Any suggestion? What needs to be done when putting the corvette into a winter storage garage? The garage will not be heated.

 

o check antifreeze
o disconnect battery
o drain gas if storing more than several months (it will gum up).
o car cover (to keep the kritters off the paint)
o mothballs in the engine compartment & air cleaner (to keep the mice out)
o tennis ball over the exhaust pipe (yup... to keep the mice out)

 

Should anything be done to prevent mice from getting inside the car. Should the battery be removed?

 

Invest in one of the clear plastic inflatible cocoons. With the battery out, gas preserved and some dessicant pillows in the bag, your covered from everything especially that rust THAT WILL SHOW UP in a garage that warms up in the day and cools off at night. There is a lot of metal under your dash, in your doors and places you never thought of that will become rusty over a 5 month storage in an unheated building. Save the Wave :seeya

 

I have heard that when it’s raining and the moisture content of the air goes up, that it helps to keep the garage air moving with a fan..
Anyone else heard of this??
Supposed to prevent moisture from accumulating on surfaces...
Don't know if it works...
Sounds reasonable

Tony

 

I use a product called "stable", may be mispelled but any parts store will know what you mean. I put a few drops in my each fill up and haven't had any problems since I started doing that.

It's always better if you can start it every month or two.

 

You want the fuel tank full during winter storage to prevent moisture from condenscing in
the tank. Fresh fuel will last at least a year, especially in cold weather, and you don’t need
to add a stabilizer to it. The rate of fuel deterioration decreases with decreasing
temperature. For long term or indefinite storage, you should drain and flush the fuel
system with mineral spirits and treat all interior surfaces to a rust preventative such as
WD-40.

You can remove the battery, but on most models the expansion tank must come out along
with the heater hoses, so you can leave it in, but disconnect it and charge it at least
once a month or leave a battery tender connected. The self discharge rate decreases with
temperature, but you want to be sure it remains near full charge as a discharged battery
can suffer electrolyte freezing in sub-zero weather.

Just prior to storage, wash it and change the oil and filter. The clock DOES NOT run on
fresh oil in the sump during storage, but it DOES RUN on the two year life of the
antifreeze and brake fluid. Keep this in mind when planning your maintenance.

Fill the tires to the maximum cold pressure placarded on the sidewall or 35-40 psi. Store
the car on the tires. DO NOT STORE IT ON JACKSTANDS WITH THE
SUSPENSION DROPPING. This will stress the bushings in torsion for an extended
period of time - something they were not designed for. That’s why the AIM and shop
manual specify that the bushing bolts must be torqued at normal ride height, so they are
not preloaded in torsion.

It’s good if you can extract the fuel from the carb bowls with a syringe. This will keep it
from forming gum or varnish when the lighter fraction evaporates.

Cover the car with a breathable cover to keep it clean. The garage should be properly
vented IAW local codes. If it will share the garage with a daily driver, leave the driver
outside if it is wet or cakedwith snow. This will help keep moisture from building up.

Close the cowl vents and heater air control **** (LH **** all the way in) This will
prevent these paths to the interior from being used by rodents. Place baited traps under
the car (near the inside sidewall of the tiresis convenient). Also place traps and/or poison
inside the engine compartment and cockpit. Check the traps at least once a month.

When you’reready to start it in the spring remove the traps and poison and be sure the
battery is fully charged.Do a general inspection to make sure no fluids are leaking, etc.

If you have a syringe,injectfuel into the bowls until it just dribbles out the venturi nozzles.
(This will eliminate the cranking time normally required to fill the bowls.) Check the tires
and do a normal cold start. Assuming you only drive a few hundred to a few thousand
miles before the next winter storage, the oil is good for the duration.

Duke

 

I winterize the boat every year. Here's a basic ritual.

Go to the gas dock (or station) and fill the tanks with gas and add fuel stabilizer. Then run it home to get stabilized gas in all the lines and carbs (modern gas blends have a "shelf" life of under 3 months). I use StaBil or Store-n-Start brands, but I think most are ok (get them at any marine store, along with the fogging oil for below).

Once home:

1. warm up and change oil and filter (don't want the engine acids sitting in the bearings all winter)

2. drain all block fittings (add radiator fittings for a car ). Be sure when draining the block to poke a stiff wire in the holes and root around. You'll be amazed at the amount of crud that settles into the bottom of the water jackets.

3. restart and fill with antifreeze (this also lets fresh oil make it's way through the system).

4. fog motor and shut down. (Spray fogging oil into carb throat when running on fast idle, three or four 15-20 second bursts usualy is good. Can often give it one good strong hit to kill the motor. If not, you can kill it by putting you hand over the carb throat. Fogging oil will coat the cylinders and valves to protect them, engine will smoke a bit on the oil and when starting in the spring till it burns out.)

5. Drain the antifreeze from the motors. (Lot's of opinions here, but I have found some antifreeze gums up when sitting all winter, especially Sierra, so I prefer to drain the block again. There will be antifreeze remaining in the little nooks and crannies that won't drain, which is why you don't want to just drain the block and leave it, skipping the fill/drain with antifreeze cycle.)

6. Clean the battery and cables. I don't remove the batteries, but the boat has a monitored charger built in that I leave on all winter to keep them topped. I usually will go and run some electric load (pumps/blowers) about twice during the winter to pull some charge from the batteries, then let them charge back up.

Change the shape of the fiberglass a bit, and you can't tell the difference if it's a boat or a Corvette (though you gas bill will be MUCH lower )

-Greg

Almost forgot, if you want to spray a lite rust preventative on the throttle cables etc pick up a can of B-9 Boshield (developed by Boeing by coincidence) while at the boat store.


[Modified by GregP, 9:04 AM 9/7/2001]

 

I agree with SWCDuke, STABAL (used mostly for boats) is not needed just fill the tank but it is best to empty the carb bowls and change the oil. Some people go a little overboard on winter storage. I would not drain the block of coolant but would make sure you have more than enough antifreeze

 

I agree with Duke as well. Not need for fuel stabal. Just a waste of money IMHO. Never used it in any of my cars and never will. Making sure of enough antifreeze is a must.

Enjoy,
Curt

 

Whats Winter :D

I prep my car for winter by getting out the glass top and putting away solid color top :yesnod:

I lived in Iowa for 40 years, so I really feel for you guys. :cry

 

Hey Red Hot, I feel for you in the summer. lol I lived in Orlando for a while and Miami. It is a bit hot down there in the Spring, Summer and Fall for me.

Enjoy,
Curt

 

Used to live in cold Western New York...here was my storage routine:

-change oil filter, lube
-wash, dry and wax. Vaccume interior..dont go nuts with protectant as it
can get funky over the damp winter....do glass while your at it.
-drive to the gas station to fill up..while there overinflate the tires
by 3 lbs. (helps to prevent flat spotting while stored). Driving the
car also helps be sure the chassis and other hidden parts of the car
are really dry before you store the car. ALSO...add gas preservative.
-be sure the antifreeze is good..check temp it is protected down to.
-there is a product used for absorbing dampness in closets...you can
find it at a good old fashioned hardware store...comes in a box. Place it
in the car on a dish or something that wont pass absorbed moisture on
to the carpet.
-put polysheeting on the floor of your garage under car...helps prevent
moisture from passing up to your chassis.
-remove the battery and take it inside...dont put it on concrete floor, put
on a trickle charger...can get them at Wallmart pretty cheap.
-close up windows and lock
-put on a good car cover...I like flannel lined model.
-dont "start it and warm it up" over the winter. Not worth it as all
you do is build up moisture in the exhaust system.
-when you do bring it out in the spring, reverse all the things above as
appropriate. I also would pull the coil wire and crank the motor a bit to
build up oil pressure before it kicks over....crank it some then put the
coil wire back in place and fire it up.

I have not had to use this down here in good Ol Tennessee because we pretty much can drive year round. But this worked very well for me and I never had any problems.

 

Wow!! :crazy: You guys go through a lot! :smash: I just go out to the garage and run it for 20-30 minutes every 2 or 3 weeks. :cool:

 

Big Question :confused:
Is it better to start a stored car every 2 or 3 weeks or put it into storage and leave it alone. I live in Connecticut, we get cold damp weather during the winter months. I'm planing on garaging the car from Nov. 15 to Mar 15. ( 4 mos.) I will have access to the car and could start in whenever.


[Modified by RESPO6T7, 3:14 AM 9/8/2001]

 

Check the Places Rated book and I bet you will find your temps and humidity don't compare to Moline IL. It gets colder here than Buffalo NY.

What I like about starting the car is the sound and smell - which I begin to miss after 5 or 6 days. Running the car makes winter seem shorter. It hasen't done any damage to my car in 14 winters.

 

I like your style :cool:
I think I will probably fill the tank, check the anti freeze, cover the car, over inflate tires, protect it from mice, add some moisture protectant and baking soda inside the car for moisture and smells. I will then visit her weekly and maybe start her every two weeks. Which means the battery will remain in the car.
Does anyone have any opinion :confused:

 

Over the years numerous studies have indicated that, over the life of the typical automotive engine, about 80 percent of all wear occurs during cold start and warmup. Starting the engine during storage just creates wear without taking you anywhere.

Six months of winter storage is nothing. I've been storing cars for six months to a year, both winter and summer for over 10 years. I just fill the fuel tank, change the oil,and filter, air the tires to max pressure, set traps and bait, remove the battery, cover them up, lock up the garage and walk away. Six months later I install a freshly charged battery, remove the traps and bait, check the fluids and TP, then fire 'em up and drive away.

Save your engine from needless wear. Let it sleep the entire winter. Just keep the battery charged and check for rodent activity.

Duke

 

I like what yor saying
Would you suggest adding anything to the gas? Would you suggest adding oil or the like to the cylinders through the spark plugs holes?


[Modified by RESPO6T7, 3:35 AM 9/9/2001]

 

Florida has four seasons Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer and Next Summer. :yesnod: