How Often Do You Start and or Drive Your Motorhome?

[NCSU Dad]

1. When it is not being "used". When we bought ours the salesman told us to take ours out for a drive every 2 weeks. Now I have added a battery maintainer to keep the battery charged.

2. I'm wondering about keeping all the moving parts sufficiently lubricated. How long do modern day lubricants adhere to moving parts before becoming dry?

Thanks!

 

[Ex-Calif]

I have several classic cars, motorcycles, an RV and 3 daily drivers.

I try to drive everything at least every 3 months. If it's gonna be longer I disconnect the battery and put it on a maintainer.

If given the option I always prefer to drive the vehicle for at least 20 minutes to get all the gearboxes hot as well.

My RV has sat up to 5 months without moving while I was full-timing last year. I did start the engine and let it run about 30 minutes at about 3-4 months.

 

[Mark_K5LXP]

Practically speaking this is a difficult schedule to keep, especially if your RV is in a storage lot somewhere. My philosophy is that a machine that doesn't move at all can't wear, so once mine is parked and winterized it stays that way until the first run of the season. My thinking is better to have it sit than to just start and idle it. I've got better things to do than unplug, back the thing out and drive it around for an hour every other week just for the sake of "lubrication". On the last fill up of the season I put in gas stabilizer, and that's how it sits over the winter. Invariably there's a nice day during the winter I can address annual fluid replacement, come spring it's ready to go. I can't disagree with the premise that running a vehicle regularly is "good" for it but I also know infrequent cold starts aren't, so I go with the notion mine gets just one "cold start" after the winter slumber. Keeping the battery on a tender checks that box. I do run up the generator once a month or so, not so much for purposes of "lubrication" but I want to know it will work in the event of a power outage at home.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

 

[nfredrick]

I live in the North East and my motorhome (2000 Tiffin Allegro gasser) sits all winter with treated full gas tank and I don't start it until the spring and haven't noticed any ill effects. If you are able to start it every 2 weeks or whatever try to take it for a drive for at least 20 minutes to burn off the moisture. I do have a battery maintainer and leave that on all winter.

 

[Larry N.]

Here in the Denver area, I winterized my rig in October, after the last trip I took in 2021. I will soon de-winterize and start it for our trip to Quartzsite, then likely will winterize it again when we return, to let it sit until we are ready for our next trip, probably in May.

So it sits after one trip until the next, except if I need to move it for some reason other than just to exercise it. I've been doing it this way since I've had a motorhome, and it does fine for both gas and diesel units.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

No need to drive it that often. Or at all. But if you do start it up, drive it long enough to get everything warm, maybe 20-30 minutes.

No matter how long it sits, the only extra mechanical wear comes during the first 10-30 seconds after firing it up or starting to roll. May as well only do that once a year, right?

 

[DonTom]

My thinking is better to have it sit than to just start and idle it.

That's an endless debate that has never been settled. But I have my mind made up after letting a Ford Mustang set for almost a year. It caused the fuel pump to crap out from lack of use.

That was the car Tom use to mainly drive, and I let it set way too long after he died.

-Don- North Charleston, SC

 

[Isaac-1]

Ours typical sits for about 2 months without running in the winter, though I do at least try to start the generator and let it run for 10-15 minutes at least once per month.

 

[Kirk]

No need to drive it that often. Or at all. But if you do start it up, drive it long enough to get everything warm, maybe 20-30 minutes.

No matter how long it sits, the only extra mechanical wear comes during the first 10-30 seconds after firing it up or starting to roll. May as well only do that once a year, right?

No point in my stating the exact same thing. Back when we bought our F53 chassis class A new, I spoke with a Ford engineering rep. about that very issue. He stated that the worst thing that is done to any engine is starting it from a dry start, meaning that all oil is drained down which he said is typically 2 weeks. He went on to say that the second worst thing done is to start one, let sit and idle for a short time and shut it down. He recommended that we treat the fuel and fill the tank as full as possible, then drive for about 20 miles to get the treated fuel all through the system, then shut it down and not start it again until within a week of traveling again and when started it be driven 20 or so miles as a test drive and warm up.

 

[Ex-Calif]

In regards to the start and drive or start and not drive debate there are good arguments on both sides.

Ideally you'd want to drive it but if you can't then you do want to idle the vehicle until all the fluids are hot.

Some of the don't idle it argument stems from carbureted engines that could and often did run rich. This could increase the chances of fouling plugs. Modern computerized engines are much better at controlling fuel/air ratios.

 

[Matt_C]

Dad,
There is a problem here. That coach is new enough to a catalyst. That is a problem because if you planned to leave it alone for a long time, you might be advised to "fog" the engine and I don't know about doing that with a catalyst engine.
The other big issue is to not "short cycle" the engine. If you have to start it, plan to run it long enough so everything get to full temperature. This will prevent corrosion damage and get the moisture out of the lube oil. Nothing good happens to an idling engine.
So, the choice is yours, but I would say that if you aren't going to run it, leave it alone. When you do start it after a long sit, give it about 30 seconds to get the lube oil where it needs to be before you load the engine.
The battery maintainer was a good idea.
Matt

 

[TheBar]

My Ford factory service manual recommends starting every 2 weeks to normal operating temperature, then backing it up and forward 15 feet, I assume to lubricate the transmission and differential.

The problem with letting the engine sit for several months is the engine is not hermetically sealed like most people seem to think. There will be intake and exhaust valves left open and drawing outside air in with every temperature change. The humidity combined with oil drain down causes cylinder rust which is not visible but is abrasive which shortens the life of the engine. This is what causes an engine to lock up if left sitting for years.

People in the classic car business when they know a car will be sitting for years pour Marvel Mystery Oil down the carb until the engine stalls out. It is one of the best anti rust oils available and will protect the cylinder walls longer.

 

[DonTom]

If you let an engine sit for a very long time, make sure it will crank but NOT start for a while by doing whatever to do to make sure it will NOT start. This will get the oil on all the parts before it is revved up by actually running.

-Don- Ladson, SC

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Some of the don't idle it argument stems from carbureted engines that could and often did run rich. This could increase the chances of fouling plugs. Modern computerized engines are much better at controlling fuel/air ratios.

That's an excellent point. A lot of the lore about taking care of engines is obsolete, dating from the days when air/fuel ratio control was mediocre at best and engine component clearances (and build tolerances) much sloppier than today. Lubricants and fuels have much improved as well. Any vehicle built in the last 25 years is hugely improved over the vehicles of the 70's and 80's when many of todays gurus learned their engine folklore.

Engines burn so clean that spark plus last 100k miles; oil slipping past the rings and gas or diesel dripping the other way is no longer a worry until an engine is near end of life. And end of life is 200k+ for gas and 500k+ for diesels, not 90k-100k. Cooling systems with thermostat-control electric fans cool as well at idle as on highway, so idling engines don't run hot. And "hot" is more like 210 than 180.

 

[Kirk]

Some of the don't idle it argument stems from carbureted engines that could and often did run rich. This could increase the chances of fouling plugs

There is a problem here. That coach is new enough to a catalyst.

The engine that I was advised by a Ford engineer not to start it and let it sit and idle but only start if planning to drive it at least 20 miles, was talking about the Triton V-10 which has always been fuel injected and has a catalytic converter. If Ford still has the motorhome chassis hotline, give them a call and see what they say.

 

[DonTom]

The engine that I was advised by a Ford engineer not to start it and let it sit and idle but only start if planning to drive it at least 20 miles,

I have to wonder if that advice was based on opinion or scientific fact, even if from a Ford engineer.

-Don- Ladson, SC

 

[Rob&Deryl]

I have to wonder if that advice was based on opinion or scientific fact, even if from a Ford engineer.

-Don- Ladson, SC

I wonder why you would.

The reason to run it on the road if you are going to start it is to get the drive train & exhaust warm to evaporate condensation.
I observe many vehicles with water dripping out the exhaust until it is hot.

 

[DonTom]

The reason to run it on the road if you are going to start it is to get the drive train & exhaust warm to evaporate condensation.
I observe many vehicles with water dripping out the exhaust until it is hot.

The only part I question is "not to start it and let it sit and idle". IMO, even if not moved it's best to start it and let it run for a half hour or so.

And yes, I see water dripping out of my old RV exhaust every time I start it. Until it gets nice and warm just sitting there running mostly at idle, but I like to step a little on the gas pedal once in a while, so it doesn't just stay at idle. Perhaps not really necessary with my EFI engine in my Y2K RV or any other modern engine.

But once in a while I find a reason to move it, such as to fill up the gas or propane tank--or to take it on a trip.

-Don- Ladson, SC

 

[CharlesinGA]

My Sprinter chassis Class C stayed here at the house with me. I tried to drive it every couple of weeks, either to Wal-Mart for groceries, or sometimes to a nearby state park for a lunch on the grill in the day use area. I had about as much local mileage on it as it did road mileage on real travel/camping trips.

Charles

 

[SeilerBird]

I have owned my fifth wheel for five years and I have never driven it, rode in it or used it as a vehicle and I have never winterized it. I bought it and paid a service to move it to my site. It is permanently parked, I plan on staying here until I die.