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Storing a C5

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Old Jan 14, 2006 | 12:25 PM
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St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17
Default Storing a C5

Since I live in the great State of Michigan and love my 'vette I keep it in storage from the first indication of salt on the roads until the first hard spring rain to wash the salt away. This usually lasts 6 months out of the year. Since my car barely moves over those storage months and it is sitting on a concrete garage floor what is the best way to store it? When it was new in '98 I was going to block it but I was warned not to on a C5 for fear of racking. I'm not sure if that was BS (came from a G.M. Body Engineer) but I didn't want to take the chance. Any advice?
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Old Jan 14, 2006 | 12:46 PM
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The tires will be fine for 6 months. But I would do the following.

1. Get a battery tender.
2. Add stabil
3. Fill the tank to the top
4. Drive it for a few miles, so the 2 tanks mix the stabil
5. Park and cover

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Old Jan 14, 2006 | 01:23 PM
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Originally Posted by screw991le
The tires will be fine for 6 months. But I would do the following.

1. Get a battery tender.
2. Add stabil
3. Fill the tank to the top
4. Drive it for a few miles, so the 2 tanks mix the stabil
5. Park and cover



Thanks. This forum is great!!!
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Old Jan 14, 2006 | 01:56 PM
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Also, I go out once a month and check the battery for leaks. I also start it and let it run for 20 minutes a month.

She sleeps outside in the snow



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Old Jan 14, 2006 | 02:08 PM
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Dude! At least cover it!
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Old Jan 15, 2006 | 10:55 AM
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Originally Posted by Nulltime
Dude! At least cover it!

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/newr...&p=1553549293#
Smile Oh it's always covered; even in the summer. My wife wishes I paid as much attention to her!!! (only kidding!! ) It has a battery trickle charger on it and just over 1/2 tank of gas. No Stabil which I will add immediately based on that sound advice. Can't drive it to fill it up. Collision off until Spring.
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Old Jan 15, 2006 | 10:59 AM
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Originally Posted by screw991le
Also, I go out once a month and check the battery for leaks. I also start it and let it run for 20 minutes a month.

She sleeps outside in the snow




Is battery leakage really that much of a problem?
Sorry about the Sox man, but at least you don't have the Tigers. Boy do they suck!!!
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Old Jan 15, 2006 | 12:03 PM
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Originally Posted by midqz
Thanks. This forum is great!!!
I live in MI too and this is what I do to my C5.

Fred
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Old Jan 15, 2006 | 07:25 PM
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Originally Posted by FKING1
I live in MI too and this is what I do to my C5.

Fred
Thanks Fred. Where 'bouts?

Bill
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Old Jan 16, 2006 | 06:29 AM
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Cut up some old carpet into 12"x12" squares for under the tires. I use 2 per tire. Also, if you elect to start the car every 2-3 weeks (I do), if it's at all possible, drive it up and down the driveway a couple of times, just to run some lube around the tranny and rear end.
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Old Jan 16, 2006 | 08:02 AM
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Originally Posted by screw991le
The tires will be fine for 6 months. But I would do the following.

1. Get a battery tender.
2. Add stabil
3. Fill the tank to the top
4. Drive it for a few miles, so the 2 tanks mix the stabil
5. Park and cover

This is exactly what I do, except, I pull the battery out of the car. I don't wake her up until April . Good luck.
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Old Jan 16, 2006 | 10:42 AM
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Originally Posted by screw991le
Also, I go out once a month and check the battery for leaks. I also start it and let it run for 20 minutes a month.

She sleeps outside in the snow



She sleeps outside in the snow Referring to the kid or the car? No matter how you answer, one's child abuse, the other is car abuse.
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Old Jan 16, 2006 | 11:12 AM
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Thats my son and behind him is by girlfriend, covered in the snow This was last year's blizzard.

As far as battery leakage, yes, it is a common problem.

Just make sure you get a Battery tender, not a trickle charge. I tender keeps the battery charged and does not over charge it.

I prefer Deltran battery tenders, and since my car is outside I use the weather proof version
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Old Jan 16, 2006 | 11:26 AM
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Originally Posted by screw991le


Thats my son and behind him is by girlfriend, covered in the snow This was last year's blizzard.

As far as battery leakage, yes, it is a common problem.

Just make sure you get a Battery tender, not a trickle charge. I tender keeps the battery charged and does not over charge it.

I prefer Deltran battery tenders, and since my car is outside I use the weather proof version
I mis-spoke. Mine's a tender. Where is the leak from the battery usually occur?
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Old Jan 16, 2006 | 04:44 PM
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I'm a Michigan boy also. I learned years ago from the forum, fill the tank, put in stabil, battery tender, cover it, put some cardboard underneath her on the concrete garage floor, sing her a lullabye and put her to bed for the winter.
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Old Jan 16, 2006 | 07:06 PM
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Originally Posted by screw991le
The tires will be fine for 6 months. But I would do the following.

1. Get a battery tender.
2. Add stabil
3. Fill the tank to the top
4. Drive it for a few miles, so the 2 tanks mix the stabil
5. Park and cover

I do all of the above, and I would suggest you also get your tires up off the cement. I park my 99 coupe up on two layers of half inch blue board. I also put a little extra air in the tires. These two things will help reduce flat spots, and perhaps extend tire life (although who knows for sure).
Many have said to not start it up and let it idle for a few minutes from time to time. I agree. Not necessary. My vette sleeps well from Nov. 1 to April 1, and so far has started right up, running fine.

Mike
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Old Jan 17, 2006 | 09:34 AM
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Originally Posted by JD's C5
I'm a Michigan boy also. I learned years ago from the forum, fill the tank, put in stabil, battery tender, cover it, put some cardboard underneath her on the concrete garage floor, sing her a lullabye and put her to bed for the winter.
Why the cardboard? I have old carpet runners under the tires and I put "a couple of lbs." in the tires. Still get a little bumping the first time out in the Spring. It goes away before I leave "the 'hood" though.
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Old Jan 17, 2006 | 11:09 AM
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Originally Posted by midqz
Why the cardboard? I have old carpet runners under the tires and I put "a couple of lbs." in the tires. Still get a little bumping the first time out in the Spring. It goes away before I leave "the 'hood" though.
The cardboard is to help keep dampness from creeping up into the car, and if for some reason your car leaks anything, it will absorb that.
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