What do you do to get the Mopar ready for spring?

Hey guys. Its getting to be that time of year. I asked last year what people do to prep their cars for the winter. Now, what do you do to get ready for spring? My car has been outside all winter, no battery, fuel topped up and stabilizer in it. thanks and here's too a good year of moparin'.

Working on the Duster. Just some minor adjustments now.

Here in New Hampshire? A snow plow!

-LY

well i am in the process of getting some wheels widened from stockton wheels, i rebuilt my 8 3/4 diff...and just some more minor adjustments. been sleeping under the car cover all winter waiting to go out and play!!

Do you guys just start it up and go? or do you prime the oil system, put some oil down the cylinders and rotate manually etc? thanks

I tighten my rocker shafts back down (I loosen them when it goes into storgae so the cylinders are sealed up and so the springs aren't stressed) than I drain out the oil and pour new oil over the rockers to fill the pan back up. Then I hook up the battery and spin the motor over with the starter then flip the ignition switch and fuel pump switch on and fire her up and idle her in neutral until the water temp gauge moves then I back her out of the garage and vary the RPMS until she gets up to temp and then go for a cruise around the block. Then I drive it like normal.

would you recommend changing your oil even if it was changed before winter? thanks for the ideas.

i periodically start mine up in the winter, so come summer time i usually start it up, monitor fuel pressure and water temp and then just go

Yep I change the oil. I don't start mine up during the winter cause that causes condensation and is actually worse than not starting it.

would you recommend changing your oil even if it was changed before winter? thanks for the ideas.

If your oil is under the oil change interval that you use it is needless to change your oil. There is no difference in letting the oil sit in your sealed motor than it is in a sealed container. If you change it because of storage it would be best to change the oil before storage because the new oil won't have the fuel and contaminates in it like the old oil will. If you do it this way don't warm up your motor then change the oil and put it in storage. The colder oil against the warm engine can create condensation in your motor.

On my race car I just crank the motor until my oil gauge starts to move then start pumping the throttle to get it to light, that's it. It obviously wouldn't hurt to prime the oil system with a drill but being I have a tunnel ram and not going to pull the distributor and I don't have an oil accumulator I just crank it until I get pressure. My street cars I actually drive once a month, there is usually one day in each month in the winter I can take the car for a short drive.

Chuck

would you recommend changing your oil even if it was changed before winter? thanks for the ideas.


nope

remove car cover
reinstall battery

I charge the battery for about 6 hrs. (trickle charge it a couple times through the winter), turn it over on the starter for about 20 seconds, give the carb a couple good pumps and fire up the beast. Once she's idling check for leaks and take her for a ride.

Terry

I don't really do much, just get in and drive! Maybe that explains why my old 273 died last year? hehe...

Well I usually get the car home (I have storage elsewhere) then change the oil, grease the nipples, wash the car, vacuum the inside and generally check everything and clean everything. I tend to not do this before winter because I'm always caught off guard with the bad weather and just get my car into storage at the last second when it's already in the minus degrees...

Ok, the snow finally melted! Anyone know how to mount cat-tracks for the mud?

-LY

I just get in and drive as usual... but then again, I am in California and we get to drive our cars year round!

sure, rub it in. :)