winter storage preperation
- Thread starter Dennyboy
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Just put some sta-bil in the tank, run it through, and ya should be good! And if any mice get in exhaust, its their *ss when you finally start it up and blow it out, lol.
my grandfather used stabil, but he said is was a waste of money. I think seafoam is a better product. He would either fill the tank up or drain it to keep the rusting to a minimum. He also put the car on stands and keep the tires off the ground so as not to flat spot them. Automatic transmissions are gonna leak if u leave fluid in them and the seals will dry out as well. Not much can be done about that, cause they werent designed to sit for long periods of time, unlike manual trans which are virtually leak free in most cases. As for rodents, keep rodent traps around the car and inside to catch them asap. My cat keeps my garage rodent free, but the best defense is keeping it inside. I have heard of using sulfur around the perimeter of the car, which is suppose to keep out just about any critter...(old country trick used for keeping snakes out of crawlspaces and basements). Grandpa also used driplugs in his spark plug holes to keep the cylinder walls from rusting. You can get them from Moss Motors.Dennyboy said:
I've got too many cars so something is always being stored. Add fuel stabilizer to the tank, run for a few minutes. Inflate all tires to proper pressure, wash and wax the entire car(door jambs included) tire shine on the tires, full detail, disconnect the battery, and do an oil change. Roll it back into garage, put a cover on it, and check/top off the battery every 4-6 weeks or so. Start engine and drive up and down driveway every month or two if possible.
If its not in a garage, just try to clean the car and wheels once a month or so and check for rodent damage. I kept my Caprice with an LT1 outside and i believe it was squirrels that kept chewing the fuel line under the hood. Something about the chemicals used in making the lines attracted them. I used a bit of hot sauce on the inside of the frame rails and front tires and no issues ever since.
If its not in a garage, just try to clean the car and wheels once a month or so and check for rodent damage. I kept my Caprice with an LT1 outside and i believe it was squirrels that kept chewing the fuel line under the hood. Something about the chemicals used in making the lines attracted them. I used a bit of hot sauce on the inside of the frame rails and front tires and no issues ever since.
Make sure the car is washed, dried, cleaned and empty. Don't leave any garbage in the car, and contrary to what most folks do (I've done it myself), don't stash a bunch of parts in it.
I like to lay a big sheet of heavy painters plastic down on the floor to protect the underside of the car from all the moisture from the concrete. It also helps collect the leaks and keep the floor cleaner... :lol:
I try and have the gas tank as full as possible (even better if you have non-oxy premium nearby) with a can of seafoam in it. Unhook the battery and that's all I do.
Some steel wool in your exhaust pipes will keep any critters out.
I've fired up plenty of old cars that have had the exhaust packed full of seeds/nuts/leaves/insulation/etc... and not only does that sh*t go EVERYWHERE, it can rot out your exhaust system from the inside, and even start a fire... For realz.
Evidently mice and other critters don't like dryer sheets.
I put several on the floor of the interior (don't put them on the dash) and a few in the trunk. I even throw a few around the garage just for fun. They work great in my experience, and they smell a hell of a lot better than moth balls.
I usually take the cover off every couple of weeks just to stare at the car for a bit... :lol:
Winters here are too long!
I like to lay a big sheet of heavy painters plastic down on the floor to protect the underside of the car from all the moisture from the concrete. It also helps collect the leaks and keep the floor cleaner... :lol:
I try and have the gas tank as full as possible (even better if you have non-oxy premium nearby) with a can of seafoam in it. Unhook the battery and that's all I do.
Some steel wool in your exhaust pipes will keep any critters out.
I've fired up plenty of old cars that have had the exhaust packed full of seeds/nuts/leaves/insulation/etc... and not only does that sh*t go EVERYWHERE, it can rot out your exhaust system from the inside, and even start a fire... For realz.
Evidently mice and other critters don't like dryer sheets.
I put several on the floor of the interior (don't put them on the dash) and a few in the trunk. I even throw a few around the garage just for fun. They work great in my experience, and they smell a hell of a lot better than moth balls.
I usually take the cover off every couple of weeks just to stare at the car for a bit... :lol:
Winters here are too long!
I don't have a garage so I try to keep my car mobile over the winter. I stuff dryer sheets under the seats and dash, keep it clear of heavy snowfalls, and I run a trickle charger on a christmas light timer for 4 hours every night when the weather gets below freezing. And when the roads are clear and dry I will drive the car for errands to keep the rotors from rusting up. This year I picked up a spare set of wheels and tires so I can tuck the new tires I bought in the spring away nice and warm for the winter.
Well all I did last year (maybe not the best) was wash and wax the car from top to bottom. Then parked it in my garage and added fuel STA-BIL Fuel Stabilizer. Then I started my car every 2-4 weeks. I did drive it once in the winter time and had no problem at all. I would recommend jack stands personally over the winter time as my teacher told me to do it. The suspension is just standing in one spot and could cause problem. For me I thought about it last year, but I move it every so often so I let that go and it is a pain to try to jack it up when you have a garage that only has barley enough room for you go get out of the car.
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