Winter Storage Methods

[AdironRider]

Equates thread got me thinking, with my car soon to go into hibernation what are some tried and true methods to putting a car away for a period of time? I know the standard stuff like changing the oil and that kinda stuff, but what other things should I do to hopefully having the car running as good the day I start it up in the spring, as when I shut her down in the fall.

[Lair]

I hate it for you guys in the north.

Storing a car for the winter is a completely foreign concept to me. The only thing we prep for winter down here are boat engines and batteries.

[Dave]

Sta-Bil in the gas tank, and disconnect the battery

[Simon S]

flat spots in tires prevention?

a) over-inflation of tires
b) jack stands

.

[UNHCLL]

Stabil is no longer sufficient given the corrosive nature of Ethanol fuels.

It will destroy your fuel system if the car sits for an extended period of time.

It now requires more to store a car for winter than ever before.

[dvs909]

Stabil is no longer sufficient given the corrosive nature of Ethanol fuels.

It will destroy your fuel system if the car sits for an extended period of time.

It now requires more to store a car for winter than ever before.

well thank you sir for that helpful insight.
wanna actually help?
tell me what more i have to do!
my e30 is stayin in a 50 degree barn this winter, what should i do too it?
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Jaguar Mark V Picture

[LINUS]

Cut him some slack - at least UNCHLL was willing to pass on something he knew. Maybe drain your gas tank, or if you filled in your location we would know if you are in a year-round ethanol market, of like where I live you can find non-ethanol blend 9 months of the year if you can decipher the pump sticker.

You have a good idea for a thread, but you take a swing at a guy for bringing up an idea - real nice.

You might also clarify your intended storage term - you say winter, your sig says 2 years. Storage methods are more than likely mor intensive given the fact you just took your storage term up 21 extra months.

Throttle back - you'll be surprised how much better you get treated.

-B

[Mike325]

Cut him some slack - at least UNCHLL was willing to pass on something he knew. Maybe drain your gas tank, or if you filled in your location we would know if you are in a year-round ethanol market, of like where I live you can find non-ethanol blend 9 months of the year if you can decipher the pump sticker.

You have a good idea for a thread, but you take a swing at a guy for bringing up an idea - real nice.

You might also clarify your intended storage term - you say winter, your sig says 2 years. Storage methods are more than likely mor intensive given the fact you just took your storage term up 21 extra months.

Throttle back - you'll be surprised how much better you get treated.

-B

Well said.

I was planning on leaving my car up on jackstands to prevent flat spots on the tires and also because I am doing a lot of work. If sta-bil is now out of the question, I would run the engine till fully warm every 5 days to keep the engine and fuel system "alive and awake".

[AdironRider]

Ok, glad this thread is getting the ball rolling. (Linus, dont worry its just the nature of r3v, take everything with a grain of salt, youll learn to love it.

For those that asked the car is going to be sitting outside under a cover in my driveway in Exeter NH. I wont be around the area except for Thanksgiving and Christmas when Ill be using the car briefly to get around when Im home. Otherwise its sitting till Easter when it comes out of hibernation. Im about ten minutes from the beach but it still gets plenty cold and snowy so if that helps with anything so be it. That being said, I just pretty much let it sit last winter and other than some deflated tires with my cars low milage I had no problems what so ever. I didnt even diconnect the battery and I didnt need to jump it. I just want to prevent problems further down the line kind of thing. I

So Im getting conflicting reports. Ive heard to top off the tank before you let her sit to prevent condensation from forming and in turn rusting out the tank. Now I hear that with ethanol its going to fuck it up? Eh Id like to know. Also, on the tire thing, the tires Id be putting on are shitty all seasons with like 40% if that tread left so I could care less if they get fucked up. (They were literally 30 bucks a pop new - anyone ever hear of Mastercraft tires?). However, I would think leaving the car on jackstands would be worse wouldnt it? I would think bushings and shocks and the like would like to stay under a load of just the weight of the car right? I mean it sits like that most of the time. It also probably wont get started much if at all, I tried to have my pops do it last winter but hes a lazy bastard so it never really happens.

Theres also the option of having my mom drive the car to work (1 mile from my house) once a week till the car warms up kind of thing. Tradeoff is a slight amount of salt will get on the car and it wont get washed till I get home to do it myself. Would this be a bad idea as long as the car completely warms up?

[Mike325]

I think that you should not drive it at all in the winter, even if it is 1 mile. All of the slush and shit is loaded with salt and will rust it up in no time. That is a good idea about the suspension. My friend's dad has a restored 1960 porsch speedster and it is on the tires all winter in the garage with no probs with suspension and tires.

[LINUS]

Ok, glad this thread is getting the ball rolling. (Linus, dont worry its just the nature of r3v, take everything with a grain of salt, youll learn to love it.

Sorry - comment intended at dvs909 - wrongly gave him credit for starting the thread, instead of the just the worthless shot at UNHCLL.

-other comments about storage term and location also for dvs909, got nothing against you, FifeDog. just to clarify.

constructive input:

Disconnect Battery

Old tires like you plan on.

Make sure your antifreeze content is up to par for winter climate you are in, including wind chill if outside of a 4 wall enclosure.

Figure out your local ethanol content, and either top the tank off, or drain it entirely??? - Anybody got a reason not to drain? Or are we taking this waaaay too far?

Put a bunch of Bounce fabric sheets in the car, trunk, and underhood to ward off mice. Bonus for nice smells next time you open it up.

Quality car cover, with extra tarps over it.


A little off here, but what about buying some local "performance FUH RAZE" fuel (Trick, VP, Sunoco, etc.) - run the tank mostly empty, fill up with the good stuff, run the car a while, retop-up the tank - done. Then the tank is full to beat the condensation/varnish issue, and good ethanol free fuel up in the lines and FI system.

-B