Wear from start and stops

[MountainGoat]

All I do with my Ranger these days is back it out of my garage and pull it back in later. How much wear on the engine does this cause? I don't let the truck warm up because I figure that will just cause more condensation in the oil.

Start the truck, back it out of the garage (I use the space for work and exercise), pull it back in at night.

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[MountainGoat]

TBH honest though, your frequent starts and going nowhere are only going to be hard on the battery
if you let it sit longer, then i would worry about engine wear. the oil sticks to all the parts and is likely still plentiful during subsequent starts to prevent wear. Different story if you leave it parked for weeks.
But seriously...get in it and go for a drive, at least on weekends, keep it fresh.

I plug it into a battery tender in the garage. That nice Ctec reconditioning one.

It's mostly during the week. I'll get out and drive it at least once during the weekend.

 

[Toytec]

Injector fuel trim is extremely rich at cold startups. I'll bet you'll be needing plugs before the rest of us. May I recommend Techron fuel additive to help with all the carbon build up.

 

[MountainGoat]

Injector fuel trim is extremely rich at cold startups. I'll bet you'll be needing plugs before the rest of us. May I recommend Techron fuel additive to help with all the carbon build up.

Thanks. Spark plugs are cheap and from the looks of it are easy to change...provided Ford doesn't impact them on and they snap. If Techron is legit it's not bad either at $12 a bottle.

 

[Gsxrdoug]

I'd worry about water in the exhaust rusting it out or the Cats. Start up exhaust can't heat up to get rid of water, so it just sits there, and in MO is friggin cold right now, so the water is frozen.

 

[MountainGoat]

I'd worry about water in the exhaust rusting it out or the Cats. Start up exhaust can't heat up to get rid of water, so it just sits there, and in MO is friggin cold right now, so the water is frozen.

Yeah, it's not too bad. This year has been mild; last year it hit -7F by me. A lot of water and black soot pours out the exhaust like some threads here have talked about, apparently we have "weep holes" in both sides of the exhaust so at least there are extra drains on it.

 

[RedDakooter05]

Your truck isn't going to last long.

Vehicles need to be driven. Starting it every once in a while isn't much different than keeping it parked constantly.

 

[BiilyJones]

I am old, and an older guy told me when I was young to keep all the moisture out of a vehicles components, drive it on at least one, one hour trip a week.

 

[Gsxrdoug]

or just warm it up and do burn-outs down the street. That will get it nice an warm. I know not useful or helpful. Plus you have snow now.

 

[MountainGoat]

Your truck isn't going to last long.

Vehicles need to be driven. Starting it every once in a while isn't much different than keeping it parked constantly.

Your truck isn't going to last long.

Vehicles need to be driven. Starting it every once in a while isn't much different than keeping it parked constantly.

Driving once a week isn't a problem. That's what I've been doing and stomping on it to blow the carbon off if that's even a thing. I was more concerned about the quick starts and stops and the damage it could cause.

 

[wanted33]

IIRC they say (but I don't know who "they " is) you run the chance of more condensation in the engine by just staring it for a few minutes every now, and then. But, truthfully I haven't seen that in real time. I have an old Camaro that rarely gets out, and about. I start it every 2 weeks in the winter just to keep the rubber seals from drying out. I've never had a problem with condesation over the 45 years I have owned it. But, I do try to take it out at least once a month for a 15/20 mile run if I haven't driven it in a while.

 

[RedDakooter05]

Driving once a week isn't a problem. That's what I've been doing and stomping on it to blow the carbon off if that's even a thing. I was more concerned about the quick starts and stops and the damage it could cause.

Oh, ignore my post then.

 

[VTRanger]

I do the same with our Crosstrek that my wife no longer uses cause she doesn't go into the office, I just drive it once a week, usually on the weekends to go grocery shopping and things like that. I try to keep the gas tank full.

The Auto Stop Start probably works the starter components more in a single trip than you are all week.

 

[slowmachine]

I’ll bet a lot of us are in the same boat. Since the COVID started, we have nearly zero social life, and no commuting.. My Ranger is on a CTEK maintainer in the garage, while I drive a Prius that needs a shakedown and some tweaking before my youngest daughter takes it this summer.

 

[VegasRanger]

I’ll bet a lot of us are in the same boat. Since the COVID started, we have nearly zero social life, and no commuting.. My Ranger is on a CTEK maintainer in the garage, while I drive a Prius that needs a shakedown and some tweaking before my youngest daughter takes it this summer.

COVID impacted your social life? I never stopped doing what I always did. Don’t live in fear.

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