That time of year

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K

krabysniper

Guest
So I thought I would start off a topic that many of us need to deal with this time of year, vehicle storage. I realize there are those lucky few who live in places like Las Vegas, So. Cal., or Phoenix, but there are many of us that end up tossing moth balls or dryer anti-static sheets under the seats and in the trunks and stashing our beloved rides in the deepest darkest recesses of our shops/barns/garages/ yards, etc. So let’s get a little discussion going on what all everyone does to prep their ride for its winter beauty sleep.

I for one always take mine over and fill the tank with good premium and a seriously heavy dose of Stabil then go drive it around a half hour (because it's fun to drive and you need to get the Stabil mixed in with the fuel and circulated up to the carb bowls) then I top off the tank with a gas can when I get it where it wil be stored. I do this with all my vehicles that I store, my motorcycles, snowmobiles, boats, motor homes, etc. I care not, what anybody else says, draining a fuel system and letting it sit dry for 3 months or more is a BAD thing. I have stored vehicles for up to 2 years using Stabil, and been able to start up and run the vehicle with no troubles what so ever. And once you get a fresh tank of fuel thru them they run just the way they did when you parked them.

I also like to set my summer rides up on jack stands (or if you prefer the redneck method, cement blocks, and before anybody says "that’s not safe" think about it, they use them to hold up trailer houses, you just need to use common sense and do the same as the trailer house set-up crews do, use wood shims and KNOW which way the block has strength). By doing this I give the suspension a chance to "relax" and return back to original ride height (at least a tiny bit anyway) and also keeps the tires from becoming flat spotted. It also allows for tinkering on things like brakes and such.

I have a climate controlled garage and have never had rodent problems so I don't worry too much about the old "mothballs or dryer sheets thing" but have heard varying stories about the success and/or failures of such ventures. I personally believe in having cats available, they tend to control rodent populations, as do dogs.

Winter storage is also a good time to do a flush and fill of all major fluids power steering, brake fluid, transmission fluid, differential lube, I also grease every fitting on the car and any place that may need a little grease or lube like door hinges, vent door hinges, door locks usually get a shot of TriFlow lock lubricant.

I run an Optima battery so I guess I really don't do much with that other than maybe swap it into my jeep every other month or so just to keep them fresh (I have one in my jeep also).

I usually give it a very, very thorough cleaning inside and out and lay on some protectants on the vinyl and the rubber, and wax it heavily to protect it from the dust that WILL collect on it over the winter.

I am hoping to tear down and service the bottom end of my engine this winter so it probably wont be ignored as much this winter as it has before, and who knows, funding and time allow and I may paint it, I am really leaning towards a black with white vinyl top (no A/C and white is the most reflective of those hot summer rays so what the heck).

So what else do some of you do when putting them away for awhile?
 
Well for me there isn't any real storage as winter is when I do all my improvements that take too long in the summer. Like build a new wiring loom or install that rollcage I been wanting all summer. There is never more than a week that it doesn't get started and warmed up. And anytime the temp climbs above -10* is a good time to run to the gas station to top off the tank. If I have to park it outside over night so I can work on something else, and it snows , it gets a good wipe down as soon as it comes inside again. Although it never get driven in the ice and snow , it also never gets put to bed for the winter either. In Iowa the winters get long , hard , and bitterly cold but just driving it in and out of the garage or to the station makes winter much more tolerable for me
 
I guess I'm lucky to live in Austin,TX. Our winters are very tame and very rarely do we see below freezing temps. As long as it's not wet and sloppy outside, the Duster can still see a good bit of road time here.

Greg
 
I think the concept of "winter" storage is over-obsessed by most people. Unless you are talking about "long-term" storage (years), there is not much that will go wrong with any car that gets driven to a completely warmed up state on a monthly or bi-monthly basis. Three out of our five vehicles including a '71 New Yorker, a '74 Duster and a 2000 Ram 1500 have been like this for anywhere for 2-3 years now, no problems. I had a GMC Sonoma I just got rid of last year that was parked in an unheated garage near Pittsburgh PA for over four years (1988-2003) with absolutely NOTHING done to it, except for filling up the gas tank before it was parked and replacing the battery before I re-started it for the first time. No Sta-bil, no nothing. Drove it clear across the country to CO 4 days later, no problems. Keeping the battery charged and the gas tank full are the only things you need to worry about, especially if you live in a high-humidity climate.
 
Mine ia all ready stored all over the garage, basement and anywere else I could stick parts.
 
Ace said:
I had a GMC Sonoma I just got rid of last year that was parked in an unheated garage near Pittsburgh PA for over four years (1988-2003) with absolutely NOTHING done to it, except for filling up the gas tank before it was parked and replacing the battery before I re-started it for the first time. No Sta-bil, no nothing. Drove it clear across the country to CO 4 days later, no problems. Keeping the battery charged and the gas tank full are the only things you need to worry about, .
Click to expand...


You got lucky for the gas to be good enough to run it after 4 years. I just took a 87 ranger in that has been sitting since 1998 and the gas had turned to rosen on the tank lines and carb.Mucho cleaning so far.
 
No luck. It just depends on whether or not the tank is FULL. Air in there is what allows the gas to turn to crud, absorb water and rust the insides. If you had issues with the lines and carb it was due them leaking down for whatever reason and allowing air to enter. That is where (apart from mechanical issues like bad gaskets/seals) starting and driving to a full warm up at least every couple months or so will do the trick. I don't know anywhere in the country except possibly Alaska where there is not at least one or two good days during the winter this can be done without worrying about salt/slush/whatever.
 
Awwright you sunbelt weenies, get off this thread!!! :violent1: :toothy7:
 
As for mine. I just park thenm and throw a cover over trhem. do start them up at least once a month, and if the weather is mnice I will take them for a drive. Have never had any problems in the spring when I start driving them.
 
Well, guys. From the northwoods of Wisconsin. I will fill the
tank with fuel, Cover it in the garage(24x24). I do go out every
3-4 weeks and fire it up. I let it run for about 30 min. It may
not be the correct way by some people, but it works for me.
That way I can still bond with it. Keeps me going till I get it
out. Somewhere around mid april. I have been lucky the last
couple of years. Got it out on my birthday. The 7th of april.
I do use Stabil in the gas.
 
I keep my two Cudas in my garage,(unheated) and drive them once in a while in winter when the roads are dry,(no salt) and it's cold, just to warm them up.
Salt is the killer , and round here if you get onein. of snow, they will put down 6in of salt,(lol). The cold won't hurt any thing, Just keep your ani-freeze good.
This year my new 66 Dart project will sit on the side of the drive-way under a car cover and a tarp.
I do use stabil in the gas and change the oil and filter for storage. Changing the oil gets most of the acids out of the lube. I think it's good to store em with clean oil. It's allready been below freezing here.

Dave C.
 
Changing the oil is not a bad idea, but not necessary if you are changing it regularly anyway. If it is close to change time I'd say yeah, go ahead and do that after the last real drive of the season.

Starting it to just warm up and NOT driving it to operating temp is a BAD idea. Do that a few times and you may just ruin a fresh oil change with fuel dilution and combustion by products that are normally burned off at operating temperature. The additive pack could be depleted after that even if the oil still looks clean, then you're punishing your motor with spent oil on those first joyful spring rides of the new year.

OBTW :wave: that is also another good reason for NOT running cool thermostats.
 
I'm with Goody. I drive 'em year round, but this year when it rains I'll just drive my Power Wagon................ :headbang:
 
Well Ace, you quite obviously have no idea what winter is like up here. Rarely do you find weather acceptable enough to go out and risk your (in my opinion) rare or collectible vehicle. We have had years up hear when we wondered why we never got a summer, and others when we wondered where winter was, but for the most part, November thru March is storage season for folks up in these parts. I already lost a 71 Dart to winter driving back in 96, I don't care to lose the one I currently have as they are much harder to find now then they were then. That goes without even mentioning what salt around here will do to them if you drive them on the days that "SEEM" nice.

As for storing a vehicle and claiming that air is the reason the fuel goes bad, you are mistaken. Fuel evaporates, the good stuff goes first and leaves varnish behind. Varnish does not burn well in an internal combustion engine. So unless you have one super airtight fuel system (a car 30 years old usually ain't truly airtight) the good stuff will eventually disappear and you will have a mess to clean before enjoying driving. But, I am glad you have not run into the troubles that others here and I, have had with fuel that turns to varnish in 6 months to a years time. Truly hope your luck holds for you.

I concur that starting a vehicle and starting it and not actually driving it is BAD. That is why I say when I park it, it is stored with pre storage maintanance done to protect it, because I know I won't get to drive it for a while. Changing all the fluids is just good maintanance. I was in the service and worked on aircraft that were, at that time, anywhere from 25 to 35 years old. They didn't get that way, with the use they see in the military, without good maintanance practices, I guess it just rubbed off on me.

Like I said, some of us have to deal with it, others don't. I wouldn't trade living up here for anything, although come mid Jan. or Feb. we sure wish it was nicer. It's allright though cause it gives me time to make upgrades, and get closer to the wife, If ya know what I mean.
 
Good point. Define "very slowly" then come back and tell us why it's not a good idea to leave a car sitting too long (definition of "too long" = more than a month or two) with anything less than a full tank. Other than that, this is a non-issue if it's kept inside.
 
I've always heard that for a long period of storage time, it's a good idea to put about a teaspoon of oil down each cylinder to prevent rust from condensation. And maybe some baking soda inside to keep the odor down.
 
here, here on the baking soda issue..I / we parked my wifes 86 Mustang (boo-hiss I know) in 97 like we had done for the previous 10 years with the intention of getting it back out in the spring, only this time spring never came the next year. Finances, family, new job, etc..it seemed there was always a place for the funds other than in the car. Which at the time was Ok, the two boys had both gotten speeding tickets with it so maybe best to leave it parked. Well a few years went by and I got it running from time to time but couldn't really go beyond the confines of the neighborhood due to inspection, tags, insurance. Then came the time it just wouldn't start anymore.
Well after 9 years in the mothballs and $ 1500.00 it's back in shape. This time when it goes down for the winter it'll have a full tank of fuel..$300 of what I spent went for a new tank, sender, filters, injector cleaner, plugs and such. The balance went for new tires, brake lines and hoses, shoes and pads, turn the rotors/drums, and a new exhaust. The car was never driven in winter and sat inside my garage but time took it's toll. Hopefully this time I'll be able to take better care to drive it once in a while thru winter and get it back out this spring.
It probably would have just sat there a while longer but when I brought the Dart home I guess I gave the s/o the impression I had money to put into cars.
 
I'm in Michigan, so I know winter. All I do is take out the battery, wash it, throw the cover on, and put it on my garage dollies. I bought them when I was putting it together, but now I use them in the winter too. the bottoms are rounded so the tires won't flat spot and I can push the car tightly against the garage wall so its less likely to get damaged. If I want to work on it, I can pull it sideways to the middle of the garage and go at it. In my opinion, a very worthwhile investment. Mine are cheap Harbor Freight ones, about $75.

don
 
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