Am I ruining my Corvette??

[Chas]

As I start this season and took the vette out for a shake down, I couldnt help but notice that the rotors were rusty and the new master cylinder is rusty as well.
What happens is during the off season , I use a propane heater to warm things up and go to work on it....then i turn off the heater and go in to the house, letting it return to the block of ice it was before i started.
So the condensation forms and gets all the cold metal wet and then it drys some and freezes again. This process repeats itself many times during the winter.
My question is, Would it be better to just let it stay frozen and do the work when its warmer, to avoid rusting the metal.
I can only imagine what the metal i cant see looks like...
Maybe im over reacting , but Im looking for opinions from others here...
Thanks, Chas

 

[Bill75]

Yes you'd be much better off not doing that. A propane flame will give off moisture as it burns in addition to depleting the oxygen. I used one for a short time when I first started heating my garage in the winter. There was condensation over everything after a days use, car, windows, doors, etc. Plus..........when I came in the house my wife said "how come your face is all red??" A sure sign of carbon monoxide poisoning!! I got rid of the damn thing.

I now have a direct vent heater that uses outside air for combustion and exhausts to the outside. No oxygen depeltion, fumes or water vapor.

BE CAREFUL WITH THAT THING. If you're not going to work on the car let it stay cold until spring, if you are, get a better heating system.

Bill

 

[Chas]

Yes you'd be much better off not doing that. A propane flame will give off moisture as it burns in addition to depleting the oxygen. I used one for a short time when I first started heating my garage in the winter. There was condensation over everything after a days use, car, windows, doors, etc. Plus..........when I came in the house my wife said "how come your face is all red??" A sure sign of carbon monoxide poisoning!! I got rid of the damn thing.

I now have a direct vent heater that uses outside air for combustion and exhausts to the outside. No oxygen depeltion, fumes or water vapor.

BE CAREFUL WITH THAT THING. If you're not going to work on the car let it stay cold until spring, if you are, get a better heating system.

Bill

Well my Dad died from that so im pretty sensitive to carbon monoxide poisioning....i have plenty of draft in my garage.
Point taken, when i can afford insulation and a furnace , it will go in....but My question is more about the rust on metal i cant see...how much paint or primer is put on metal i dont see...like inside the doors and such.
Thanks Bill......Chas

 

[JJS]

Sounds like you might be interested in puchasing a heater similar to those listed in this website. They're really not all that expensive, and you'll be able to work on your car with peace of mind. -John

http://www.littlegreenhouse.com/accessory/heaters.shtml

 

[elints]

If you get a gas heater just make sure it is vented.

I haven't the ice problem where I live. Things rust all by themselves. A new master hasn't a chance inless it is painted or chromed. The rotors just cycle from rust to shiny and back to rust. It is all a function of the moisture content in the air.

A vented heater will not contribute any moisture to the garage and I assume the relative humidity will be very low in your area during the winter so the "problem" should be minimized.

Search "garage heaters" and I am sure you will find one for your application.

good luck

 

[Chas]

The question isnt about the type of heat or heater...i appreaciate the info regardless though...my question is:

Anyone who works on the vette in a cold climate and heats it only when they work on it, creating condensation, is harm being done on metal?
(Regardless of the heat source)

If i had a attached garage and kept it warm all the time , condensation wouldnt be an issue....

I have the feeling it may do more harm than good.

Chas

 

[6 Shooter]

Chas,

Anytime metal goes thru extreme hot/cold cycles it exhibits visual effects by rust, any material in direct contact with metal will more than likely mildew. This is probably even hard on your electronic/electrical system. I'd say you see signs of this at work with some of the metals that are stored for long periods of time.

Take care of that Great Looking Yellow Machine!

Later - D

 

[elints]

Warm air holds more moisture than cold. That's why we have rain and snow. If you let the metal cool within the confines of the garage without opening it for exchanging the drier outside air you will cause more condensation to form every time you cycle the temp. I tend to think that as soon as you turn the heater off, you should open the doors and let the warm air out as rapidly as possible. The dryer the air the less condensation you will experience as the metals cool.

JMO

 

[Chas]

Thanks guys...

i just was curious to see if it may be doing more harm than good to work in those conditions....

Its funny but in the dead of winter , nothing raises my spirits more than working on my Corvette.

Thanks again...Chas

 

[elints]

Its funny but in the dead of winter , nothing raises my spirits more than working on my Corvette.

Thanks again...Chas

I understand perfectly.

 

[6shark9]

I've notices a lot of condensation in March (Ohio) during those first few days of warm humid weather when the garage is cold from the freezing night prior. Even the concrete floors get wet enough to mop. So on those days I try not to even open a door.

Rusted my rotors, master cyl, and dressed exhaust manifolds. Makes me scream as my Calif car has NO rust underneath (yet)

 

[red70vette]

I don't think that the amount of rust and corrosion generated by the moisture in your garage is critical. I do the same thing, although I don't notice as much rust as you seem to. I treat the rust as I see it and since it is surface rust it does little damage.

The alternatives have been stated already with recommendations for a heating system that is more friendly. For me that is not a good option at this time due to the infrequency that I work in the garage (1 day a week max). For me to heat that thing 24/7 so I could spend a couple of hours in there on a Saturday would not make sense.

Would your car be better served if it was kept in a climate controlled enviornment? Absolutely. Are you doing much damage? I don't think so.

If you go to a new car dealer look at the rotors of the vehicles on the lot. If they have been there for more than a week they have surface rust. The first time you step on the brakes the rotors are no longer rusted. If you are doing anything more than just sitting in your garage staring at the car then I would think that you are doing much more good than harm. I for one would not spend much time worrying about it.

 

[craig32]

Its funny but in the dead of winter , nothing raises my spirits more than working on my Corvette.

Not even the Red Wings winning the President's Trophy AND the Griffins winning the Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy??? Life is good in Hockeytown, eh? As much as I love the winter, I couldn't wait for spring to take the Vette out. . .

Craig

 

[mkapp7879]

I don't run heat in my barn at all over the winter. I can usually work out there in a sweatshirt. I've got a couple jugs of water out there that don't quite freeze up, temp stays just above freezing at the coldest. BUT....come spring and when the heat doesn't seem necessary, that's when I turn it on. The moisture in the air seems to settle on everything if I don't "equalize" the humidity by running the heat, usually just above what the outside temp is. Of course, yesterday, 70 degrees and rainy all day. No getting away from some condensaton. This is the time of year that those carcapsules are especially usefull. Mike

 

[Chas]

I don't run heat in my barn at all over the winter. I can usually work out there in a sweatshirt. I've got a couple jugs of water out there that don't quite freeze up, temp stays just above freezing at the coldest. BUT....come spring and when the heat doesn't seem necessary, that's when I turn it on. The moisture in the air seems to settle on everything if I don't "equalize" the humidity by running the heat, usually just above what the outside temp is. Of course, yesterday, 70 degrees and rainy all day. No getting away from some condensaton. This is the time of year that those carcapsules are especially usefull. Mike

My garage floor sweats sometimes too...if i leave a bottle of water in my car when i go to work in the morning, its usually frozen by lunchtime here.
Saturday we had sunny and 79 , Sunday we had cloudy and 53...ah, gotta love Michigan weather!:eyerole
One of those capsules would be nice!
Chas