1st Winter Storage

GroverDill · Oct 5, 2013

Do I need to do anything?

So this may sound stupid but my car has been in SoCal for its 20 year life so this was not a concern. Here its getting cold and winter is around the corner. Do I need to prepare? It has antifreeze in it. I was planning on starting it up every week or so just for fun

So can I just leave it covered in the shop, like most any other time?

Mustang5L5 · Oct 5, 2013

Don't start it up once a week unless you can get it fully warmed up by prolonged driving. The quick starts can cause more harm than good.

Trickle charge, park it with a fresh oil change, full tank of gas with fuel stabilizer in it, and overinflate the tires. That's usually the extent of my winter storage.

85_SS_302_Coupe · Oct 5, 2013

Yep, all that and if you wanna go an extra step and/or if you're concerned about mice/rats/etc, put the car up on 4 jack stands, moth ball it, etc. I hear a lot of guys talk about changing the oil before storage, but that to me is silly because the oil just sits in the pan not doing anything but aging, so I personally just leave the current oil in it and do an oil change first thing before the first start up in the spring.

95BlueStallion · Oct 5, 2013

I do fuel stabilizer (obviously let it run through the lines and injectors), and I agree with 85_SS about the oil. I know it makes people feel good, but I find it a waste as it sits in the pan and never circulates into the engine. Just change it before you start it come spring. I plan to do the jack stand thing this year, as it cant be bad on the tires to get the pressure off them for 5-6 months rather than sitting on the same spot for that time. Wouldnt hurt to buy an antifreeze tester and be sure your antifreeze is a strong enough mixture not to freeze up on extreme cold nights (assuming ID gets as cold as we do here in IA).

reldla1996 · Oct 5, 2013

I park it, trickle charge it, and that's it. I change the oil in the spring when it's time to play once again!

Chuckman · Oct 5, 2013

reldla1996 said:
I park it, trickle charge it, and that's it. I change the oil in the spring when it's time to play once again!

Im about the same, but mine is usually setup for "emergency nice day" I.e. it gets driven as long as there's no salt on the road or its not getting winter upgrades...the last couple years have been mild enough where it would only really have to sit for about a week at a time

toyman · Oct 5, 2013

Mine is stored in a heated garage so I do most of the things mentioned. However, no one has said they cancel their regular insurance and put storage insurance on it instead. That saves me about $500.

madspeed · Oct 5, 2013

damn, I'm glad i'm insured through Haggerty. $207 a year, full coverage, and agreed upon value. Doesn't get any better than that!

jcgafford · Oct 5, 2013

madspeed said:
damn, I'm glad i'm insured through Haggerty. $207 a year, full coverage, and agreed upon value. Doesn't get any better than that!

My haggerty quote was like 400. Whay did you do to get it down that low?

madspeed · Oct 5, 2013

sorry, my mistake. I'm with Grundy!

jcgafford · Oct 5, 2013

madspeed said:
sorry, my mistake. I'm with Grundy!

Grundy huh? Research time. What was your agreed upon replacement price? Do you have a set mileage every year?

GroverDill · Oct 5, 2013

American Collector

450 a year
38k agreed value

jcgafford · Oct 5, 2013

Wow. Not the plan for me looks like

madspeed · Oct 5, 2013

Ive got $12k agreed upon value, full coverage on everything, no mileage restrictions, no receipts or appraisal needed and $207/year!!

jcgafford · Oct 5, 2013

madspeed said:
Ive got $12k agreed upon value, full coverage on everything, no mileage restrictions, no receipts or appraisal needed and $207/year!!

From who? I just redid the hagerty quote. $10000 and 2000 miles is $507. $15000 and 2000 miles is $627

madspeed · Oct 5, 2013

sorry, I corrected above, mines with Grundy

jcgafford · Oct 5, 2013

I combined posts. Thought the low mile high price was the grundy quote. Have to look at them.

Shakerhood · Oct 5, 2013

I wash, wax, change the oil, put stabil in the fuel, a couple boxes of flow thru baking soda boxes inside the car, bounce sheets under the hood, and I start the car about once a month or so and let it warm up to operating temps as the owners manual suggests.

jcgafford · Oct 6, 2013

Jack stands, top off fluids and start it up to operating temp once a month. Mine has no road time so I don't worry about fresh oil yet.

Mustang5L5 · Oct 6, 2013

85_SS_302_Coupe said:
I hear a lot of guys talk about changing the oil before storage, but that to me is silly because the oil just sits in the pan not doing anything but aging,

Old oil become contaminated from the by products of combustion. Get it hot enough and it begins to form an acid that can cause corrosion. Ever disassemble an old engine and find orange staining? That from the acidic effects of old oil and sitting.

Changing the oil should reduce the amount of this acidic oil. Change the oil, run engine for a short time and the old oil should be flushed/diluted before storage.

With that said...I sometimes leave old oil in there.

1st Winter Storage

GroverDill

GoldMember

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

85_SS_302_Coupe

it sucks (I know) to be on the receiving end

95BlueStallion

My assy trans to myself

reldla1996

Member

Chuckman

GTFO you fat, heavy bastard

toyman

madspeed

Colonel Mustard

jcgafford

madspeed

Colonel Mustard

jcgafford

GroverDill

GoldMember

jcgafford

madspeed

Colonel Mustard

jcgafford

madspeed

Colonel Mustard

jcgafford

Shakerhood

jcgafford

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

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1st Winter Storage

GoldMember

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

it sucks (I know) to be on the receiving end

My assy trans to myself

Member

GTFO you fat, heavy bastard

Colonel Mustard

Colonel Mustard

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Colonel Mustard

Colonel Mustard

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

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