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..

[Naio]

predawn wrote:

Naio wrote:
I've been parked for 2.5 months, and have been running the engine every few weeks, in part to charge up the battery.

I didn't think to add sta-bil. Should I do it now? I'll be leaving in about a month.

no need to run engine at only 2.5 month stay. Easier on the motor and alternater to just let sit and add a trickle charger. a month wont have fuel go bad so not to worry about stable at this point

Thanks predawn :).

I'd lost track of this thread (too many tabs open! ) and I appreciate your advice.

[predawn]

Naio wrote:
I've been parked for 2.5 months, and have been running the engine every few weeks, in part to charge up the battery.

I didn't think to add sta-bil. Should I do it now? I'll be leaving in about a month.

no need to run engine at only 2.5 month stay. Easier on the motor and alternater to just let sit and add a trickle charger. a month wont have fuel go bad so not to worry about stable at this point

[falconman]

I prefer to exercise the unit to make sure all is well. I've had more problems with stuff that's been left idle. A couple weeks before we roll out I'll pull the slides in to make sure they work and will occasionally deploy the awnings during our extended stays even if they aren't needed. I hate getting ready to leave and find something isn't working. I haven't read any posts about condensation killing anybody's engine, I like to start it once and a awhile just to make sure it will when I want it to.

[Naio]

I've been parked for 2.5 months, and have been running the engine every few weeks, in part to charge up the battery.

I didn't think to add sta-bil. Should I do it now? I'll be leaving in about a month.

[time2roll]

mscamping wrote:
What about starting just till the oil pressure comes up and then shut off??(30 to 45 seconds)Thanks..

No recommendation for this.

[mscamping]

Thanks for all the replies.. Looks like it's about 50/50 run versus not running and both say they have had no ill effects..
Thanks again Mike Mathews...

[dieharder]

No need to run the chassis engine over winter. Stored vehicles over winter for decades without running them with no ill effects. Sure, gas is less expensive now than it used to be last year, but why waste it? Exercise the genny only.

[midnightsadie]

my question is, with this short run time what happens to all the water in the exhaust system?? it just lays there and rust your pipes.

[jplante4]

The gasser sits all winter with just the solar panel trickling the batteries. I do fog the generator before putting it in storage, but I don't bother with the engine because the storage yard moves it around.

The diesel gets run every month or so as long as there's no snow on the roads. I take it for a 10 mile drive, just enough to bring the engine temps up to normal operating range. The generator (LP powered) is run every 2 weeks or so. I do add power service additive to the winter fuel.

[wa8yxm]

On a motor home you have two engines, Main and Generator

Run the generator 1/2 hour under 1/2 load (use space heaters in the winter 3 of them set on low (if they have low/med/hi use 3 on MED) you want around 2500-3000 watts for a 5500 watt genny) for and plugged into different circuits should be good or 4.

NOTE: outlets may be on same circuit, you will need to check (Different circuit breakers)


And the main engine, That is much better at sitting, Get the oil changed just before you put it to bed.. if you can do a full mothball, but if that is not practical just get the oil changed.

[Hank_MI]

Running the generator once a month is different than running the engine. The gen needs to be exercised under load to dry out and remove and corrosion buildup on the brushes. If not the buildup can get to the point where the gen won't produce any electricity then it won't stay running.

I have a 70 Chevelle SS that sits in the garage all winter. No way I'm driving it around in the winter in MI so it doesn't get started. I know dozens of other guys that do the same with there cars. No ill affects.

Due to extended circumstances our MH sat for several years without being started. Only issue was lousy gas mileage until we burned up the old gas and filled it with fresh.

As you can see I don't believe letting it sit for months causes any harm. If you must start it, idling is not the same as driving it. It may get hot enough to dry out any moisture created but how can you be sure. Especially in the exhaust system. At idle you're not pushing enough heat through to dry out the entire system. Takes a lot of hot gases to fully heat up and dry out 20 some feet of exhaust.

[rgatijnet1]

If you are going to the South, where the humidity will be high, it is a good idea to run the engine monthly to remove moisture from the engine and to lubricate the cylinder walls of those cylinders that are open to the atmosphere through the valves and air cleaner or exhaust. If you watch your coolant temperature it pretty much parallels your oil temperature so you want to run the engine long enough to reach normal coolant temperature.
You also want to use a product like Sta-bil to keep your gasoline from separating. Running their fuel through your generator is also recommended.
People will tell you about all kinds of farm equipment and construction equipment that will sit for months on end. That is true but those same people have no way of telling how much that sitting will affect the long term life of that engine.
Running the engine is good for the engine, the belts, the cooling system, the AC system, and all other moving parts that need to be exercised on a regular basis.

[Nomadac]

owenssailor wrote:
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.

x2 I do run my gen once a month under a load, which is what Onan recommends.

[time2roll]

No. Put it away hot after a 20 minute highway drive and let it sit.

If you must start it up go for a 20 minute drive. If you run the generator go ahead and load it up with a space heater or something.