LaSHOOOOSH

Anyone can point me in the right direction on a how to giude on winterizing your car? I'd like to start looking at what i need to get and do in the upcoming months.. Much appreciated..

Derrick Reynolds

I follow this procedure:

1. Fill the tank with premium gasoline.
2. Park car in garage.
3. Put cover on car.
4. Close garage door.

It's worked for me for decades

Mike Ward

Is the weather that cold already? Are you going to be like Toronto and call out the army if it snows?

Most guides for winterizing a car sound like they're preparing it for Armageddon or nuclear holocaust and some even suggest things that do more harm than good (putting the car up on blocks, running the engine every few weeks).

PKguitar has got it right. In addition I change the oil and filter, wash the car and hook up a battery tender (not charger).

That's it.

bluthundr

Same here, and then in the spring:

1. Change oil, top off fluids
2. Peel out of garage, go screaming down the street
3. Come back home, fix whatever broke

hwcoop

I would change the oil in the fall before storage to remove the contaminants that can damage your bearings. Also check the antifreeze freeze value.

kidneyboy

I just change the oil before I park it and then again after her nap in the spring.

Poppa Bud

Optional:

Put some Stabil in the gas.

If you feel real energenic you can put some dryer sheets under the hood to keep potential mouses out.

Paul L

Outside? Garaged? Heated? Home? Commercial?

LaSHOOOOSH

It'll be garaged kept.. Thanks everyone for the tips much appreciated.

Paul L

OK, if at home and in an unheated garage go with:
-an oil change
-a full tank of gas
-fuel stabilizer (Canadian Tire)
-use fogging-in oil down the carb (Canadian Tire), shut down engine when it chokes
-bring battery into basement and use a battery tender (Princess Auto)
-do NOT start the car during the winter
-cover the car with a breathable fabric
-relax until April

LaSHOOOOSH

Do you recommend on having the car on jacks? I am also going to lie a sheet of ply wood on the cement floor under the car as well, good idea bad idea?

Mike Ward

Re-Read post #3. Jacks are one of the dumb ideas I mentioned.

What would the plywood do?

Paul L

This jack idea goes back to the days of nylon-ply tires. They would flatten in the winter. I saw it in the Yukon in 1957. Yes, at -50*F they did flatten. But today?

Plywood?? I just don't know. It might be related to the old "never store a battery on a concrete floor" stories. We really don't want to get into that.

garage-ghost

I have bagged mine for almost twenty years now. They work great. No rust ,dirt, rodents, mold.




If you would like more information PM me.
.
.
.

Mike Ward

That photo brings up a good point- moisture and/or condensation. The biggest issue with corrosion is frequent changes in temperature and humidity in the storage area. Any time the ambient conditions go above and below the dew point, condensation will form. This is not a problem if the garage is kept shut and heated all winter or conversely the garage is open and unheated (as appears to be the case in the photo), but many people inadvertently make the problem worse by 'sealing' the car under a cover and trapping moisture inside.

If a 'bag' is used, desiccants should be kept inside to absorb any residual moisture.

garage-ghost

I use a 10lb container of desiccant per car. Good point for those who don't know.

LaSHOOOOSH

This will be first winter with having a corvette so i just wanted to get my facts straight before winter hits and be prepared to avoid any future problems next spring.. I'd like to thanks everyone on who replied on my thread.

mikecc

Come and spend the winter here in Florida.. bring Vet and drive it like you stole it..LOL....My mom lives in Ohio and has a vet. she just fills the tank.. puts on cover and tends the battery... Its in a garage.. but not heated.. shes had no problems for 7 years now...

volition

You must first remove or stabilize the fuel. Fuel stabilizer is available at just about any parts store.

The tires must either be inflated to ~50PSI or there is a chance they will develop flat spots. You can also place the car on jack stands.

Drain and refill the coolant and make sure you have the proper mixture of antifreeze and coolant before storage.

Purchase dessicant packs to place inside the car to prevent mold and moisture. (these are like those silica packs you find in things you buy sometimes)

Fresh oil and filter of course.

Brakes should be bled to make sure there is no moisture currently in the lines.


There is more but it just depends on how far you want to go. Cheers!

gq82

I put down an interlocking plastic tile floor in my garage but before I did that I covered the floor with a heavy gauge sheet of plastic to help prevent moisture from coming up through the concrete. You might want to think about doing that.

I follow the other good advise give here...oil change w/filter, top off the gas and cover with my flannel car cover.

Edit; 2 other points...I always disconnect my battery (battery cutoff) every time I park the car and of course it stays off all winter. I put a battery tender on once a month just to bring it up to full charge. With a good battery it only takes a few minutes and gives me a reason to check on the car. I don't like the idea of having the tender connected full time and it's been my experience it's not needed.

I never use a gas stabilizer...modern gas will not degrade over the winter. As long as you fill the tank with fresh gas you will not have a problem. IMHO stabilizer is just a waste of money. If I were storing it for a year or more then I would use it.