Storing vehicles for the Winter - Winterize!

We recently moved to NE Washington from Florida and the idea of winterizing a car is something new to us. We plan to escape the winter by heading to Baja with our truck camper. We'll be leaving behind a small car and maybe a motorhome (if it doesn't sell by then). I've been searching the web for information on winterizing cars and have gotten conflicting information especially in regards to the battery. Do I need to remove batteries or can I leave them on (maybe disconnected). We do have a battery charger but we'll have more batteries (one in the car, in the RV and 2 extra RV deep cycle batteries) than it would handle. The weather here can hit 20 below or maybe even a little colder (although it's been getting warmer every winter). As hubby is disabled, I'll be in charge of winterizing and I'm not really looking forward to lugging all these batteries to our basement. Vehicles will be sitting outside on dirt driveway.

Also....which is best....getting an oil change before storing them for the winter or when we return and why?

Appreciate suggestions. Thanks!

Sandy

Reply to
sandy
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sandy wrote:

Ok First make sure the antifreeze is in good shape in both. Once that is done fill the tank and add some stabil to the gas. While you at the store buy a couple small trickle chargers. Put down a tarp that is larger than the car and drive onto it to help with moisture control. Even better would be to put down 4 ramps on the tarp and drive onto them. That also helps keep the mice at bay. Just the tarp would help with the RV. Put some moth balls under the hood and around under the car. Put tire covers over the tires on them (nothing fancy needed just something to stop the sun from beating on them). Those will also help with mice. Same with the RV but you could also put some in the compartments. Add RV antifreeze to the holding tanks and flush it through the system as well. Shut off heater and fridge, and disconnect the house batteries and the starting battery. Personally I would store ALL the batteries in the house on a block of wood with newspaper and baking soda under them below the wood and connected to the trickle chargers. Plug the trickle chargers into a timer so they are only on 1 hour a day or a couple hours a week. Change the oil if it is close to being needed, or if the vehicles have only been run for short trips. That will get rid of the built up moisture/acid in the engine. I would also buy some engine misting oil and spray it into the intake with the engine idling. Then shut them down. Give both a good wash and wax to remove the salt/dirt they may have. I have done a wax job and then not wiped off the wax as well. Then when you want to use the vehicle you wipe it down with a good wax/grease remover and give it a good wax job then. Your choice there.

When you get back reverse the process.

Reply to
Steve W.

Search on winterizing boat engines. Disconnect batteries and clean any corrosion and put a little silicon on the posts to prevent corrosion. Change oil and run a couple minutes to flush fresh oil through engine. The boat engine we always pulled the plugs and squirted a little oil in the cylinders and cranked over a couple times and then put the plugs back in. Store with full tanks of gas to help prevent moisture in the tank. The best solution would be to have someone drive the vehicle every week or two long enough to get it hot. It would solve the other problem you will have of rusted rotor and brake drums.....

Reply to
Woody

Check/get the antifreeze to around -40. Take batteries inside. If that's a problem, at least take one cable off. Change the oil after winter. Condensation, (moisture), can accumulate inside the engine while it is not being used. Changing the after it sits will get rid of it. (it's not allot. it's just a good thing to do after it sits)

Reply to
dahpater

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