hef- I understand what you are saying and will take that into consideration, thank you.
It does make me wonder, though. I put away the car on about Nov 1. I started it and ran it for about 2 minutes just after Thanksgiving. Then again at Christmas for a minute and change, then MLK weekend, and again in later February. 4 times so far over the winter and thankfully it cranked over and started right away each time. The last time I did it was for just shy of 1 minute. I would guess between the 4 starts I've accumulated 6 minutes of run time. No less, but likely no more.
My goal was to not create an accumulation of acidic water condensation that would sit in the exhaust system, and to a lesser extent in the oil. At idle, I'd have to let it run a solid... 20 minutes for everything to really come up to temp, and even then at air temps of 10-20F, water could be sitting in the muffler or low bends of the pipes. I base this off of idling cold cars at work (mid and full size American cars and trucks). After 20 minutes idling in the dead of winter water was heard burbling inside the exhaust, only blown out by a hard gas pedal hit, then driving.
I don't have the luxury of time to do this with the Spider. I can't, and won't, take it out to drive it in the winter in Minnesota, and I've got limited insurance on it in the winter- no driving allowed.
With my protocol, my hope is to limit water in the systems and to get oil pressure into the brick, do it fast and shut it down. I understand I may create a bit of fuel dilution in the oil (how much in this 6 minutes thus far, and probably one more start cycle before the season starts, is likely minimal, I admittedly would guess), but once driving season begins and I'm out for several hours at a time, the lower evap. temps of those fuel contaminants should work their way out of the hot engine oil, which was replaced with new oil at winter shut down. I'll pull the plugs this spring to check them as well.
Based on what I've described, does that change the level of concern for the momentary starts during the winter in an effort to avoid the several dozen start cycles (about 50 attempts), and the potential damage that can cause, I needed to conduct to get my engine to start last spring after my first winter storage? Which protocol is causing more harm?
I am not looking for a debate, much less an argument. I'm just trying to make the least harmful decision for a lousy situation, knowing full well neither method would be preferred (periodic starts or no starts all winter). Honestly, if I would have known about this unique "quirk" with our cars before I bought it, it likely would have affected my purchase decision.
My fuel injected Suzuki motorcycle parked right next to the car, after being shut down for the same time and without periodic starts, it will pop over and start this spring like it had only sat for a weekend.
Sometimes advanced technology might not be the best way to achieve a goal, and MultiAir technology in a seasonal vehicle is a good example of this.
Steve.
