Winter storage

[harddock]

For those in cold climates, What are you doing to treat the fuel for storage? What other precautions do you do?

[tom]

Topic came up recently in this thread:
http://www.camaros.org/forum/index.php?topic=7098.msg46545#msg46545

[77thor]

Sta-Bil gas stabilizer. I also remove the battery.

[dutch]

Sta-bil as mentioned - top up the tank with fresh gas, I don't remove battery if it is well charged, and fog the engine a bit in the last few seconds prior to shut down. Cover the car up with my car cover after spreading dryer sheets all over the place inside (I heard they are good at repelling mice if any are around)...
That's it mostly.

I usually try and get it out of my garage in early to mid Nov to make room for the usual crap - snow machines / quads / snowblower etc. and back home in late April or by mid May (depending on when our snow goes). The roads are usually so poor until June that there isn't a real rush anyway!
It has always started up well, although it occasionally needs a carb clean-up and new gaskets, that I attribute mostly from my use of mixing in 100LL Av gas as much as anything.
I always mean to try and charge the battery somewhere along the way - but almost always forget and it never has seemed to have affected battery life from what I can tell. If the battery is decent shape some years it doesn't even need a recharge prior to starting after sitting a few months, even in years getting down to as low as -40 degrees the odd night!

Randy

   

[william]

For the last 17 years I fill the tank, hook up the battery tender and forget about it. Starts right up 6 months later no problem. You don't need any of that other stuff.

[JohnZ]

For the last 17 years I fill the tank, hook up the battery tender and forget about it. Starts right up 6 months later no problem. You don't need any of that other stuff.

Same here - been doing it that way for over 40 years through six-month Michigan winters. All that other stuff may make you feel better, but it's not necessary.

[lakeholme]

Sort of like chicken soup....

[Dave69x33]

Wow...you all are a patient group. 

I top off the tank and keep my car covered in the garage throughout the year any time it's not being driven. During the winter, about every 4 - 6 weeks, I start mine and back it out in to the driveway and let it get warm.  I make sure the exhaust gets hot to evaporate moisture out of the muffler and pipes.  I live in Indiana so we do not get the snow that the northern states get, but if we are free of snow, and the streets are dry, I have a nice 10 mile route I'll drive it on a free Saturday or Sunday (yes..I'm a "Sunday" driver).  This keeps my car and my juices flowing!

Here is a cost effective suggestion to prevent door dings if you must park you car next to your daily driver.  Wrap pipe insulation around two five foot sections of 1" dowel rod (or use clothing handing rod).  Screw eyelets in each end and tie the two rods together with soft robe and drape it over the car as show in my pictures.  It's a cheap insurance policy from getting door dings and works great.  Use a permanent marker on your car cover to consistently position the rods in the same position each time. 

Have a nice winter. 

PS: It spit snow for the first time n Indianapolis today!!   

[77thor]

An even cheaper idea is to use water noodles... $1.99 each
http://www.lesliespool.com/browse/Home/Floats-Toys-Games/Pool-Toys-Games/Wacky-Noodles/D/30100/P/1:100:9000:900020/I/76679

Just a thought.

[jeff68]

During the winter, about every 4 - 6 weeks, I start mine and back it out in to the driveway and let it get warm.  I make sure the exhaust gets hot to evaporate moisture out of the muffler and pipes.  

You may have gotten the exhaust warm enough to get rid of the moisture, but the oil at that point is certainly not at full operating temperature.  This means that you have just introduced moisture into the oil.  Not good.  The only way to get your oil up to full operating temperature is to actually drive the car around.  IMO, you are better off not starting it at all if all you are going to do is let it idle.

For protection, get yourself one of these curtains.  I just installed one:

[big iron]

Jeff68,
Where did you get the curtain?
Bob

[jeff68]

Bob-
I got the curtain from Akon.  Click here:  http://www.curtain-and-divider.com/
Their price was excellent for the same curtain everyone else wanted $200 more for.
If you fill out the request for quote on their web site, they will respond quickly.  I was very happy with their customer service before & after the sale.
-Jeff

[lakeholme]

Jeff,

Looks like a great idea.

What about moisture?  Temperature?  The web site says it controls dust, etc.  Are you doing anything to control the humidity and temperature? 

[jeff68]

^^ No, I'm not - at least not yet.  My garage is attached to my house, so it stays relatively warm.  My curtain installation required about a 15" gap at the top, so I wasn't too worried about 'sealing off' the 3rd bay.  In my case, the main purpose of the curtain is to stop the kids from entering the 3rd bay where the Camaro and Land Rover Air Portable are stored.  It will also stop the occasional runaway trike, basketball, frisbee, etc.  Another benefit is when you get a nice warm humid day outside but the garage and cars inside are still cool, the curtain should help minimize condensation on the cars.

In the future, I am considering adding a filler piece between the curtain and the ceiling and running a dehumidifier.  I'm not sure if I will ever do it, though.  I've been storing classic cars in the garage for 12 years, and I haven't had any issues due to temperature or humidity (other than a little condensation on rare occasions).

[sebastien]

another idea
http://www.carcapsule.com/