Model A and the weather

[Phil Brown]

Originally Posted by 1crosscut

Sitting over the winter really isn't too hard on an A. You may get some temporary flat spots on the tires from sitting.
The hardest thing on them is to start them up and not allow the engine to get good and hot in order to evaporate the moisture/condensation inside the engine. If you are just pulling it out to start it up put some cardboard over the radiator to help it get up to operating temperature.
Stay with the car so you don't overheat it with the cardboard covering the radiator.

So if you have moisture /condensation inside the engine how is it any worse to have a short run time than letting it sit for the winter ?
At least a short run time will keep the oil splashed all around the inside to keep things well lubricated ( transmission also ).

[Chuck Sea/Tac]

Originally Posted by Phil Brown

So if you have moisture /condensation inside the engine how is it any worse to have a short run time than letting it sit for the winter ?
At least a short run time will keep the oil splashed all around the inside to keep things well lubricated ( transmission also ).

That's why short term running should be met with short term oil changes, because of the contaminates not burned off.

[William Kelchner]

Merry Christmas everyone.

I used to drive my car all the time in the winter but coming home on a rollback all the time got too expensive.


Bill K

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by Phil Brown

So if you have moisture /condensation inside the engine how is it any worse to have a short run time than letting it sit for the winter ?
At least a short run time will keep the oil splashed all around the inside to keep things well lubricated ( transmission also ).

In 1977 I ran my 1963 Studebaker and my 1929 Chevrolet for about 10 minutes each, then went to start them 6 months later. They were both locked up tight. That's a hard lesson to learn, but you should never start and engine unless it's going to get the oil hot enough to burn off all the byproducts the combustion has created, mainly water in the oil, exhaust, and cylinders.