Just had the car shipped to the Vail, CO area from South Florida -- nowhere to drive there unless you're into tracking. Question: The car will be stored in a 'semi-heated' enclosed garage with car cover for about 7 months beginning mid-October. Ferrari Denver advises, a. put 10 extra pounds of air in each tire, b. fill gas tank atleast half, use bottle of fuel-stabilizer, c. put battery on trickle charger. Note: Oil and brake fluid service was completed just before shipping to Florida in September. Any further advice will be welcome.
I fill the tank completely full with gas. I'm guessing 355 tank is alloy of some sort like my 308, but a full tank will inhibit rust as well if a tank is not a rustproof alloy (corvettes were terrible for this). Also with a full tank, there is less airspace for moisture to condesate out of. When you say "botte" of stabilizer, you meant "the right ratio" of stabilizer to fuel in the car. Not tying to be rude, but you can over do it with too much stabilizer. Lastly, you said the car will be in a semi-heated area. Just to be safe, make sure you have an adequate mix of anti-freeze/water just in case you have a prolonged power outage or something. Lots of times having a car in FLA people tend to skimp on the anit-freeze side of the mix ratio. Tires can benefit from small sqaures of 2' rigid pink insulation under each as well. I've sored cars with both..insulation and none...tires came out fine 6 months later either way. Other wise you seem good to go.
It is always good to start it up ever so often (with garage door open), just to get the oil moving. I agree with Meister on putting pink insulation under the tires, not only for the tires, but depending on the floor it can mark it up.
The worst thing you can do is start the car during storage without driving it!! Just let it sit unless you can take it out for a 1/2hr drive and get it hot. Way too much moisture is created once you start it and if you shut it off after 5 min. running all that water sits in places you don't want it. Just prep it and let it sit until the snow melts come May.
I agree with Abarth. Unless you are going to take it out and get all the fluids up to full operating temp, let it sit. If you have the space, you can roll it a foot or two every so often which would be better for the tires. I know some people like to leave the bonnets and windows slightly open. Supposedly better for the rubber mouldings, etc. Dave
I agree I live in Ohio and have had numerous sports cars sitting around in my garage for extended periods of cold weather time. Fill up the gas tank and leave it be. Roll it around by hand once in a while to move the tires............ Other than that wait until spring.
Thanks to all those who've responded to my request for info and advice. Perhaps leaving the battery on trickle charger is not a good idea after all. Two more days here in Vail and we head out of town so no time to shop for a battery tender. Like to hear your comments on a personal experience with this particular battery in the car which is about 8 months new -- While the car was in Florida, I left it for 2 months. Came back, the battery was dead but when I hooked up the trickle charger, the car started up after a couple of hours of charge. Maybe the same experience will repeat again. We return in Feb for skiing but most likely won't get to take the cavallinos out for exercise. Thanks again.
Radio, ECU, alarm, clock....other small electrics you may have will run the battery down in that amount of time. Personally, I take all mine out and store them in an area which wont freeze. If you are not worried about freezing and don't have time to pick up a trickle...IMO I'd unhook the (-) terminal leave the battery in the car and go from there. I've got no idea if that's easy or hard to do on a 355 though....
Thanks to all those who responded so generously with advice and information. Am going to fill up the tank, use a bottle of fuel stablilizer, not use trickle charger, turn off the battery, put 10 extra pounds of air in all tires and finally keep my fingers crossed that the car fires up after a few hours of trickle charging when we return in May. Time to head back to South Florida where I can't wait to tell how glorious it is to drive a 355 in God's country.
Agree with Vern. Excellent post here : http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showpost.php?p=136194678&postcount=2