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Hello fellow Porsche drivers,
I’m getting the itch for a drive and the weather is getting nice by us. Unfortunately, the nearest dealer as well as the respected service shops are all closed due to the Coronavirus. I put my car away last fall without changing the oil thinking I’d have it changed in the spring. How bad would it be to drive my Boxster without changing the oil for a while? Put about 4500 miles on it last season and I don’t track it, but I do drive aggressively on the backroads.
Thanks,
Chris
 

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I think Porsche provided official guidance that it's OK to delay your maintenance a month or two until this thing blows over. If you're only putting 4,500 miles on it a year I wouldn't worry about another couple of months' worth of driving.

Do note, though, that many Porsche dealerships are open and may offer home pickup / drop-off service: http://markets.financialcontent.com/stocks/news/read?GUID=39709953
 

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Richman:

For the record, the guidance on this is to change oil BEFORE you store for the winter. In the spring, you don't need to change again. If you didn't change before, it doesn't help to change after unless the oil is due to change because of miles driven.

The issue with oil during storage, especially if there is temperature change, is condensation builds inside the engine. The condensed water mixes with oil and creates acids that can mess with bearing surfaces and other bits.

This is LESS of a problem with pure synthetic oils like Mobil 1 and other good oils we use in our Caymans. The old petroleum based oils would create the acid if the oil was dirty. Synthetic will allow a little of this but far less.

It's not an issue with any oil in heated garages because the car stays near the same temp all the time. Since I see you live in Madison, WI and you don't say if your storage situation is heated or not heated, I'm giving this condensation info.

Once you start up your car in spring, just take it for a long drive. All the moisture is boiled off when you warm the car up COMPLETELY...so give it a long drive...15 miles at least. More is better. Whatever tiny bit of damage over the winter has been done. Your car will be fine. Just change at your usual interval and don't rush to change now.

Another good engine care practice is go take it easy until the car is fully warm. That means OIL temp, not coolant temp. Oil takes longer. Depending on outside temps, 5 to 15 miles? Just drive like a grown-up until everything is warmed up...engine, trans, final drive etc. Not just the coolant, not just the oil, but the metal parts too...That's when the clearances are optimal. When you have different bits at different temps, you can have unusual wear if you hammer it...cold cylinder, hot piston rings, for instance. Maybe just cold bearings with tighter than spec clearances...also thicker oil doesn't flow as well as operating temp oil. The new thinner oils are much better at dealing with warm-up than petroleum oils...especially the higher visosity ones we used to use in our sports cars. I ran 20/50 for years in cars and motorcycles...because it's great for track days and such, but you really, really could muck things up on cold mornings...if the car would even turn over.

:cool:
 
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