If I have to let my Honda sit.....

Unless you are expecting the "situation" to last years...fire it once every few weeks just for kicks. The oil quality will not degrade for a LONG time, like a year or so. The oil turns acidic an will start to eat on the shiney internal parts after while, but again that takes a long time.

The battery will lose charge so you might want to put a trickle charger on it. The big thing now days is fuel quality. It will go sour in a few months. It will still run on the sour stuff, but you can tell a difference.

Yeah, i let my 88 civic sit for about 5-6 months last summer here in georgia. accidentally left the boot light on just after i'd parked it and the batt was flat within 2 weeks. restored it, then let it sit for those months, just cracked open one of the rear quarterlights to stop it getting too hot in there. (we are talking georgia in summer)

When it came to start it up, a gallon of fuel, and a jump-start was all it needed.

If you want to have it last longer, use fuel stabliser, and disconnect the battery.

snipped-for-privacy@webtv.net wrote in news:13805-4407C7E3-26@storefull-

3337.bay.webtv.net:

Here's what you do:

Park it in an area away from rain and snow if at all possible.

Before parking the vehicle for the very last time,

1) change the engine oil; 2) take the car for an hour's drive; 3) on the way back, fill up the gas tank completely; 4) let it idle for 15 seconds, all accessories off; 5) turn off ignition; 6) leave parking brake **OFF**, tranny in gear (if a manual). 7) Now leave it alone. Do NOT start it up once in a while!

The car will be just fine for a couple of months this way, although the battery may run down if you have unusual parasitic loads.

Starting the car once in a while is the stupidest thing you can do, unless you intend to drive it for at least an hour before leaving it again. Starting it once in a while will wash oil from the bores, put fuel, water and acids in the oil. Dumb. Don't do it.

If you're leaving the car for a long time, expect the battery to be flat when you get back. Be prepared to remove the battery and put it on a charger before the car will start. If it's flat, DO NOT jump-start the car and let the alternator charge it up.

Expect things to seize. Suspensions will creak, rubber seals may stick, shift linkages may get stiff. Brake rotors will corrode *amazingly* fast unless the car is out of the weather. Tires will go flat. If there's any doubt as to the air-tightness of the tires, put the car on stands, with the stands under the SUSPENSION, to keep it compressed, but the tires off the ground.

Now if you want to store it for a couple of *years*, that's a whole different ballgame...

Unless you are going to drive it up to temp, Don't Start it!

G-Man