Parking Car For Winter

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Duster72

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Hey everyone..My first post..What a great informative site..I park my Duster in a heated garage every winter for about 5 to 6 months.I've been starting it once a month over the winter months,warming it right up,but not moving it.I was told lately by an old Mopar mechanic friend of mine that this is not a good idea because of condensation build up in the engine.He mentioned if I did want to start it that I should put a load on the engine and drive it at least 5 miles,to get all the condensation out of the system.I don't want to take it out in winter because of the cold and snow...Just would like to get some opinions on this subject..I've had this car since I was a kid, bought it in 1974...Thanks everyone..
 
I agree with him! I fog my motor when I put it away. You can buy a can to fog the motor at CTC which works really well. Also I back off my rocker arms so all the valves are closed. Also you should add stabilizer to your fuel so you do not have any problems with the fuel in the spring. Just my two cents worth!
 
Thanks for the reply..yes,he did mention about adding a can of C Foam..or something like that.. to the gas for winter before I parked the car,I put the highest octane gas in,about a half a tank..which is 94 Chevron here in B.C.
 
Not going to get much condensation in a heated garage. I'd add fuel stabilizer and disconnect the battery and let it sit.
 
72ScampTramp said:
Honestly if you have been doing the same thing since 1974. Don't ya think your method is working ok?
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Yes..that's correct,but sometimes you hear someone elses suggestions,you tend to second quess your methods..good to get opinions and learn from there..and yes I always unhook the + and - posts..I too couldn't understand why there would be a engine condensation problem in a heated garage either..
 
The problem is NOT condensation from SITTING in the garage, it's condensation from SHORT RUNS and NOT allowing the engine to fully warm up.

ALL combustion processes form large amounts of water vapor. That's because you are combining hydrocarbon based fuel (hydrogen) with air (oxygen) = lots of water

ALL engines have a certain amount of blowby from the rings and valve guides. This blowby ends up in your crankcase, which is much, much cooler than the hot gases in the cylinder.

I agree with the others. Either park it, disconnect the battery, if you have an electric pump, disable the pump and run the carb dry. I wish to heck I had a heated garage.
 
I usually just park it and then about once a month bring it out and run it at least long enough to let the thermostat open. Never had a problem even without fuel treatment in over 25 years.
 
Duster72 said:
Hey everyone..My first post..What a great informative site..I park my Duster in a heated garage every winter for about 5 to 6 months.I've been starting it once a month over the winter months,warming it right up,but not moving it.I was told lately by an old Mopar mechanic friend of mine that this is not a good idea because of condensation build up in the engine.He mentioned if I did want to start it that I should put a load on the engine and drive it at least 5 miles,to get all the condensation out of the system.I don't want to take it out in winter because of the cold and snow...Just would like to get some opinions on this subject..I've had this car since I was a kid, bought it in 1974...Thanks everyone..
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put it in the garage and don't start it til spring; the condensation won't get you in the garage its the starting it and running it for short times
 
i've heard you should drive it and load it up too, but never understood why running for a while after your thermostat opens and everything is too hot to touch doesn't remove condensation.
 
If you don't drive it the exhaust will also not get hot enough to get the moisture out

I use stabil and have started to use the blue stabil, it is a marine grade

Best to air tires up, clean the car completely, fogging the motor if you are going to leave for 5 months might be a good idea, though I never have except my old boat

Do not recommend starting for short term run
 
Change the oil before/after hibernation. It's something I do with my storage vehicles and my winter-use vehicles too

I'm pretty familiar with condensation (and other demons of winter). My old plow trucks have all had brutal lives.

My '87 D50 (Rust in pieces...literally :D ) Plow Truck was subjected to "Rabbit Starts", as in Hit the key, throw it in gear and drop the clutch before the oil pressure gauge even had a chance to reach 10psi (out of a 90psi cold idle, which it usually hit 90 in about 3 seconds). It also saw lots of quick-runs, where the engine would run long enough to scrape a layer of ice (single pass) off a driveway/parking lot and then was immediately shut down for several hours (repeat again when more ice hit, or the snow finally flew).

That '87 also saw use as a Daily Driver & Work Truck and the engine lived to over 250k. I changed the oil every 3k miles, and then regardless of mileage it got an oil change at the start of winter, half way through the plowing season, and another one in the spring. You'd be surprised at the moisture that gathers in an engine that is started and shut down frequently in the winter, not to mention the large amount of fuel too. The was one time (after plowing a lot, was a rough winter) I changed the oil and I swear that the old oil had more octane in it than the gas tank did :D

I'll second what the others are saying, just don't start it during the winter/storage months. Less problems that way.
 
I will be fogging my motor in about 3 weeks.. At the track that is with a 125 shot.. No winter shut down here... Good luck to you guys up north...
 
boosted said:
I will be fogging my motor in about 3 weeks.. At the track that is with a 125 shot.. No winter shut down here... Good luck to you guys up north...
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no need to fog..it aint a snowmobile....in a heated garage, ad stay-bil, disconnect battery andwait till May
 
If you have been doing this for many years and no damage has been done I think you should just continue to run it once a month. If you have just started doing this in recent years it's a different story.
 
Put it in the garage. Shine it up. And when the "Chinook" hits, take it out and let it know you still love it! At least in Southern Alberta! :D
 
lil red said:
no need to fog..it aint a snowmobile....in a heated garage, ad stay-bil, disconnect battery andwait till May
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lol, he means that he is going to fog it with 125hp shot of Nitrous :binky: :tongue3:
 
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