Starting your car while on jack stands?

[jwscarab 20]

Do you guys ever do this? Any chance of vibration causing something to give/slip?

 

Got mine up there on 4 jack stands under front/rear torque boxes, with old socks between jack stands and frame.

[Big Secz 26]

You'll be fine. I do it during the winter when I have my car up on stands and need to start it every now and then.

[miketyler 15]

When I put mine on jack stands whether I am running engine or not, I try to push it off of them to make sure its planted firmly. If it passes that test I consider it safe enough to run it or get under it if needed.

[jwscarab 20]

Thanks guys. It does pass the hard push/pull test. My next project is a new distributor install and I like the height of the car on stands (less bending over) so I was hoping to do this and time/tune it all on the stands.

[prayers1 153]

Good ideal during the Winter. Why didn't you put the rear jack stands under the rear axle tubes?

[jwscarab 20]

Why didn't you put the rear jack stands under the rear axle tubes?

 

 

I have a hard time jacking up the car where is would have a "twist" while jacking. The rear is no problem but then you have to go side to side for the front.

 

My front and rear torque boxes are connected by a 2"x4" box steel sub-frame connector - so it makes a real nice area to jack up the "whole side" of the car in one swipe, one side at a time. So I jack it up lh side / rh side. Also the previous owner welded a lot of plate steel to the torque boxes and other parts on the frame to stiffen up the flimsy sheet metal. Its a pretty stout setup - albeit not correct.

 

To your point I should now jack up the rear axle and move the jack stands from the rear torque boxes to the rear axle and spread out the footprint.

Edited December 16, 2013 by jwscarab

[jwscarab 20]

I do it during the winter when I have my car up on stands and need to start it every now and then.

 

Good ideal during the Winter.

 

So you guys leave your cars up all winter? Jack stands under the rear axle, but let the front wheels hang??

[clark1969 10]

Where is the best place to put the jack stands? Under frame rails? Torque Boxes? Rear Axle? Front Cross Member?

[sportsroof69 13]

Kind of off topic here, but you guys that have to store your cars in the winter are starting them every so often, just to sit and idle?

 

I'm just curious how long you let them idle? I understand that you don't want the same valve springs, and lifters to be compressed sitting there over time, but every time you start it, let it warm up, and kill it, it's creating moister inside the engine. It seems it would be better to just turn it over by hand a few times???

[Jimjific 23]

Below is a post that I put on a Chevy Truck forum that I belong to when this idea of condensation came up.

 

"Condensation only occurs when the temperature of a given volume of air drops below that given air's dew point. Heating up an engine is the exact opposite for causing condensation. Any condensation found in an engine was already there and has nothing to do with starting it. Now the reaction of burning gas plus the existing water vapor that is already in air (depending on humidity) can produce condensation in a cool tailpipe due to the cold pipe cooling the exhaust below the exhausts dew point on the surface (Like a cold drink in summer). You also might see water pushed out due to condensation that was already present from weather temperature cycles inside the exhaust system. This goes away fairly quickly when the pipe heats up. Most condensation in an engine is going to happen due to temperature/humidity fluctuations from weather (Again, think of your cool drink) and has nothing to do with starting the engine. Think of your engine as a large cool sink. Daily air temperature can change faster than your engine and if it is severe enough, the temperature on the engines surfaces will be lowered below the dew point for the air resulting in condensation. Last year in upstate NY we had a fluke 50 warm humid day after several below freezing days. I am not exaggerating when I say it looked like it rained in my garage. This is why a garaged car will still rust. Last note on condensation: When was the last time you saw condensation accumulate on the sides of your coffee mug?

 

The best thing you could do when storing your car for the winter is to heat the garage with low humidity air."

 

Jim

_________

[Brian Conway 264]

Where is the best place to put the jack stands? Under frame rails? Torque Boxes? Rear Axle? Front Cross Member?

 

I use the front frame rails and the rear axle tubes. Gives me the most unobstructed access to the cars underside. Brian

Edited December 17, 2013 by Brian Conway

[BuckeyeDemon 211]

i put them under the torque boxes in the front and under the axle housing in the back. i ran through all five gears like that.

[Big Secz 26]

I leave my car on stands all winter. In theory it prevents flat spots on the tires. I typically try to start it up twice a month and just let it idle for a bit. I keep my car stored in a steel garage during the winter. The garage is unheated and uninsulated so I stick a container of Damprid under the car while in storage. This is one of those things where you can ask ten different people and get ten different answers on how to "properly" store a vehicle for the winter. Just do what works for you and what you are comfortable with.

[sportsroof69 13]

I feel lucky that I drive mine all year long.

[Brian Conway 264]

[quote=sportsroof69; I feel lucky that I drive mine all year long.

 

and in the 9's. Smokin... Brian

[Rip Rock 13]

i put them under the torque boxes in the front and under the axle housing in the back. i ran through all five gears like that.

 

Hard through the gears? lol a bit curious.

[BuckeyeDemon 211]

Hard through the gears? lol a bit curious.

 

no, not hard through the gears. there is no load, so that wouldn't really make sense.

 

it served a simple purpose. to perform a sanity check in every gear to make sure there was no major issue prior to driving it down the road for the first time.

[69gmachine 15]

Kind of off topic here, but you guys that have to store your cars in the winter are starting them every so often, just to sit and idle?

 

I'm just curious how long you let them idle? I understand that you don't want the same valve springs, and lifters to be compressed sitting there over time, but every time you start it, let it warm up, and kill it, it's creating moister inside the engine. It seems it would be better to just turn it over by hand a few times???

 

I let it run until the temperature stabilizes at the normal operating temperature.

[Rip Rock 13]

no, not hard through the gears. there is no load, so that wouldn't really make sense.

 

it served a simple purpose. to perform a sanity check in every gear to make sure there was no major issue prior to driving it down the road for the first time.

 

Just checking. :yes: I will do the same thing this year. I always wait tell the roads are good, take it for a test drive, then go home and check. This should speed up the process by a month or 2.

[jwscarab 20]

Now here's a funny thing. Today I jacked up the rear end from under the pumpkin. So my car lifted off the rear jack stands which were under the rear torque boxes. I move the jack stands to the rear axle tubes as far apart as possible. I lowered the car making sure the axle tube was centered in the U of the jack stands. So anyway, only one side of the car is sitting on the jack stand! The other side is 1/2" off. This is interesting because the car is now putting its weight thru the rear springs and by all means the axle should sit on both stands (yes stands are set to same height). So anyway, I just figure it goes to show how front heavy my car must be, and how beneficial IRS must be. I'm sitting on 3 jack stands and that's crazy.

 

Also when the car sits on the wheels on the ground it sits square - the rear tire clearance to the lips is about zero - like the pic in the signature. But after letting the rear end hang a few weeks then putting it back on the jack stands under the axles, I have a good 2" of height between top of tires and quarter lips.

Edited December 22, 2013 by jwscarab

[det0326 179]

Now here's a funny thing. Today I jacked up the rear end from under the pumpkin. So my car lifted off the rear jack stands which were under the rear torque boxes. I move the lack stands to the rear axle tubes as far apart as possible. I lowered the car making sure the axle tube was centered in the U of the jack stands. So anyway, only one side of the car is sitting on the jack stand! The other side is 1/2" off. This is interesting because the car is now putting its weight thru the rear springs and by all means the axle should sit on both stands (yes stands are set to same height). So anyway, I just figure it goes to show how front heavy my car must be, and how beneficial IRS must be. I'm sitting on 3 jack stands and that's crazy.

 

Also when the car sits on the wheels on the ground it sits square - the rear tire clearance to the lips is about zero - like the pic in the signature. But after letting the rear end hand a few weeks then putting it back on the jack stands under the axles, I have a good 2" of height between top of tires and quarter lips.

 

I'll say one thing for sure, your frame rails are certainly ridged.

Dave