Winter Storage

Before putting the car to sleep:

Fill the tank, add gas stabilizer, take it out for a long drive (~50 miles or about 1/4th of the tank) to get all the bearings hot enough to expell moisture, the oil to expell all its moisture, and the battery fully topped up, refill the gas tank, give the leather a treatment (hide food, leatherique, ...)

Put car to sleep:

Inflate tires to 40 PSI OR put on jack stands or both
Disconnect the battery
leave windows down 1/2" so interrior can breathe
wax car but do not buff out
cover car
Put keys in safe place
leave until you are going to run it all the way up to temperature

Waking car back up:

Uncover car
Inflate tires to correct presure (down or up depending)
Charge battery (the night before)
Connect battery to car's electrical system
start car--give added time (10 seconds) to pump the gas system up to pressure before engauging starter
warm car up--allow idle relearn to happen
Buff wax--while car is warming up (or the night before)
Take car for 50 mile drive--get all the greases and fluids hot
Then:: change oil, change brake fluid, change coolant, (optional) change tranny oil.

And you are ready to go again.

 

Mitch, this is an excellent write-up, thanks for this. I've heard may different ways to store the car, but never one like this.

 

why would you change the brake fluid or the coolant? ive never heard that before. they are not like oil where acidic breakdown can occur.

 

I completely do the brake fluid several times a year--I also use the brakes to their full extent often (and repeatedly). Even in the summer in Arizona, brake fluid will consume water vapor from the air and become wet, degrading is boiling point, in just a few weeks.

Changing the coolant prevents, over the longer term, corosion in the cooling system--there are enough different metals involved (copper, aluminum steel) that galvanic action is possible. the coolant comes with some level of protection, changing it every year is a lot less expensive than eating a radiator or worse.

 

Two things I would disagree with are, one, do NOT start it to roll it up and down the driveway. Do not start it at all. You won't get it fully up to temperature, you'll do more harm than good. Second, don't put it on jack stands, unless you're also planning on removing the wheels. The suspension is NOT designed to hang in that position for extended periods.

 

Did you mean to say that the suspension "is NOT" designed to hang in that position for extended periods?

 

Ooops, yes, thanks. Fixed now.

 

My pleasure!! I knew what you meant...

 

I would add that putting your Ferrari in a Car Capsule is an especially good idea. It seals the car from insects, rodents, and the garage cat can't jump up and walk/scratch your car.

The air gets changed by volume few times per hour so it also keeps moisture at bay. You can also put a drying agent inside the capsule if humidity is a special problem in your climate.

And finally, with your car in the garage for the next few months the bubble barrier keeps other thnings that are in the garage during that time from accidentally bumping into and denting or scratching your Ferrari.

I live in a northern climate, so I put all my F-cars and vintage motorcycles up for the winter. I use Car and Bike Capsules from PDK for all of them. They really work well and it costs very little to run the fan for a month as it is using less than a 1 amp motor.

They have an optional battery tender or you can use your own. I have been using them for 10 plus years and they have really saved my cars and bikes from little disasters.

 

I've also heard different things about winter hibernation. Mostly the same but leaving the battery connected and on a tender for the winter. On the 348 there is a disconnect switch otherwise it is a pain to access the cables to remove it. Would it create problems to leave it connected and on a charger for the winter? Should it naturally run down and then just charged back up before spring instead? It will be in a temp controlled storage for the season

 

Steve, I left mine all winter on a tender with no problems, in a non-heated garage.

 

Put mine to bed.. On my new lift!

50 mile drive
Full Tank
Stabil
Tucked in
Battery Tender
Lift up


Cheers!
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Awesome Dino!

 

Discussion point: why not change the oil before storage, and run it thru the engine to to 'flush' contaminants and give everything a fresh coat of new oil??

 

The only thing I question is leaving the wax on for that length of time. Wax will try out paint if left on for that amount of time, or so I've been told.

 

Brake fluid is hydroscopic and as a result absorbs moisture over time. The more moisture in the brake fluid, the likelier it is that fluid will boil causing you to loose brake pressure. Brake fluid is highly recommended to change every three years. For maximum performance change it every year. Also helps reduce corrosion.

 

+1000- don't start it at all unless you can drive it to full oil temp, which is likely not going to happen unless you don't care about getting salt on the car (for me avioding that is the whole reason for storing the car for the winter).

Also, I would put the car on a battery tender and not unplug the battery. Leaving a car idling for 30 minutes in the spring is not a good way to warm up a car- starting a car for about 10-15 seconds, then driving it gently is the way to warm up a car.

 

Mine goes into hibernation like this
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That is great Steve, thanks for the pic. This is the first time I have seen or heard of this.

 

I drive the car into the garage and shut the door. Most nights in the summer it sits outside. I find that is all any car I own has needed for winter storage. I do throw some fuel stabilizer in if I remember to do so. I also charge the battery ever week for a few hours in the winter. I do not bother with tires or oil or brake fluid. I change the stuff fairly regularly so it should not matter. The tires stay on the ground in contact with the cold pavement.

It is a car!!!

 

Nice Bubble!! Is it designed by pininfarina..i like the way it flares at the bottom.

Cheers!

 

It still seems to me better to start it sometimes over the winter to keep the bearings and belts moving and get a fresh coating of oil on all surfaces. Why would it not get up to temperature? I've let it idle in the driveway so the coolant is hot enough to trigger the fans.

I agree it is much better to take it for a drive (which I often do in the winter when the roads are dry). But I'd worry much more about leaving the cam belts stretched in one position for 4 months as compared to letting it get warmed up idling.

 

i also heard that you should cover the exhaust outlets so moisture doesnt get into the engine. Any truth to this?

 

I drive mine in the winter when the roads are dry and salt free. Can't go that long without driving it. When snow is on the ground for extended periods (like last year here in NY) I throw a couple of Goldenrods in it. The ones used for boats. One in the engine bay and the other inside the interior. Keeps moisture down to a minimum. Also I will add stabilizer to the fuel. I do not have a heated garage btw.