Winter storage

You're storing it for the winter and you live in the Bubble? Are you planning on leaving somewhere?

 

I'd suggest a couple more things:

Overinflate your tires to 50 psi (to help prevent flat spots).

Leave the windows slightly cracked.

Leave the car in gear with the parking brake off.

I wouldn't add Stabil to a stationary vehicle with a full tank. It really needs to be added before you fill up so that it mixes throughout the tank.

 

One more thing I suggest for good storage; park your tires on foam core, cardboard, etc. Not a good idea to let them rest on bare concrete. I do this all year round because I don't drive it everyday. I tried to put mine up for storage last year, but we had a super mild winter! I was driving it the week before Christmas. Good luck!

 

I am trying a Car Capsule for the first time this year. I've heard good things about it. My Porsche 993 will be parked in the garage (Chicagoland).

 

Got one last year, fairly happy with it.

For winter storage as mentioned above, add fuel stabilizer then fill up tank with gas, and drive for 20 minutes to get it in all the lines etc. I pump up tires to 50 psi, I park my car on foam tiles. A full hand wash, then polish then wax and full interior detail, then plug in trickle charger.

I am curious why keep the windows open a small crack?
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I have one... use for one winter on my 997 and forgot about it... I may use again on my Scud this winter.

I am also using buckets of some kind of silica to keep any moisture under control.

THE BEST THING YOU CAN DO TO YOUR CAR IS TO RUN ENGINE EVERY TWO WEEKS OR MONTH... SPECIALLY OLD CAR... IT IS A MUST!
ALSO MOVE CAR FROM SPOT... JUST ROLLING EACH TIME TO AVOID TIRE DAMAGE.
The battery charger sounds great on paper... I have over twenty and most of time do nothing to avoid battery problems... better disconnect the batteries if possible. I am ordering the one I already post about... let's see.
I also add stabil... to prolong the gas quality... I have cars with same gas for two years and stabil keep the fuel smelling at least ok... If over 6 months I would replace gas before crank.

 

I'd say the worst thing you can do is run your car every couple of weeks if you mean you're just starting it up and letting it idle for a while (going for a drive is something entirely different of course). All you do by letting it idle is get a load of condensation build-up in various parts of the engine ... not a good thing unless you can then drive it to "burn it off".

 

+1 I would do pretty much the exact opposite of what zxg said

 

Carb cars.... If I don't the ethanol will damage lines and fuel regulators... I am talking about my old cars.... That's how I had been doing for years, and had been working well so far.
I idle, warm-up and rev-up several times, maintaing some mid revs, like if you are driving around the block.
If there is snow outside, that would be the closest thing you can do to actually driving.
I know where you are coming from, and I respectfully disagree...
No, in reality what you said is true if just idle. You must burn the condensation, for sure.
Every time I didn't do this process... I go into trouble. I am lazy and like to skip... Bang carb problems. The fuel injected stuff not that bad, besides battery charge. I am just reporting...

 

From the internet and we all know... If it is on the net, it must be true :
Maintenance and Upkeep
Even when storing a car for long periods of time, you should try to take it on a short drive once a month. A 30-minute drive will keep the fluids flowing properly and help prevent against corrosion associated with disuse. If you cannot get on the road, idle the engine for 30 minutes (just be sure to open the garage door). If you aren't able to run the car monthly, consider buying a trickle charger to keep your battery in shape. Trickle charging your battery once a month helps ensure it will work when you put it back in the car.

Read more: Advice on Long-Term Storage for a Car | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/way_5135750_advice-longterm-storage-car.html#ixzz2DWaCoVVS

 

All good stuff.

I'll suggest:
Chocks to prevent rolling
Only a quarter tank of gas or so
You can add Stabil then drive around a bit to mix the tank
Leave the doors unlocked

 

....and the "to start or not to start" debate while in storage mode rages on......

I personally do not start my cars. None of the cars I store are / will be older than a 2001 Model Year. I have also had good luck with my process.

 

NEVER start a car unless you can take it for a decent drive.

You are doing lots of harm by just idling it or even keeping mid-revs. How old are your cars that you think you need to do this ? mine are late 1920's and early 1930's. You have to get decent heat into the motor to get out all the moisture that has accumulated and the only way to do that is drive it, idling won't do it.

Rolling the car forward/backwards a few feet to minimize flat spots, not a bad idea but over-inflate and you don't need it.

I am done...I wont get into the debate.

 

I agree with the tire pressure... other than that.... Do whatever make your boat float.
Peace.

 

I'm 100% with you on this. I would not start my car in the middle of winter if I weren't able to take it for a decent drive. What I used to do with my old 308 was turn the engine over by hand by putting a 36mm socket on the crankshaft "nut" -- I'd do this once every couple of weeks in order to guard against sticking valve train etc. etc. Spring would come around, my 308 would start first time, and I knew that there wasn't any nasty condensation in the engine. I also used fuel stabilizer and a battery tender. Easy.

 

I'am now also using the Carcoon, the thing I like about it is that the humidity level with in the carcoon is under control 40% to 47% is my preferred range for my 328GTB.
I keep the windows down about 25% for air circulation.

 

I've got a Car Capsule, and they recommend keeping the windows all the way down, or at least half way down. Does Carcoon give a recommendation for window position?

http://www.drivewerks.com/catalog/garage/car_capsule_FAQ.htm


Thanks.

 

Solution, move to Florida with us and drive as much as you want

 

They claim that you have to keep the air moving, both inside and out.

 

Except when it rains. Daily?

 

Very good point about leaving the doors unlocked; I had assumed if the battery went dead though that you could still unlock the doors manually?

 

Agreed, except you must fill the tank FULL of gas! This also prevents condensation from building and sitting in the tank.

 

Yes, at least half way down.

 

Back in the 1970's this would have made sense. (Friendly rejecting your theory. )

Today's fuel/gas/petrol goes "bad" after aprox 3 months.
(This would not happen ten years ago, it's just because fuels have changed over the years)

For the condensation part.
Today's fuelcells are not made of metal anymore and can't rust.
Filling up would only benefit older cars with a steel petroltank to prevent rusting on the inside. These cars would also benefit from a yearly draining of the tank to get rid of any water in the tank.



I leave the car 1/4 to 1/2 full for winter. When I start up for summer, first thing I do i fill up with fresh fuel to get a "fresh" mix.