do not need to be changed. Sincerely, Macster.

Bit of a thread jack here; What if it has been 7 years with no pre-storage prep? I'm trying to help a friend with a 993 who realized he f'd up by putting the car away hot & wet. I 'm guessing that the gas is like jello or old varnish. I can see that oiling the cylinders and turning over by hand will help. What else can go wrong with 7 years of storage?

Don't start that car without draining the fuel tank first. The gas has gone bad, if you try to run the car as-is you'll create a whole new host of problems. Yes, remove the plugs and put a couple of ounces of Marvel Mystery oil in the cylinders and turn the engine over by hand with the plugs out.

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What else can go wrong? Everything or nothing. Almost certainly in this case the fuel tank, pump, filter, lines, and even the injectors are suspect of being harmed in one way or another from the gas sitting so long. Earlier in this thread I mentioned a 993 Turbo S that had sat 3 years and the fuel pump, filter, lines and injectors were plugged with dried fuel residue. They were all replaced. I do not know what was done to the gas tank but almost certainly the fuel level sensor was also probably ruined beyond use. Ignoring the fuel system and I'm sure all the attention it will need, I'd drain the oil (with the engine cold of course) then refill with fresh oil of the proper type/grade. Remove and replace the engine air filter. The cabin filter too. (Hope neither show signs of any rodents!) Remove the spark plugs. Remove the fuel pump fuse. You can squirt a bit of engine oil (I do not like any other oil in the engine) into each spark plug hole. Do not over do this. You want maybe a tablespoon or so. Remember too that with the plugs removed the piston will blow some of this oil out of the plug hole so you might want to rig up something (foil?) to prevent this from blowing over the surfaces across from the plug holes. Now ideally you would want to turn the engine over by hand in the proper direction. Why? In case one or more open valves have stuck in their guides and a closed valve can stick too but off course the cam lobe will move this valve, not the piston. By hand means you turn the engine over gently/slowly and a rising piston will *gently* touch the valve and hopefully push it closed or nearly closed. Depends upon how collapsed or bled down the zero lash lifters are and they are probably all at least bled down and those that were holding valves open are probably collapsed at this time. All are at risk of being stuck -- from corrosion -- where they were when the engine was shut off. If you find you can *not* turn the engine over by hand, stop trying. You're done. The engine has some other problem that needs likely a tear down to identify and fix. If you can turn the engine over by hand and it feels/sounds ok then you can crank the engine using the starter motor. Do not crank the engine long. Give the starter motor time to cool between cranks. The first crank may be noisy/scary from the valve hardware. This may not improve (if it does improve) until you can actually start and run the engine. Even then... Roughly and if you are *very* careful you can use the heat of the starter to tell you how long you can crank the starter and how long you have to wait between cranking sessions. Crank for 5 seconds. Count the seconds. Don't guess. Very very carefully feel the starter motor. If it is just warm you may be able to crank for another 5 seconds. If the motor is hot to the touch then you have to wait until the starter motor cools down to where it is just warm to the touch. Since this engine has sat so long you probably will want to do this cranking operation more than just 1 or two times. Beyond 4 or so though... There's a diminishing return. The starter can only crank the engine so fast and the oil pump can only develop so much oil pressure and flow (though the pressure might be pretty high). Of course until you have the fuel system sorted out you won't be able to start the engine for real so if this fuel system sorting takes time you may want to repeat the fuel pump fuse trick but you won't have to remove the plugs or squirt oil into the cylinders. Might add here that when the engine starts there may be problems. One or more (all, probably) zero-lash adjusters may have bled down and one or more may have even seized due to corrosion so no amount of oil and engine running will free them up. Or if they free up they'll have suffered so much wear from breaking loose from the grip of corrosion they'll not be able to work properly. All rubber hoses and lines need to be inspected for any signs of deterioration. Fuel lines and brake lines especially but all lines are critical and all it takes is one bad one to cause engine problems. After you have the engine running then you should flush/bleed the brake/clutch hydraulic system, check the windshield washer tank (its probably full of dried out washer fluid residue), and have the A/C system checked for leaks and probably evacuated and then refilled with refrigerant and compressor oil. Do this *before* you try the A/C. Afterwards then you have to test each of the A/C heater vent/fan settings to operate the motor or linkage that controls these. If they all work right I'd say you are one lucky person. Essentially you have to go over the car from front to back, top to bottom inspecting/checking that all systems work and fix those that don't. You might get lucky and the find only a few minor problems. But you might get unlucky too. Seven years is a long time for a car to sit without proper preparation and in a non-temp/humidty controlled environment. Even then one just doesn't roll the car out into the sun and fire up the engine and take off. Sincerely, Macster.

Superb info. Thanks!

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Read this warning remembering the definition of critical just like he says. Keep an eye on the hoses. Seems some like to dry and crack or turn to mush if the engine isn't run for a long period of time. Hoses can even shrink so that once tight clamps are no longer tight since the hose shrunk. Even corrosion can creep under hose seals and other seals. Do some poking around on the hoses at least. Then once the car has been running keep checking under the bonnet to make sure none of those hoses are going south. Have fun

It should be interesting. The car has less than 20k miles and was never abused, until it was parked for 7 years...It seems that the biggest issue is the motor and if it spins freely then I will continue to put time into it. One question through; what's a rebuild on a 993 motor cost in case it does NOT spin by hand?

nevermind, i found pages and pages on it. This forum sure has a lot of info!

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While the engine is the biggest issue as soon as you have that issue dealt with then the #2 issue gets promoted to the #1 issue spot. Secondary but still important and sometimes difficult and expensive to resolve issues can still be present right from the git go or soon after the car is back on the road. There is a DME with about a zillion input and output pins and each one has at least two connectors associated with it. Electrical systems, their connectors can develop a surface corrosion that can result in all sorts of weird hard to trouble shoot behavior. Price a wiring harness R&R for a modern car and then that #1 engine issue may not look so bad after all... It seems that running the engine, driving the car, creates a bit of vibration that tends to keep this surface corrosion from forming or at least becoming too bad. All rubber hoses and lines can rot. They may look 'ok' at a glance but if you get the engine running and if the car drives these hoses will develop cracks possibly the first time the car hits any rough road. Sincerely, Macster.