cold weather storage prep?
 

I recently moved North from the South... (please, no body laugh).. I will be storing my 89 in a garage with no heat. If I add fuel stabilizer to the gas fill it up, disconnect the battery, will that be good enough ? I'll be back south for most of this winter so it will be unattended all winter. Any input appreciated..... Also, it has fresh anti freeze, oil and filter....

I like to put my car on a good battery tender.

That's all I do along with the Sta-Bil
Michigan winter in unheated garage.

Pretty much what I do except when I fill it I use non-oxygenated fuel (no alcohol) and I will run it every month or so and try to move it back and forward a few feet to boot unless the street and alley are absolutely clean. I also put a car cover on it and put some mouse poison on paper plates in various spots under the car.

Same here, Stabil and a float charger. No need to start it once it's been run with the Stabil in the tank, but if you do let it warm up fully.

Maybe put on jack stands to keep the tires from getting flat spots? I store my car from December to April and the flat spots even out after about 20 miles of driving.

Cp
 

Dryer sheets in the passenger compartment to keep the mice out.

Mouse traps or a cat in the garage to keep them out of the engine compartment.

I run my engines periodically in the winter, but if I was going to leave them shut down all winter I'd fog the engine.

I have heard of people that pump the tires up to 50 psi to keep from flat spotting. Dan

Some things were implied but not stated so may be worth the extra typing.
Antifreeze: 50-50 mix, either premixed or use distilled water
Windshield washer: Insure you have fluid and not water so it doesn't freeze
Fluids: insure they are fresh and up to the correct level.
Running the car: if you start it in the winter (I try for once a month), run it to get it to operating temp.
Running and moving the vehicle: like to do that to insure all the seals don't dry out over time.
Anything to keep vermin out of the vehicle wiring - they like that stuff.
Car Cover: to keep dust, dirt and animals off the paint.
Battery: I have a battery cutoff on mine, so I disconnect the battery when not in use. Remember electrical issues & fires can happen whether you drive it or not. Insure the battery fluid is up to the proper point.
I don't overinflate my tires, I try to move it some once a month with seems to prevent that. Each time I try and stop with a different portion of the tire down.
Wash and wax the car before going into storage.
See if there's anything in the car that might freeze over winter. If there is, get it out now.
If you have no plans to drive your car till spring, talk to your insurance agent as you may have some discounts available.

I can add to the stuff freezing over the winter. Had a 2 litre bottle of Pepsi sitting in the garage and it froze and exploded in mid January. Good thing I had the car cover on and was able to shake off the liquid and ice.

Yes, that is better than good enough. You don't even need stabilizer. Just fill the tank, maybe change the oil and disconnect the batt. Good to go.

You'll hear all kinds of "rituals" in this thread about what you should do; park on carpet, blocks of wood, jack it up...no, don't jack it up...do the chicken dance. Just fill it w/gas and disconnect the battery and it'll be good. :) :thumbs:

Leave your car in Texas where you can drive it all winter!

My 85 went to 2 winters stored in the U.P. of Michigan....serious cold....sta-bile, battery tender, little air in the tires....get them up off concrete if you can...board, etc.......that's all you'll need....the varmints are another problem..squirrels and rats love the spare tire area...not to mention the engine bay.....dryer sheets will not last a season....even with the battery tender, the optima battery did not last as long as I thought it should.....It likes south florida weather better.....:yesnod:

See? Rituals. :lol: