setting five months run the engine or not?

[mscamping]

We're setting in the South for five months and a discussion came up as to whether to run the engine once a month or not.. I was allows told not to unless you could go out on the road and run for 20 mile or so.. Cummins is where I got that, but what about gas engines?? What about starting just till the oil pressure comes up and then shut off??(30 to 45 seconds)Thanks..
Mike Mathews

Guys I don't think I mentioned the gen, I run it once a month with load so I'm OK with that..

[frankdamp]

The instructions with our generator said to run it monthly for 20 minutes at about half maximum load. I found that once every 6 weeks worked just fine.

I used to take our RV out for about a 20-minute run every six weeks also, running the generator at the same time. I didn't have any problems with the chassis engine, even though I left it sitting for about 4 months after cardiac surgery. The generator never ran again after that down-time and it was INOP when we sold the rig.

[J-Rooster]

When in Arizona and my RV is sitting for 6 months, I run the engine for 20 minutes once every 2 weeks. I've discovered by doing this in unison with my RV's solar trickle charger helps to keep my batteries charged. I've been doing this since 2004 without any adverse effects. In other words it works for me and I could care less what anyone else thinks.

[Ramair]

Also you need to exercise the generator at least once a month per the owners manual.

[owenssailor]

Running engines every month seems to me to be an idea especially prevalent in the RV community.

There are many thousands of boats both gas and diesel powered sitting on shore in the cold parts of this continent. There is no way they can be started and run every months for 20 minutes under load. They are all fine in the spring.

Farmers store all kinds of expensive equipment every winter. Most of it is diesel powered. You can bet they don't take their combine out for a spin once a month.

Millions of dollars worth of construction equipment sits all winter. I don't see paving machines out for a tour in Feb.

Use the correct storage additive in the fuel. Charge and disconnect the batteries. Come back when you want/need to use the machine again.

[John_Joey]

Forum members normally says no, but the local knowledge down south told me to run it once a month for 30 minutes, shifting threw the gears every 10 minutes or so. Some that did not do that in the park had issues with dried out seals.

I followed the local logic of starting and running 30 minutes and had no ill effect.

[Executive45]

Big Katuna wrote:
I subscribe to the once a month for 20 minutes theory. As much for the belts bushings alternator windings and solenoid contacts as much as the engine.
Dry it all out. Run the trans thru the gears.

To say nothing about moving the emollients around inside your tires, working the lubricants inside the shocks etc........Dennis

[Big_Katuna]

I subscribe to the once a month for 20 minutes theory. As much for the belts bushings alternater windings and solenoid contacts as much as the engine.
Dry it all out. Run the trans thru the gears.

[KD4UPL]

Just let it sit. No need to run it. If it makes you feel better you could use some fogging oil before you shut it down the last time. That's what I do to my boat engine and it sits without starting from about October to April every year.

[ScottG]

Running it for 30~45 seconds is about the worst thing you could do. You cause a lot of condensation to develop inside the cylinder and then you shut it off. So there goes everything from cylinder wall to the exhaust just rusting away.

[wolfe10]

The "don't start unless you can drive it at least 25 highway miles" certainly applies to diesels. It takes that long/much load to get the OIL (not just coolant) up to temperature. Anything less just adds moisture to the engine.

Gasoline engines produce more heat at idle (less efficient than diesel engines, particularly at very light throttle settings). I do not know if you can achieve high enough oil temperatures at idle with a gas engine. Would not be hard to check-- see how long it takes (if it can even be done) for the oil pan to become too hot to touch.

I can only see 20-30 seconds as negative. Cylinders will at best have incomplete combustion, with water vapor being one of the natural byproducts of combustion. Doubt once or twice would do long-term damage, but certainly can not see the good.

Were you to do anything, move to a premium oil-- one of the synthetics comes to mind.