winter storage

[Bens340]

so up here in new england winter is approaching and im just curious what you seasoned charger vets do in terms of the fuel system? just run the tank low and throw in some staybilizer until spring? i picked up my charger the day after thanksgiving last year and as long as the roads were pretty clean and clear i drove it atleast once a week so it didnt really sit long enough to get the fuel system all gunked up, just trying to avoid that this year as i just painted the car i dont really want to take it out once the salt flys and itll be in the garage under the car cover until spring. any input is great, thanks fellas!

[workworkwork]

I always store my car with the tank completely full and fuel stabilizer in the gas. I was told keeping the tank full eliminates air vapor condensation. I also put a charger on the battery that keeps the battery up. I don't put a cover on it as I want the car to breath. I keep a small heater in the garage. Just enough to keep it above freezing, in the 40 to 50 degee range, so things don't crack. I treat the vinyl roof and the rubber parts to prevent dry rot. I don't use jack stands. I have never had a problem with the tires getting flat spots or anything like that over the winter. But the tires do loose some air and need to be pumped to full levels in the spring. If dust collects on the car I use a spray detailer.

Well that is just me. Not sure what others do. Also, I never never take it on the road after winter until I am certain a rain storm or two have washed the salt off the roads.

[Moparman01]

Winter storage is just part of life up here in the northeast I've followed what my father has done for storing cars for many years and it seems to work just fine. Yes we put close to a full tank of fuel in for the winter then add some Stabil, pretty simple but affective! We also put them up on jack stands to keep the tires off the concrete for the long winter hibernation AND since the tires are off the ground it allows us to start the cars up, put the tranny's in gear and keep everything moving while they can't get out on the road. We start them up every 2-3 weeks when a decent day pops up and let them run 20-25 minutes. I disconnect the batteries but i'll admit i don't ever take them indoors or anything, doesn't seem to hurt them and my garage is not heated either. That's my storage procedure, to bad it's just around the corner now....

[moparnation74]

I keep the tank full as well.  The best fuel stabilizer is Starbrites, startron enzyme fuel treatment.  I do a 50/50 mix premium/110 leaded race gas year round.  As far as tires.   I start them up each week and I have room to move forward/back by a foot. Leaded gas w/o ethanol has a longer shelf life and no phase separation problems.  I use to use aviation fuel.  Which was the best by far for long term storage but it is no longer available to the public where I am at.  That fuel lasts forever it seems.

[Ghoste]

Fuel tank full, stabilizer and get a stabilizer that can handle ethanol attacks.

[Dino]

I dump in the stabilizer when I fill it up.  Then I take it for a 10 minute drive before I park it in a storage unit.  I disconnect the battery and come back every 2 weeks to fire it up and drive it around the storage place.  No cover.

[War wagon]

Bounce sheets or moth balls to keep the critters out, tennis balls in exhaust pipes, car on stands, fuel stabilizer and full tank of fuel, trickle charger for battery, check strength of antifreeze

[RIDELIKEHELL]

Bounce sheets or moth balls to keep the critters out, tennis balls in exhaust pipes, car on stands, fuel stabilizer and full tank of fuel, trickle charger for battery, check strength of antifreeze

I use my battery tender & battery isolator after every drive regardless of season....like your idea of jack stands...hmmm

[myk]

Christ, I can't believe we're talking about this already.  Seems like New Year's was just a second ago...

[4cruzin]

Well I guess I am alittle different . . . I will typically fill the gas tank with some good gas, add the stabilizer, drive a few so it is through-out the entire system and then I will fog out the engine good and cover it up.  I will add some moth balls and pull the battery out for a trickle charge with the rest of my batteries from summer toys but once this is done, I forget about it until spring. 

[Dino]

Well I guess I am alittle different . . . I will typically fill the gas tank with some good gas, add the stabilizer, drive a few so it is through-out the entire system and then I will fog out the engine good and cover it up.  I will add some moth balls and pull the battery out for a trickle charge with the rest of my batteries from summer toys but once this is done, I forget about it until spring. 

Nothing wrong with that!   

[Aero426]

Fuel tank with a decent amount of gas (half to 3/4 full).    No fuel stabilizer.    Plan to get the car out of storage and run that gas through in the spring.      

I have a battery tender I will rotate from car to car in the garage periodically during the winter.  

[TUFCAT]

I don't think there's any reason to start a car over the winter.  I never have.

[Dino]

I don't think there's any reason to start a car over the winter.  I never have.

There is, so I can feel good hearing that rumble.  I don't care about the car itself, it's all about me!   

[Aero426]

I don't think there's any reason to start a car over the winter.  I never have.

Unless you are going to get the car up to temp and drive it, you are probably right.   I think it is more of a feel good thing for people.     I have been guilty of doing it.   

[mightywing7]

How many of you guys actually put your cars up on jackstands? Though rare, I've heard horror stories regarding house fires where people were unable to roll their cars out of the garages because their cars were on stands.  I've been doing the jackstand thing for years now, but not sure if the risks outweigh the benefit of not having flat spots on tires.

    Thoughts?

[EccentricMagpies]

I drive the car with whatever gas it has left.  Put it in gear and shut it off


In the spring I pump it about 3 times, fires right up. 

[Aero426]

How many of you guys actually put your cars up on jackstands? Though rare, I've heard horror stories regarding house fires where people were unable to roll their cars out of the garages because their cars were on stands.  I've been doing the jackstand thing for years now, but not sure if the risks outweigh the benefit of not having flat spots on tires.

  Thoughts?

Every action can have a consequence.    You cannot foresee every possible problem either.    Be sure to unplug all your rechargeable tool batteries that might be charging alongside your stored cars while you are at it.  

[TUFCAT]

I don't think there's any reason to start a car over the winter.  I never have.

Unless you are going to get the car up to temp and drive it, you are probably right.   I think it is more of a feel good thing for people.     I have been guilty of doing it.  

Exactly my point. If not brought up to normal operating temp and off choke, waking up a sleeping engine might do more damage than actual "good".  Engine coolant may not circulate all the way through the block, carbon/moisture is created in the combustion chambers, and the block and tailpipes sweat from condensation if not allowed to hot enough.

Because the fuel mixture is rich on cold start, the oil needs to get hot enough to burn off contaminants and soot introduced into the oil from incomplete combustion. The less air that is present in the mixture (on choke), the more soot and contaminants collect in the oil.  That's why oil needs to be hot - to burn it off.  

Its important to note that oil temperature and coolant temperature [engine temp] are two different things.  The coolant reaches normal operating temperature before the oil does.

For those especially concerned about gaskets and seals drying out, IMO fresh quality oil before the slumber contributes to gasket/seal life better than periodic short blast starting.    

Here's another dilemma...if the engine got hot enough to provide a benefit, I'd have to let it cool off for at least an hour before cover it up.  

[imabozo]

I've only had my Charger for one winter and did a little research on this time last year. I filled the tank, added fuel stabilizer, ran it for a few minutes. Then I fogged the engine. No jack stands but I added air to the tires, 50psi I think to prevent any flat spotting. I also treated the vinyl and placed a desiccant product on the floor to absorb any moisture. I can't remember the name but I bought it a Canadian Tire, it's for storing RVs etc. It was stored in an insulated garage with a few construction heaters set to just above freezing, 5 degrees C maybe. I pulled the battery and put it on a battery tender at home. I also kept the windows down and opened the trunk and hood slightly for a little air circulation. I live in Newfoundland and it gets a little cold in the winter. This worked well for me last year. Remember you should be more worried about moisture from freeze/thaw cycles, not just the cold. A think a little heat to burn off the moisture is key, at least in my area.

Just don't forget to drop the air pressure in your tires in the spring.

Hope this helps.

[Bens340]

this is a big help thanks for all the info guys. i think ill end up going with a full tank plus some good stabilizer, take her for a spin around town,  bump up the tires then park it for the following cold, miserable, chargerless months. ive always had summer vehicles that didnt get driven during winter months but they were all fuel injected and with this crappy fuel nowadays i wanted to take special care storing the 73. thanks again!

[TUFCAT]

As you can see, many of us have different opinions and methods.... I suggest using this advise to decide what's best in your own situation. 

[lloyd3]

We had snow here last night and a killing frost. That doesn't mean that there won't be a few more drives in the next month or so , but.....

[Ghoste]

Already?  Wow. 

[lloyd3]

It wasn't a lot (slightly less than an inch on my deck this AM), and it's supposed to be in the 80s on Sunday. Typical Colorado.  Last Fall was long and wonderful. I was hunting pheasant in early December in the low 70s.  This year looks to be a bit different.

[ionracer24]

Wow, winter storage huh?  It's still pushin 100 degrees here in south texas....

[EccentricMagpies]

As you can see, many of us have different opinions and methods.... I suggest using this advise to decide what's best in your own situation. 

I certainly don't recommend mine, it just was a last second storage. Fortunately it was just cold all winter ( not a lot of thaw and re freeze). 
I drove and topped it with fuel and all was good.  After thinking about it, I did jump the car.  So if you have a trickle charger I'd run one of those periodically throughout the winter as well.

I'd recommend the stabilizer and full tank too

Hope my post didn't sound like a smart xxx but it was exactly what took place. Not planned

[E86/A47]

Is Stabil a good fuel additive? Winter is coming soon but still getting out for a quick drive on nice days. When do you guys in the North East put the car away for winter? After the 1st major snow fall...?

[comet_666]

After they salt the roads the first time.

[Ghoste]

I've used Stabil, it seems to work. 

[HeavyFuel]

1. First thing is give it a good look over / wipe down underneath.   Check for anything that needs attention over the winter.   

2. Clean everything very well. ....no need in letting grasshopper carcasses turn to cement over the winter.

3. I don't get too excited about the volume of fuel in the tank.  My garage averages about 50* in winter, and if the door lets in moist air, it's colder than the car.  I've never seen condensation on anything in my garage, so I'm not really worried about it in my fuel tank.

4. Sea Foam or StaBil in the tank during the last drive of the season to get it into the lines and carb.

5. Change the oil when engine is still warm/hot, run it back up to operating temp and shut it off for the winter.  I don't start it again until spring.

6. Pull the battery and put it on a shelf close by.  No tender needed if not hooked up....there will be plenty of juice left after a few months.

7. Lift the car a bit and support it with jackstands, but not to preserve the tires.  Modern radials really don't develop flat spots over a few months.  I do it to help keep my suspension from fatiguing.

8. I cover mine with a very thin plastic sheet just to keep fallout from collecting in the cracks.  My garage gets used for activities that tend to produce dust.   The plastic gets replaced several times over the winter as it gets dirty, or I work on the car and it gets tossed.

[Dino]

Well, mine is still sitting high on jack stands with the engine and trans out, fuel tank is empty and lines are disconnected...I guess it's ready for winter.   

[HeavyFuel]

Well, mine is still sitting high on jack stands with the engine and trans out, fuel tank is empty and lines are disconnected...I guess it's ready for winter.   

I remember those days.   

We're expecting lots of progress from you this winter......you're in just the right stages.   

[Dino]

It would've been finished already but the budget ran dry.  We've had over $20K in unexpected expenses and we're not done yet.  Add to that another $70K in tuition due by May and the Charger may be on stands for a very long time to come.   

I need to invest roughly a grand in the engine, including a new carb.  The engine bay itself is pretty much done and will only need odds and ends but then I still need another hp manifold and make my old header exhaust pipes work.  We're not even thinking about upgrading the brakes beyond buying new front lines and using the old Wilwood kit that came with the car, or replacing the cruddy hood turn signals.

Tomorrow I'm cleaning up the 2 Edelbrock carbs and the Performer intake so I can put them up for sale.  My last guitar and GNX workstation are not selling so until that's all gone, the car will sit.  If I can get the funds together I hope to still get it back on the road before May.  Once I'm in grad school I won't have time to work on it but I'd love to be able to hop in and drive it from time to time.  If it's not back on the road by May then I'm sunk.

[bill440rt]

Just put my '69 away for the winter last weekend.
I use one of these:
http://www.calcarcover.com/product/76/274/AntiRust_Car_Storage_Bag

I give the car a good wipe, make sure air pressure in the tires is OK, check all fluids, & top off the gas tank. Add Stabil, & let it run for a few minutes to circulate it.
I then drive the car over it, & place desiccant bags throughout the car. They are reusable so they last many years.
http://www.griotsgarage.com/product/three+storage+desiccant+1+lb+bags.do?sortby=ourPicks&refType=&from=Search

Battery gets removed & placed on a Tender for the winter. I use a 4-gang Tender so it charges multiple batteries.
I cover the car with the regular indoor car cover, then zip up the bag. Doesn't get opened until spring. It comes out as clean as it went in. Great investment.
In the spring I do all the oil changes, clean/detailing, etc.

[War wagon]

Is Stabil a good fuel additive? Winter is coming soon but still getting out for a quick drive on nice days. When do you guys in the North East put the car away for winter? After the 1st major snow fall...?

The Kitty has been put away for a couple weeks now and has Stabil in it
Stabil has been in you're gas tank the last 5 seasons works great!!!
Fill the tank and add some Stabil , put a trickle charger on it.. Be sure to drive around for a few miles to circulate thru entire system.
Car was on stands each fall until spring, with a tarp under car to keep moisture away.
Change oil before storage


Great too see the car has found a GOOD home! 

[RIDELIKEHELL]

I do all that Warwagon but no jack stands...I also never start until spring

[E86/A47]

Great too see the car has found a GOOD home!  2thumbs cheers

Me too! Thanks Chris. Don't think I will do jack stands but will do everything else and she'll stay clean and dry in the Showcase.

[RIDELIKEHELL]

Great too see the car has found a GOOD home!  2thumbs cheers

Me too! Thanks Chris. Don't think I will do jack stands but will do everything else and she'll stay clean and dry in the Showcase.

Glad to see it found a good home

[myk]

A car in a bubble!   

[stripedelete]

Just put my '69 away for the winter last weekend.
I use one of these:
http://www.calcarcover.com/product/76/274/AntiRust_Car_Storage_Bag

I give the car a good wipe, make sure air pressure in the tires is OK, check all fluids, & top off the gas tank. Add Stabil, & let it run for a few minutes to circulate it.
I then drive the car over it, & place desiccant bags throughout the car. They are reusable so they last many years.
http://www.griotsgarage.com/product/three+storage+desiccant+1+lb+bags.do?sortby=ourPicks&refType=&from=Search

Battery gets removed & placed on a Tender for the winter. I use a 4-gang Tender so it charges multiple batteries.
I cover the car with the regular indoor car cover, then zip up the bag. Doesn't get opened until spring. It comes out as clean as it went in. Great investment.
In the spring I do all the oil changes, clean/detailing, etc.

is your garage heated?

[billssuperbird]

Disconnect the battery and covered up

[maxwellwedge]

Not a fan of car bubbles

[stripedelete]

Not a fan of car bubbles

please expand on that

[Aero426]

If I plan to drive the car in spring, I may not bother to use any fuel stabilizer at all.   Four of five months really is not enough to worry about.   This year, I do have some non-ethanol fuel in just about everything.    So I am good to go.  

I have a single battery tender that I rotate from car to car every couple weeks.

[67440chrg]

I use a tender and a full tank with stabil. I may put plastic under it this year to stop moisture. My garage is more of a barn with no insulation or heat. I have 6 mice traps around it and use dryer sheets and put moth balls in it too.

[lloyd3]

Gorgeous weather here for the last few days, but they are calling for rain mixed w/snow here tonight. I drove the car a lot this past week (Autumn and muscle-cars go hand-in hand!), but have shut off the drip systems and sprinklers for the yard and added some Stabil to the car. I might give it a wipedown and cover it today if time allows.  You must roll with the seasons. I've got an elk hunt planned for next week and bad weather for the car means good weather for filling my freezer.

[bill440rt]

Just put my '69 away for the winter last weekend.
I use one of these:
http://www.calcarcover.com/product/76/274/AntiRust_Car_Storage_Bag

I give the car a good wipe, make sure air pressure in the tires is OK, check all fluids, & top off the gas tank. Add Stabil, & let it run for a few minutes to circulate it.
I then drive the car over it, & place desiccant bags throughout the car. They are reusable so they last many years.
http://www.griotsgarage.com/product/three+storage+desiccant+1+lb+bags.do?sortby=ourPicks&refType=&from=Search

Battery gets removed & placed on a Tender for the winter. I use a 4-gang Tender so it charges multiple batteries.
I cover the car with the regular indoor car cover, then zip up the bag. Doesn't get opened until spring. It comes out as clean as it went in. Great investment.
In the spring I do all the oil changes, clean/detailing, etc.

is your garage heated?

No.

[RollinThunder]

My garage is not heated, and my wife is in and out of it every day with her daily driver.  Condensation can be a problem.  What I do, is fill tank and add stabil to gas.  I then drive the front wheels up onto a set of plastic car ramps.  Plastic is good as I believe cold concrete is bad for the tires.  I then put jack stands under the rear axle to somewhat level the car out.  This gets the car off the ground and allows more air to circulate under the car, reducing the condensation problem.  This keeps the vehicle weight on the front wheels. Which I believe is better than letting the front wheels hang.  I prefer to keep the front suspension bushings at the designed ride height so as to not stress them out.  Letting the front wheels hang would stress the bushings.  Some years I put plastic on top of the concrete, but have not in the last two years.  Just some pieces of cardboard to absorb the few drips of oil and ATF.   If I notice any moisture on frame, then I'll plug in an electric heater and let it circulate under there.  Sheets and cheap car cover over body.  Somewhat fresh BraddPenn.  I disconnect the neg terminal of the battery.  That's it.  And i don't believe in starting it until Spring when I can take it out on the road a really warm it up. 
In the spring, before the 1st start up, I check all rubber lines, and pay particular attention to brake (dot5) and fuel lines.

[keith88]

Covered on rollers, stable added and battery removed and set sideways in my garage in the back so i can still use the garage during the winter.I may start it on a warmer day after xmas..if there is one.

[lloyd3]

First snow here yesterday and a killing frost last night. The big sleep has begun yet again.  We had a beautiful September and October so nothing to complain about.  Just gotta get used to econoboxes again.  The car is wiped down, covered, and filled w/Stabil & new oil. Pretty dry here so I'm not doing much else (no rodent problems either).  We'll see what next April brings.

[triple_green]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/141804515759?ul_noapp=true&chn=ps&lpid=82

This what I use to keep the moisture out of my Charger during cold/wet season.

Learned this from my cousin a long time car guy. 33K mile original owner 72 LS6 corvette, etc.

[69bronzeT5]

Any tips for storing a newer (2004) car outside in a closed car tent in my driveway? I have a fully enclosed car tent. I was thinking of putting a sheet of plastic down on the concrete, parking the car on it and then putting a cover over the car.