Putting car away for Winter

That's depressing. Where do you live Nick?

Kate

98 Cobra Drop Top

Here is a list of things some of the classic car people do.

1) Completely wash the vehicle (don't forget the underside) 2) Visit your favorite "rust proofing" place rust check or ziebart (optional) 3) Apply a coat of quality wax (some will even apply a second coat of wax and let it haze, buff off in the spring) 4) Ensure fuel tank and other fluids are full, including a oil change 5) Some will use a fuel stabilizer (optional again) 6) Some use a engine storage fogging spray (optional item again) 7) Some will use jack stands, axle stands or blocks to raise the vehicle just off the ground, I believe they do this so their tires don't go "square" through the winter, completely optional. 8) Depending on where your storing your vehicle you may want to either place a small container of mothballs or use a few cedar branches on the floor to keep pests and possible rodents out. ( cedar branches work great to keep mice out of couches and beds when closing the cottage for the winter) 9) Disconnect the battery or even completely remove it (remember don't store a battery on a cement floor, the charge will drain out and the battery will be pouched) 10) Finally cover vehicle with a cover (a made to fit cover or even some old clean blankets will work)

There are probably a few other things you could do and probably most of these I listed will be over kill but several classic gearheads I know follow these steps more closely then they follow the news.

Snow...

I usually leave it at about 1/3 tank, will tell you in a minute why

Or, you can roll it back and forth 1/4 or 1/2 revolution once / week. They can get out-of-round. "Thup-thup-thup-thup", "aw, crap".

I'll have to remember that. Had a mouse family in my heater plenum. I turned on the heater, and got a faceful of mousie-smelling mousie nest. Ugh. Pppptt. Wonder what vermin just flew out of my vents and in my face.

11) If at all possible, start it and at least warm it up a bit once every two weeks. Does it have a mechanical oil pump? If so, crank the engine 5-10 sec beforehand. This builds up a little oil pressure first so it doesn't dry start. Rev it a little bit after it's warm, up to 3000 or so and down several times, not just "stabbing" the gas, but bringing it up and letting it down. Doing all of this keeps everything in better shape, the seals, belts, lines, the engine itself, and the accessory pumps, electrical system, really, it does. Run the a/c while you're at it, so the compressor shaft seal doesn't dry up and fail, requiring a new (usually expensive) compressor. Cheapest maintenance there is. As my old shop teacher said, "the worst abuse is disuse." If you must store it, like I must store mine, firing and warming it with the above steps will do it good.

I leave about 1/3 tank in mine so when I fire and warm it, I burn most of this fuel off. The gas will collect moisture and start to ... what, I don't know the chemical process, get old and go bad after a while. If I run it out or almost out, before the season's over, I get my can and put a few more gallons in it. If not, I drive it straight to the station, fill it and put a can of carb cleaner in it. Then I spend the next couple days putting miles on the car, paying attention to gauges, seeing how it drives, making sure nothing's leaking and flexing things out.

It's a bummer when you park the car for the winter. I do so at the first threat of freeze (salt). I bring it out only after a couple good March rains have washed away all the salt and other hygroscopic stuff they put on the roads.

Trickle carge the disconnected battery. Sta-Bil fuel stabilizer should be added and run through the entire fuel system. Fogging the engine only applies to non mass air engines as it can damage the sensor.

I'm not a big fan of storing a car on jack stands. Rather drive it onto a couple of 1X6s to get the tires off the concrete. Rolling the car forward and backward a couple of times a month will help prevent flat spots. The tires should also be kept a max air pressure. Use an outdoor car cover.

Most of the above comes from someone who put his early XKE in storage every year and 'till it was sold after his death always came out of storage with out problems. Add this to what Snow said and there shouldn't be any problems come Spring.

bradtx

Instead of just a trickle charge, I would suggest using a "battery manager"... which will not overcharge the battery. Not expensive. Even have one which is "permanently" installed on the car battery, and has a small plug (like headphone jack for a walkman, which plugs into the unit. So anytime you put the car away, even for the night, the manager keeps the battery in tip top shape.

"caramelize" is what it's called when it happens >Trickle carge the disconnected battery. Sta-Bil fuel stabilizer should be

Entering into the unknown, V'ger seeks information used to maintain his Vintage Burgundy 1965 Ford Mustang 2+2 w/289 ci 4v oem A Code V8, C4 Trans,

16x8" Vintage 40 wheels, with BF Goodrich gForce T/A 225/50ZR16 tires, American Racing "Mustang" Centercaps, and a whole lot of other stuff; )

No, no, no. According to Bill S. and many other car collectors, one of the worst things for a stored car is to be started every so often if it isn't warmed up *fully* by being driven.

An example of one of the most obvious problems that can arise: condensation in the warm-but-not-hot exhaust will cause it to rust out abnormally quickly.

If you're not going to drive it around for 10-15 miles and get it good and hot, don't even bother. Just let her nap in peace.

This is the one I got for my boat battery:

Works great, and BatteryMart is a great source for battery related stuff.

Good recommendation. I actually forgot, I do put a two-amp charge on it every now and then. Hasn't hurt it yet, but I'll look into this too...

Weird. I think "onions" when I hear that word.

Really? So it needs to get to operating temperature for this to be good for it?

Huh...

I always worried about the engine locking up or something, and the seals and belts getting brittle and causing problems.

I stand corrected. My dad owned a couple 66 Mustangs, and swears he knows best on lots of stuff like this. He's was an engineer by trade. I listen to him, the old hot-rodder he is... but he was a hobbyist, like me. I just recall his being very insistent on this point when I got my first 67, and I've heard it from others (like that shop teacher). Well, any recommendations for "pre-lubing" the motor before you crank it? Maybe drain some oil and replace, or do an oil change before you take it out? Is that necessary? Just wondering...

"67RMOD" wrote

*snip**

| > "caramelize" is what it's called when it happens in a lawn mower.... | | Weird. I think "onions" when I hear that word.

LMAO! So do I !!

Kate

'cause lawnmower guys don't get the glory of car guys so they have to use fancy words.... kinda like the air force.... Strategic Air Command was missiles and bombers... nukers... pity the poor SAC guys who only got to drive those oversized flying gas stations... where's the glory of being able to wipe out countries when you just pump gas....

So, here's to all the lawn mower guys... 15 m>Never thought of another use for that word. Why just lawn mowers? Now

Entering into the unknown, V'ger seeks information used to maintain his Vintage Burgundy 1965 Ford Mustang 2+2 w/289 ci 4v oem A Code V8, C4 Trans,

16x8" Vintage 40 wheels, with BF Goodrich gForce T/A 225/50ZR16 tires, American Racing "Mustang" Centercaps, and a whole lot of other stuff; )

Wow. What a list. I've been doing this for almost 20 years. If you're like me, you'll rip everything apart in the spring (wires, plugs, belts, oils) and start anew. Thus, I put a trickle charger on the battery (sometimes) and leave it. Period. Don't touch it, don't start it, don't f*ck with it. Just leave it. 11 years now of cold storage on my GT and many, many more on my old 67, and every spring they start like new and run hard all summer long.

Brad

Yep, if all your going to do is turn the engine over, you may as well leave it be. You should always ensure the engine gets up to temperature before turning it off.

If the exhaust (muffler) doesn't get hot/warm enough water vapour will form and eventually prematurely rust it out, not something you really want happening.

Snow...

I have never looked under my car, how far back does the stainless steel exhaust pipes go?

Seems to be a theme I'm hearing from experienced collectors here I am (thankfully) changing my storage regimen. I do that stuff every Spring anyway.

I like everything I've read but I fill the tank up and add stabil at the gas station that way I can smell it before I get home. I just fill up the tires newer radials don't have the same problem of flat spots as non-radials. I also start it up every once in a while like when I'm clearing snow that way I know it's nice and warm before I shut it off. Mine is an '01 so I leave the battery in and hook up a battery minder to it.

It should go full length.. Unless it has been modified.

| > No, no, no. According to Bill S. and many other car collectors, one of | > the worst things for a stored car is to be started every so often if it | > isn't warmed up *fully* by being driven. | >

| > An example of one of the most obvious problems that can arise: | > condensation in the warm-but-not-hot exhaust will cause it to rust out | > abnormally quickly. | | I have never looked under my car, how far back does the stainless steel | exhaust pipes go? | | > If you're not going to drive it around for 10-15 miles and get it good | > and hot, don't even bother. Just let her nap in peace.

Entering into the unknown, V'ger seeks information used to maintain his Vintage Burgundy 1965 Ford Mustang 2+2 w/289 ci 4v oem A Code V8, C4 Trans,

16x8" Vintage 40 wheels, with BF Goodrich gForce T/A 225/50ZR16 tires, American Racing "Mustang" Centercaps, and a whole lot of other stuff; )