Going to garage the Vette starting in December. Does anyone have a checklist of what should be done, i.e. do i fill tank and put additive in on try to have it almost empty? Maybe someone has already done a post on this subject. I will start driving it again in March. Thanks for the help.

 

For my garaged C6:

1. Fill gas tank and add Sta-Bil (7.5 oz.); run through fuel lines.

2. Change oil and filter.

3. Park on moisture barrier

4. Inflate tires to 38 psi cold.

5. Apply sealant, wax, etc. to exterior paint.

6. Apply leather dressing to seat panel.

7. Apply vinyl dressing to interior; and to exterior black trim pieces.

8. Hook up Batter Tender. Run wire into engine compartment from underneath car and duct tape exposed wire to floor so you don't trip over it and yank it out.

9. Crack windows a bit.

10. Cover with Wolf Dustop inside car cover.

11. Wait for Spring.

 

I put a good coat of polish on it, change the oil, top off the gas tank and hook up a battery tender and then I drive it about once a month as road conditions allow. I've been doing that for 35 years with absolutely no problems.

 

 

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...winter+storage

 

All good advice.....I also put a couple of desiccant bags inside with the windows rolled up.

 

A lot of what YOU will do depends on where the car will be parked. Storage in an airplane hanger for the winter is a different ball game than your heated garage attached to your house.

If the car is going to be in a lower traffic area, are rodents a concern?

Will the car be subjected to freezing temperatures?

Are you parking in on a dirt/gravel surface or concrete?

All of these things will change some of the things on your list. I also agree with everything listed above, provided it applies to you. I'm not certain why the 38 psi, unless that is factory spec. My 91 calls for 35 psi all around, but I check my tires' pressures regularly.

 

You can also overinflate the tires a little or park in cradles as this help with flat spotting.

I tend to button it up tight and put rags in the exhaust to prevent mice from making a home. Actually I have heard that steel wool works better than rags since they cannot chew or use it for nesting material which makes sense.

 

Recently I was asked by a new C6 owner about my routine to prepare for winter storage with my C5 if I do not plan on starting it or rarely start it over the winter months. I have 6 years of ownership now and feel very confident in my routine. I thought it would be a good article to share in a newsletter. I may be a little late with this article as I usually have the 2001 in storage by the first of November. With the 1963 at home this winter, I also plan on using similar techniques taking in to account the technology differences.


1. Change oil and oil filter – If you don’t drive your car much (like I do) or if it’s time based on the C5 oil life meter, have your oil changed. Optional: I flush/change my coolant and brake fluid every 3 years. I change my fuel filter every other year. I was told to change the C5 fuel filter every year at a seminar at the museum. I don’t drive the car enough to change it every year.
2. Change/clean air filter – At least knock off the big chunks of debris
3. Fill gas tank – This is to keep condensation out of the tank. It’s your choice if you want to add a stabilizer. Modern gasoline formulations will not go bad over the winter months. The stabilizer I like to use (if at all) is a product called “Sea Foam”. You can get it at any automotive store for $4 - $5. My regular mechanic won’t use any other additive and my father swears by this stuff for all of his gasoline powered motors.
4. Wash and protect paint – Use your favorite wax or sealant. (You all know mine.) Optional: Use claybar on paint prior to protecting it. Claybar should be used at least once per year. I like to claybar the paint in the Spring and claybar in various spots throughout the year.
5. Protect/condition leather seats – Leather needs to remain soft to avoid cracking. Cold weather can be especially hard on leather keeping it supple.
6. Vacuum carpet
7. Dust dash area – I like to use microfiber cloths
8. Wash windows
9. Protect weatherstripping – Your owner’s manual suggests doing this twice a year. I presume they mean on daily drivers. You can use either dilectic grease or, the more expensive product by Dupont called Krytox. What I like about Krytox is that it doesn’t contain silicone. Weatherstripping is particularly vulnerable in the summer months under the hot sun. I don’t particularly care for the liquid protection (like Armour-All) over the winter because it evaporates too fast. Treating the weatherstripping keeps it from cracking. It does take a little extra time but I believe well worth it when the judges look closely when judging. Applying the protection during the wintertime allows the protection to thoroughly penetrate the rubber. Don’t forget to remove and treat the targa top area, hatch area, and under the hood.
10. Slightly over inflate tires – I increase the air pressure from 30 to 35 lbs to account for potential leakage and cold weather deflation.
11. Recharge dri-pacs and place in vehicle – Dri-pacs are used to remove moisture from the inside of your car. Mold and mildew can be lethal to plastic, leather, and your eventual health. Dri-pacs can be purchased from Mid-America Motorworks. 4 Pacs cost about $42.00 which includes shipping. They can be used year after year.
12. Don’t park car on bare cement – I’ve heard about this recently from a couple of people that there is a chemical in bare cement that is not good for tires when parked for long period of time. Some suggest wood or thin carpet. If you park your car on a metal lift, no problem. Play it safe.
13. Attach battery tender – The parasitic charge from the C5 will drain the battery in approximately 3 weeks. Some people like to disconnect the battery. That is OK too. I like the battery tender in case there should ever be (heaven forbid) a fire in the house or garage. It’s easy to disconnect the battery tender than to reattach the battery. Chevrolet does not recommend starting the C5 for short period of time over the winter to recharge the battery as the RPMs at idle speed are not high enough to recharge the battery sufficiently.
14. Make sure car is sealed up (or elevated) – Sounds obvious but my regular mechanic had mice invade his 1980 due to an opening and his insurance company totaled the car due to the damage the little critters did to the inside.
15. Cover car – Car covers do more than just protect your car’s surface from dust and airborne contaminants. If you accidentally hit the car when moving around your garage, it can be a barrier to an expensive “oops”. If you haven’t washed your cover in a year, do that before covering. Some car covers have special cleaning instructions. The real good ones can only be dry cleaned or cleaned in a large tumble washers found at Laundromats.