winter warmup in garage for the flathead?

farmertom

farmertom

Senior Member
what do you folks think about warming up to operating temp in the garage. helpful or harmful? to the '37 flathead. thanks,Tom.
 
Unless you run the engine long enough to heat it up so the condensation boils off you are just introducing more moisture when it cools down. That includes the exhaust pipes. It would be better to oil the cylinders, stabilize the gas, disconnect and put the battery on a charger periodically and just let it sit. IMHO
 
Advice you’ve heard before, “Use it or lose it” applies here as well. An automobile has multiple systems that benefit from regular usage. Sitting in a garage with the engine idling is not satisfying those needs, and in fact is bad for several reasons, not the least of which is the need of the engine to warm up as quickly as possible, which takes too long running at idle speed.
 
I do the same. been doing it for years. I get them up to temp before shutting them off. Nothing to indicate that this has been a detriment. I don't just let it idle, I rev it up occasionally just to get the oil pressure up.



flathead4rd said:
I run mine about every 3 or 4 weeks. I
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Since you're in Iowa and we only have 2 seasons, with or without salt. Best to lube it up good, fill it up with ethanol free a dose of stabil, and say adios till May or June. Don't park on bare uninsulated concrete or dirt floor. Treat gentle on first outing to get the lube flowing in the bearings. Just my thoughts.
 
I don't use anything like Stabil, the cars sit on a bare un-insulated concrete floor and the fuel is 10 % and I never had a rust, starting, engine or carb problem. No heat either. Been doing this for 40 years.



5851a said:
Since you're in Iowa and we only have 2 seasons, with or without salt. Best to lube it up good, fill it up with ethanol free a dose of stabil, and say adios till May or June. Don't park on bare uninsulated concrete or dirt floor. Treat gentle on first outing to get the lube flowing in the bearings. Just my thoughts.
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My opinion is start it and warm it up to full operating temp, including revving it up often. If you have a bit of room put it in gear and drive it back and forth if only for a few feet in each direction. Apply the brakes often as well. As ford38V8 says in post #4 there are multiple systems involved that benefit from use. Some of which involve electrical, oil circulation, lubricated parts, condensation accumulation, coolant flow and so on.
 
Paul 2748,and others,thanks for all your comments. iv'e done this for years for all the cars and motorcycles that have occupied the same space as my '37 sedan does these days on an un insulated concrete non heated garage which stays between 40-50deg. never had any ill affects to any cars or harleys.nothing dripping out of tail pipe. i'll admit that this process is partially for my mental cabin/flathead fever addiction. thanks to all, Tom.
 
I do not start mine but I do bump the engine with no ignition on occasion, I think mostly to give some relief to the valves. Ken
 
farmertom said:
what do you folks think about warming up to operating temp in the garage. helpful or harmful? to the '37 flathead. thanks,Tom.
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Something that is often overlooked is crankcase ventilation. When the car is moving down the road, airflow past the engine will help scavenge the acidic blow-by gasses out of the crankcase (once the engine oil is hot enough to evaporate these contaminants). When the car is idling and not moving, these blow-by contaminants stay in the oil. This one reason why highway miles are so much better for a car. Converting to a PCV system is about the single best way to improve engine and oil life.
 
If you were speaking of a modern day injected motor with a PCV system I'd say yes.
BUTT;
our old flatties never. I will bump the starter every month [without ignition] to change the loading on the valve springs and move the pistons in the bore.
 
Part of the plus of living in a usually fairly mild winter (often no snow) is I can choose a dry day and go drive each car a few miles (10-20) until they are good and warmed up. This accomplishes a couple of things you might not think of like by using the brakes, you keep the rubber piston seals moved a bit and you remove any surface rust from the brake drums and flywheel by using the clutch . My 33 still has the stock mechanical brakes but all the others have hydraulics.
Sitting is the worst thing for these old cars. Plus, it reminds me why I like each one so much!
 
As a general thing, what are we actually trying to accomplish by idling in the garage?

I like to take a reasonably long drive (so engine reaches normal operating temperature) before shutting it down permanently for the season. I can’t think of any benefit to starting a carbureted engine periodically, or any engine really, as the coolant temperature isn’t a reflection of oil temperature. I want all the bad stuff boiled off, or near enough. I tend to think no load idling might introduce more internal engine condensation, not less, as well as fuel contamination in the crankcase.

Sometimes people mention they do this “every two weeks” business to keep the battery charged. I think a better approach to that is to use a battery maintainer or “float” charger. Discharged or even weak batteries will freeze. Bad stuff happens. I turn my Y-Block engine over manually at the damper with a socket wrench every couple weeks, or when the spirit moves me, to keep things moving. I also pump the brakes &c. I guess Barners have similar OCD afflictions! A better approach there would be to relax the rockers so all the valves are closed. I’m not that OCD.
 
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