Need advice on winter storage.

[woodhouse]

The temp is dropping quick here in minnesota, and i reckon it's time to think about hibernating. Any thoughts, advice, tips, on storing the car for the winter months? Thanks in advance.

W.

 

[JohnZ]

I've been attached garage-storing my cars for the long Michigan winters for decades. I change oil and filter, drive it a few miles, fill the gas tank, wash it, then park it in the garage, air up the tires to the max shown on the sidewall, close the windows, disconnect the battery, and put a dust cover on it. Once a month I put a "Battery Tender" on the battery to bring it up to full charge, and don't start it unless I'm going to drive it at least ten miles. Come spring, I re-connect the battery, re-set tire pressures to normal, and drive it. That's all they need (unless you have a rodent problem, which is another issue - I've never had that problem). You don't need Sta-Bil for six months of storage, and DON'T "start it up" while it's stored - that does more harm than good - none of the seals will "dry out" in six months - that's an old wives' tale.

 

[woodhouse]

I've been attached garage-storing my cars for the long Michigan winters for decades. I change oil and filter, drive it a few miles, fill the gas tank, wash it, then park it in the garage, air up the tires to the max shown on the sidewall, close the windows, disconnect the battery, and put a dust cover on it. Once a month I put a "Battery Tender" on the battery to bring it up to full charge, and don't start it unless I'm going to drive it at least ten miles. Come spring, I re-connect the battery, re-set tire pressures to normal, and drive it. That's all they need (unless you have a rodent problem, which is another issue - I've never had that problem). You don't need Sta-Bil for six months of storage, and DON'T "start it up" while it's stored - that does more harm than good - none of the seals will "dry out" in six months - that's an old wives' tale.

What about when the air temp goes down to 15-20 below zero? should i worry about the water lines?

 

[Yoda]

Just so happens Rob put together a pretty darn good article a couple of years back on this very subject

From the Tech Center Knowledge Base: "Winter Storage"

Bud

 

[woodhouse]

Just so happens Rob put together a pretty darn good article a couple of years back on this very subject

From the Tech Center Knowledge Base: "Winter Storage"

Bud

thanks-no doubt yoda would drive an LT-1

 

[mike weyman]

since here in canada we have 9 months of winter and two of fall i use the fuel stabilizer, take the battery in the house so you can trickle charge it once in a while.myself i prefer to block the suspension up to get the wheels off the ground but keep the weight on the suspension. also test your radiator antifreeze to make sure it's up to the cold. mike

 

[safety_match]

Pretty much the same advice except that I do start it up every couple of weeks and let it run until warm. I feel that periodic lubrication of the cylinder walls and moving parts is prudent.

I back it up so the rear is just outside the garage for fumes and once in a while back it down the driveway then back into the garage so that the axles and bearings get a bit of a turn in the grease and oil...just my opinion though. JohnZ may be more correct in his way of thinking.

 

[Stallion]

saftey match, I'm pretty sure the reason behind John's way of thinking is that unless you drive it for a longer extended period (such as ten miles), the acids will solidify and just starting it up won't get the engine hot enough to burn all of that off, causing a "gumming" effect.

John will have to verify that though. I can't say I'm 100% sure of that.

 

[tomtom72]

Hi Guys, This is just my opinion. I live close to NYC in the suburbs just north. When I had mine in the mid 70's winters were bad enough that snow was a factor. During that time period I did not take it out at all,salt on the roads. I would sta-bil the fuel and pour a little Mystery oil down the carb while running. Then in the unheated garage up on jack stands (the car would be cleaned & waxed & detailed) and covered with a cloth car cover for indoor use. The engine would get a fresh oil change before Mystery oil and fuel stabilizer, once in the garage & up on stands I would squirt each cylinder with a CRC marine product that was for boat motors( it coats the bores & rings & stays there). The stuff was like an aresolized oil, squirt in each hole & turn the motor a few times after each hole. I had a boat so I had a wood box for all the batteries & used a float charger. Only negative was the fuel had to be used up before plug change in the spring, other than that I tuned up and changed all fluids. In the early 80's winters were not snowy here so I used it on weekends and didn't do the storage thing, but if the weather turned bad I would do the storage thing. I will say that my owner's manual had 6 mos./6,000 mile change intervals for tranny & diff. fluids & 2,000 mile/ 2 mos. oil & filter intervals. Oh, I forgot If up on stands for the winter all chassis lube points were done. Tom

 

[pasvorto1]

I, too, live in Minnesota. I am looking at putting the Imposter to rest on Nov 1. I plan on filling the tank and using Sta-Bil. I will remove the battery and bring it home to a warm basement where it will be placed on a couple 2x4s and trickle charged every couple months. I also plan on removing the seats. I plan to have them redone this winter. I will inflate the tires (but not to the max). I will cover the exhaust pipe openings. I have never had a mouse in a car exhaust, but I have had them nest in a motorcycle exhaust. Quite a scene when I started the bike and shot bird seed all the way across thew garage. The moth balls in the engine compartment might be a good idea. The garage I will be using is unheated.

 

[titan81]

Good article Bud!

 

[Mr Dark]

Another Minnesotan here. I put in fuel stabilizer and drive it enough so that it is mixed into the entire system, then I top off the tank and add a little more stabilizer. Wash and wax the car. Park the car. Over the next 6 months, I start the car once a month and let it run for 30 minutes to get everything up to operating temperature and let the battery get charged. I back it just far enough out of the garage so that the exhaust doesn't smoke me out while I'm running it. This system has worked well for me over the last few years, so I'd recommend it.

 

[JohnZ]

"Starting it up" and letting it run for a while may SEEM to be a good thing to do, but it's not. Every time you start a cold engine, it's loaded with over-rich mixture due to the choke action, and the blow-by from the rich mixture and cold rings just adds to the contaminants in the crankcase, along with the condensate that forms as the engine cools down. This combination makes the oil more acidic, and with no load, the oil never gets hot enough to boil off the moisture and suspended contaminants so they can be evacuated through the PCV system; they just continue to accumulate until the car is driven long enough to bring the oil temperature up to normal, which takes a LOT longer than it does to bring the coolant up to normal operating temperature.

Putting a car "up on jackstands" is also not a good thing, as it allows the suspension to hang at full rebound, which over-stresses the bonded rubber bushings at the suspension pivot points and can cause them to deteriorate or fail prematurely; they're designed (and installed and torqued) at design ride height so they're unstressed at that level. At any position other than normal ride height, the rubber is in torsional stress, which will either deteriorate the rubber prematurely or fail the bond between the rubber and the outer or inner sleeves on the bushing (the rubber portion of the bushing doesn't move relative to the inner and outer sleeves - the outer sleeve is locked solid in the moving part [control arm, etc.], and the inner sleeve is locked solid to the frame by the pivot bolt). All movement takes place within the rubber itself.

 

[71VERT]

DAVE I WANT MY CAR BACK. I miss it. Hope the car is running well, Make sure you have enough antifreeze in it I had it adjusted right last winter but double check it, you can buy a cheap tester at the store. My new business is going well so I will be looking next spring for another one If you get sick of it by next spring sell it back to me.



Jerry

 

[woodhouse]

hey jerry-the car has been running fine. i put about 500 miles on it over the weekends and at a couple of shows. had some clutch work done to it, got the tach working, and some carb adjusting-that holley is a challenge. lost the upper trim on the windshield during a fast run, but found a replacement, and found a good source for used c3 parts. also hooked up with a good c3 mechanic and c3 body guy. lotsa learning, but well worth it. after seeing what's out there, getting some pro opinions, and getting to know the car inside and out, i understand why you want it back. good luck on your search-and if i see one i'll let ya know. weird, even though i have my lt-1-i'm always looking for another, but my wife wont let me have two.

DAVE I WANT MY CAR BACK. I miss it. Hope the car is running well, Make sure you have enough antifreeze in it I had it adjusted right last winter but double check it, you can buy a cheap tester at the store. My new business is going well so I will be looking next spring for another one If you get sick of it by next spring sell it back to me.



Jerry