Just bought my 08 and keep it garaged for winter at my house. Is there anything special that needs to be done but starting it once a week?
Thx

 

 

Living in south Florida, I am no expert on storage since it's something I never need to do.

However, it seems to me if I was going to store a 'vette for 5 months, I would...

1) Change the oil before I stored it, so that when I started it perhaps once or twice during the winter months, there would be clean oil for those first critical revs.

2) I would run it once or twice during the winter long enough for it to reach operating temp. before shut down.

3) I'd keep a battery tender hooked up all winter to maintain the battery.

4) Keep the mice out of it....that's about it.

Good luck!

 

Do not start it once a week....

Plug it in to a tender, don't cover it so you can look at it all the time when taking the trash out, fill the tires to 38-40 psi, Stabil it in the gas and wait for spring. It's all I do...

 

That's easy. Thanks for response !!

 

That's easy. Thanks for response

 

BUT I've never put Stabil in the tank (going on 21 years), but I do fill the tank and get a oil change. Notice "battery tender" not "trickle charger". Oh, and I do cover it, but that's your choice. Plus, I usually take it out once per month, if good weather, and drive it.

 

I do the Stabil to be safe....and don't forget...the corvette has 2 tanks ! So you want to get it down to about 1/4 tank of gas first, then go to the station, put in the stabil, fill the tanks and then drive home.

I learned that from my friend Randy as I did not know this either.

 

Cover, tender and wait.. Sigh...

 

Another vote for not starting it, you do more harm than good when you do this. I also don't bother with Stabil, as gas isn't going to go bad in just one season. If the car was sitting longer than six months I'd do it, but otherwise it's money wasted, IMO. I've never used it and never had an issue. Definitely hook up a battery tender! I also like to have my tires at about 40psi, mainly in case one of them has a slow leak.

 

Clean inside and out

Fill gas tank (I add Sta-Bil)

Pump tires to 40 lbs.

Connect battery maintainer.

Put cover on until Spring.

No starting.

Been doing it this way for many years.

 

We also prepare for winter here in Florida.

I just removed the top yesterday.

Sorry, I just couldn't help it.

 

___________________________

 

your a funny guy, hey we will be up to 37 above zero today.

 

In addition to the above suggestions, I put a few sashes of mothballs under the hood and in the tailpipes to discourage mice and chipmunks.

 

As Bruze says! Can of worms BUT, if I may add some information. When you shut the engine off you have four valve springs completely depressed and four partially depressed. As valve springs can and will retain a memory, it's not a good idea to leave an engine for a long period of time (at least not one in your Corvette) in one position without starting it (or cranking it) to move the springs and keep the valve guides free. There used to be a valid point where starting an engine several times over the winter would build up moisture from condensation and cause an acidic reaction with the oil causing bearing damage but the newer synthetics don't have this problem. There are many opinions on long term storage but not starting or cranking the engine (even by hand) can cause valve spring, valve guide and piston ring issues. This is more important for piston ring issues If you live in an area where there are extreme temperature swings in an unheated garage. All I do is change the oil, fill it with a NON ETHANOL fuel (if available), if not use a fuel stabilizer for ethanol fuels, park it on four small pieces of plywood to keep the tires off the bare concrete (concrete absorbs moisture) and plug in the battery tender. I start it once every four to five weeks and bring it to running temperature and listen to the CD player for about 30 to 40 minutes. As an added feature this also discourages long term critter residence.
Just sayin.

 

Spot on!

One additional item, I put Race Ramps Flat Stoppers under the tires for isolation from the concrete.

 

I thought about that point too, but how many people do you know that have had valvetrain problems from storing their cars for long periods and not starting them? I don't know of a single person ever. There are a lot of cars that go even longer than just one season without being started (such as soldiers who get deployed and leave their cars behind for a year) and you don't hear about them having problems.

 

I have a Black Friday special on Race Ramps Flatstoppers through the end of November.

http://www.reverselogic.us/shop.html...tegory=7090545

This link will work until 30-Nov-2014.

 

I am so glad that we really don't need to store them here.