Agree- never used stabilizer and have never seen the need for it. This is after storing vehicles for 40 odd years and in one case the same vehicle for 31+ years without a problem.

Edit: This sounds like I have had a vehicle continuously in storage for 31 years. Not what I meant. I should have said the same vehicle stored each winter, for 31 years.

 

I always did a very simple storage trick. I covered the ends of the exhaust pipes with baggies and duct taped them in place. I duct taped a trash bag or a baggie over the air cleaner inlets and/or the carburator. Here is why.

On a V8 engine there are always one or two cylinders where the intake and the exhaust valves are open together. This can allow moist air to travel through the exhaust system; in through the exhaust and out through the intake valves; and through the carburator. That is why on a "frozen" engine it is usually only one cylinder that is rusty and the piston won't move.

BTW, I always covered the car with a soft cotton cover and used a CarJacket. I always placed Bounce dryer sheets inside the bag and inside the car. The CarJacket comes with bags of desiccant. The car always came out in the spring as good and clean as it went in the previous fall. No more calipers rusted to the rotors. In fact the rotors are shiney with not rust whatsoever.
Jim

 

I guess I should have said "it depends on how long you are storing". My method is excellent for the storage I do, in a semi-heated garage (no direct heat, but it is significantly warmer than outside), and for a short period. I have always gotten the car out at least a few times in November, and I have always gotten it out at least once by early April, so I have never stored for more than 4 months. I think I read online that GM doesn't recommend using a fuel stabilizer unless you expect to store for longer than 6 months, but I didn't save a link to that, so it is just hearsay at this point, but I don't use it.

I also try to knock out a few projects on the car in winter, so bagging the whole car doesn't really work for me. Dessicants are something I would need in summer in my garage, not winter. The bagging the tailpipes and intake is an excellent idea for long-term storage, but I'm sure I wouldn't ever bother with that for my type of storage, being short, and the fact that working on the car, sometimes I find as nice a day as I can and take the car out for a short run just to turn it around in the garage. It sounds like unsealing the drive-train and sealing it again after that would be a pain. If I'm working on the car pretty regularly, I don't worry much about mice. In fact, if I see signs of rodent behavior anywhere in the garage I get right on that, car or no car.

 

There is very little that you NEED to do...and a million things you COULD do ...much if not all of that latter is unnecessary....and much being **** retentive...but hey ...if you have the time, money, desire...to each their own....