I know with changing oil and all that your supposed to heat the car up before changing the oil and filter. Well because I planned on having my car sit while I was at college, I took out a lot of the stuff in it, including the entire ignition system. My question is, is it still necessary for me to put all that back in, start it up, then change the oil or is there some way I can get around having to start it?

 

Just change it as is. Everything will have settled nicely.

Changing oil on a hot car is no fun at all.

 

heating the car up just helps thin out the oil so that all the loose crap in there comes out and doesn't stick around. so yup...it'll be fine to change it cold after sitting for a while. I wouldn't want to run a car on old crappy oil anyways.