Easiest way to crank without starting?

[sev]

My m3 sits for months at a time. I drive it a few times a year, so every time I start it, I feel like it's a rough start since the oil has had a very long amount of time draining back into the pan. Multiply that by many years of ownership and I'm worried I am causing damage.

What's the easiest way I can pre-crank this thing without starting it to build some oil pressure? Fuel pump relay?

[Mr.wReckless]

Fuel pump fuse is usually the easiest, but if it sits for such extended time periods, perhaps worth removing the plugs and spray som Streten fogging oil so it can also crank without compression?

Regards

[Slideways]

A few months is nothing for these modern engines. As long as you intend on driving it shortly after starting, it'll be fine. You'd be surprised at how much oil is retained on internal engine components after a few months of sitting.

The worst thing one can do is starting it, letting it idle and shutting it back off.

If it were to sit for a year or more:

1) Before putting the car away for storage and while the engine is still at operating temp, pull the fuel pump fuse and start the engine to allow the remaining fuel in the rail to burn off.
2) Once it comes time to start it a year+ later, pull the spark plugs and spray some fogging oil (or teaspoon engine oil) down the cylinder bores
3) Crank engine on the starter to build oil pressure
4) Put fuel pump fuse, spark plugs and coil packs back in and start engine
5) Idle for 30sec to a minute and drive off

Alternatively, the quick method is to pull the fuel pump fuse and crank the engine like that. With the plugs in, the starter will have to fight compression and the injectors will still inject the remaining fuel in the rail into the cylinders even with the fuel pump fuse disconnected.

[sev]

So you dont think there's extra wear happening with continually starting it after a few months of sitting? I hope not!!

[sapote]

Pull the DME fuse pack (3 or 4 of them in the box) before cranking then there is no injectors nor fuel pump running.