OK, I did a complete forum search and didn't satisfy my question. I've got bits and pieces of info from various links, such as battery maintenance and such. It will be my first Michigan winter storage so I'd like to hear what you cold weather folks do for your vettes.

Here in Michigan, the winters are fairly cold with several thaws. I'll have the vert in a non-heated garage and my plans are to put it up on jack stands in order to get some work done and care for the tires. I also have some engine projects that I'm planning, so I'm keeping it accessible but under a good quality cover.

What I'm asking here is for your inputs on what you do and why you do it. I have a 90 stock L98 with 56K using Mobil 1 with a K&N filter.

Thanks for all the help this summer!

 

I noticed you said jack stands I have always just kept my wheels on but one year I was gonna put it up on jack stands and someone on here told me to use an extra set of jack stands on the suspension a arms so they don't just hang all winter I might consider using those dry pack dehumidifier bags to keep the moisture out of the interior if the garage isn't heated . For the most part my vette has always taken her winter slumber pretty well except I agree on the battery maintenance I have no luck with batteries so I end up with a new one each year.

 

I leave mine on wheel dollies and uncover it once a month and push it so the exhaust goes outside the garage. Four cars in the garage durring the winter months, I really will NOT scrape windows in the morning! I live in Kanata Ontario, Canada.(January is REAL cold) The garage is not heated but completely insulated and finished inside. There is this vague feeling that I might start this winter to putting on all these parts I've been buying. I put a battery minder on it at ALL times that I don't drive it, this preserves the battery. It is a hangar Queen, but this allows me to drive it when I want to drive it! usually on sunny days and when I feel like thrashing it doing laps at the track! Have fun this winter working on it, this Spring it will put a real smile on your face!

Yes, if you use jack stands DO NOT leave the wheels on, or at least support it so the shocks are not extended and no pressure is on the spring!

 

Fill the tank all the way with good fuel and add fuel stabilizer before parking.

Put a battery charger on it. Make sure it's a fully automatic or trickle charger so it doesn't overcharge.

I start mine up every couple of weeks and let it get to operating temp to keep everything lubricated.

A lightweight cover to keep the dust off.

I don't think you need to worry too much about moisture in the car. Moisture in the fuel and engine are where it's a problem.

 

Don't put a trickle charger on it. Buy a battery maintener. A good 1 will run about $40.00. They shut off when the battery has reached full charger and kick back on after it detects the battery is down. A trickle charger left on all the time can overcharge and damage the battery.

 

PREPARING THE CAR FOR STORAGE
- Thoroughly wash, dry (including a short drive to get the water out of all the cracks and crevices), and wax the car. Clean the interior as well, using vinyl and leather protectants where appropriate.
- Fill the gas tank. Get "real" gas, not ethanol-blended stuff for storage. The ethanol blends tend to contain more water, which may result in corrosion in the fuel systems of older cars. Add fuel stabilizer and allow the car to run for a bit to let the stabilizer permeate the fuel system.
- Perform routine maintenance including oil and filter changes, chassis lube, cooling system flush, transmission fluid and filter change, change brake fluid, etc. On water-cooled cars, verify the coolant is sufficiently strong for the storage temperatures that the car sees.
- Check the air in the tires - remember that pressure falls with lower ambient temperatures, so you may want to over-inflate the tires to 55 lbs or so (but remember to bleed off the extra air in the spring).There is no need to put the car on jack stands. (but you can do it if you wish) The drooping wheels cause parts of the suspension which are normally protected to be exposed to air and moisture for prolonged periods...
- Chock the front tires to prevent the car from rolling during storage.
- On a standard transmission, leave the car in reverse or first gear. On an automatic, leave the car in park.
- Do NOT apply the parking/hand brake.
- Disconnect both terminals on the battery. If you remove the battery from the car, store it on a plank or some blocks of wood rather than directly on a concrete floor. (The concrete slab is a great heat sink and the battery will not perform well until it warms up again.) Fully charge the battery now and once a month or so to keep it ready for the spring. Or buy an automatic battery charger that turns itself on/off to maintain a proper charge.
- Place blocks under the wiper arms so that the wiper blades do not sit on the glass. This will prevent the blades from taking a set and being nearly useless in the spring.
- On air-cooled cars, leave both the heating and ventilation flaps open to allow air to circulate. Nasty-smelling things tend to grow well in warm, damp places without air circulation...
- Plug the exhaust and fresh air intakes to prevent unauthorized entry by small critters.
- Cover the car with a lightweight cover.
REMOVING THE CAR FROM STORAGE
- Removal is the reverse of installation. ;-)
- When reconnecting the battery, connect the positive terminal first.
OTHER NOTES
- Battery charging: A steady 2 amp charge will eventually overcharge and boil out your battery acid. When using a battery charger, disconnect the cables so the car's electrical system is not hooked up. Otherwise, a certain amount of the electrical energy will go to the alternator and regulator and will eventually destroy them.
- DON'T start the car periodically. Cold starts after weeks of inactivity in extreme cold are not helpful to the oil-fed components. Short periods of idling without significant load are not enough to fully warm the oil and evaporate the raw fuel and moisture that condense inside the engine on a cold start. If you must: make sure the car gets *driven* to fully warm it up. If applicable, run the AC to circulate the refrigerant/lubricant to keep the seals fresh. But, remember that freon condenses into a liquid at -22F so starting the car to run the AC at this temperature is useless anyway.

 

That's how I've stored mine the last two years, absolutely no problems.

 

Thanks all for the inputs. I have a pretty good idea now what I should and shouldn't do.