tgorden

Coming up on that time soon want to pose a question to the forum. My plan to store is to lay down a vapor barrier on the garage floor to keep the moisture off the bottom of the vehicle, battery tender, stuff some rags in the exhaust tips and put lightweight inside cover on it. I may start it once a month and let it warm up. Does anyone have any advice on this plan? should I or do I need to add anything to my plan? trying to simplify the process. Thanks in advance.

Raazor

here is what I've done for 5 years.

Wash then a then dry (no need to wax as she's got 100's of coats)

Bowl full of Arm & Hammer Baking Soda on passenger seat ( had it centered on console once then knocked it over creating a hell of a mess)

Battery tender.

Cover.

That's it!

Too-Fast

Do not start it unless you run it long enough to get ALL of the moisture out of the exhaust system. It is better to set it up for storage and leave it alone. I store both of mine, clean them, battery tender, fuel stabilizer and covered for 6 mos every year...no problems, no intermittent starting.

Raazor

get oil to 190 or higher before storing again.

JLMounce

As others have suggested, I wouldn't start it intermittently. Cold starts cause the most wear on an engine. If it's been sitting for a month in between, you are needlessly promoting wear.

If you don't have a battery tender, take the battery out of the car and place it on wood blocks. Fuel stabilizer and I like to put dryer sheets in the cabin and engine bay to ward off little critters.

Then leave it until it's ready to come out for the summer.

CO Lightfoot

CO Lightfoot

And it gives the interior a nice scent (very slight scent b/c it's cold storage).

BTW, I put the dryer sheets on small aluminum pans... don't know if it's necessary, but better safe than sorry.

Sunset-C6

don't forget to change the air in the tires.........

ruenvs

...amd the headlight fluid.

TLS_Addict

I leave room in front and rear of my cars/bikes so I can move them so the tires dont flat spot.

Bob Yocum

Sunset-C6

Almost forgot don't forget to change the washer fluid....

carpe dm

I stored Corvettes for six months a year for many years. Your plan sounds good; however, I would add a couple of items. Put a bottle of Sta-Bil in the gas tank and run the car for a few miles (run errands, etc.) before you put her to sleep. That way the fluid will be dispersed throughout the system, rather than just being in the gas tank. Did you change the oil?

I would not start it during the winter. You will get many thoughts on this, but I will tell you that you will produce more moisture and harm by doing it than it is worth. I never re-started a car in all those years and never had a problem.

dvilin

Pump up the tires to 35lbs. full tank of gas, hook up battery tender, put cover on car, and wait until Spring and all is good. No need to start it, stuff rags in the exhaust, vapor barrier, etc.

Mad*Max

I'm surprised the "oil change before or after storing" debate did not come up in this thread

dvilin

Patience it will.

Gearhead Jim

Someone quoted a GM engineer as saying that he preferred to start an engine at least once per month, and the quote I saw did not qualify that by insisting that the engine get fully up to temp. But getting up to normal temp is always a good thing.

Me, I start it once every week or two and let it idle while I exercise every switch and control in the car. That's a lot, and the oil temp gets over 180'F during the process. Then I drive it up & down my 150' driveway a few times and put it away.

When I do the next oil change and send a sample to Blackstone Labs, they never find anything wrong with the oil or with the engine. But people who wait all winter without starting, also seem to get good results. It may not make any difference.

doubleD

I'm sure glad I live in south Alabama. My vet is too!!

b murph

Had to send a sample of my oil to the lab. last week at the doctors. Came back OK. Man winters a bitch.