Help Storing My Rx8 for 3 Months

Nopstnz8

Nopstnz8

Member
Guys I am going off to college on September 12th, and unfortunately won't be taking the 8 with me Anyways, I plan to store it in my garage until I come home for Thanksgiving break, so about 10 weeks. I have already sealed it with 7 KSG coats, but will wash the car again right before I leave. I plan to place cardboard boxes under the tires to prevent flat spots. I am also planning to purchase a car cover so it doesn't get covered in dust and stuff. Since I have an aftermarket body kit, and my car will only be garage stored, would it be alright to purchase a cheap car cover for it? Could one of these scratch my car even if there is no dust on it? I really don't want to spend a lot of money for something that won't be used that often. Also, I have an Optima Red Top battery, so do I still need to disconnect it? If I do, will it need to jump started when I reconnect it in November? Also, I normally premix, so should I run the car to almost empty and then put in the Stabil on a full tank? Also, is there some additive I would need to put in te coolant tank to prevent condensation? Should I leave a window cracked open even with a car cover on? When I come back, I plan to drive it for like 3-4 days, then store it again for like 3 weeks. Do I really need any oil change each time since I just had it done about 2 months ago? Also, regarding stuffing the tailpipes... why steel wool? Can I just shove a rag up there? Any help would be greatly appreciated since I have never done this before, and want my 8 to run as well as, and be as good condition as it is now when I get back. Thanks.
 
When I store cars I put them all on jack stands with a rag in the muffler and car cover on. I like to put it on the jack stands so you dont get flat spots in the tires and to release the tension/weight off the suspension parts. I dont put the windows down because I dont want anything getting inside even thought a car cover is on. What I do for the inside is put a few moisture absorbers for RVs and boats so mold and mildew cant grow and absorbs oders too. You can pick them up at Homedepot.



Fill up your tank before storing. No real need to put any additives since your not storing for a long period of time. Yes disconnect the battery and you wont have to jump it.
 
I would recommend a fuel stabilizer like Sta-Bil. I see you love your 8 as much as I love mine. A trickle charger as Battery Tender will keep it charged.
 
If the fuel you buy has 10% ethanol make sure you use a stabilizer that is made for ethanol fuel and make sure you fill your tank before storage. I would suggest using Marine Sta-bil since it is formulated for ethanol fuel.
 
The biggies here are probably the fuel stabilizer and jackstands.



3 months of no movement can put some serious flat spots in tire. I would look into jackstands if the garage is level, or some junkyard wheels and tires just to keep the yours from flat spotting.



Is your garage humid?



I would change the oil a minimum once a year. It should... be ok. Edit: Once a year if you are doing <3000 a year. I don't suppose you can rack up 3k on school vacation until the summer?
 
All good advice listed above, that should be all you need to worry about.



Good luck with school. The time will go by fast, you'll see the 8 soon. :)
 
lasthope05 said:
When I store cars I put them all on jack stands with a rag in the muffler and car cover on. I like to put it on the jack stands so you dont get flat spots in the tires and to release the tension/weight off the suspension parts. I dont put the windows down because I dont want anything getting inside even thought a car cover is on. What I do for the inside is put a few moisture absorbers for RVs and boats so mold and mildew cant grow and absorbs oders too. You can pick them up at Homedepot.



Fill up your tank before storing. No real need to put any additives since your not storing for a long period of time. Yes disconnect the battery and you wont have to jump it.
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Thanks. I read on some websites that you can put cardboard boxes underneath the tires to prevent flat spots. I have low profile tires with steel reinforced sidewalls, so hopefully this, and just increasing the tire pressure by 2-3 psi would suffice? My car has side skirts, and is pretty low, so it's hard to jack it up. Would my idea be allright without any problems later on? Also, what exactly are the moisture absorbers? Are they just like pads and stuff you lay on the carpet? I already cleaned my interior, and applied a protectant, is this enough? I also don't want anything in, so I don't want to leave the windows open like you said. Just heard that from someone, but didn't really want to do it if it wasn't necessary.



Jokeman said:
If the fuel you buy has 10% ethanol make sure you use a stabilizer that is made for ethanol fuel and make sure you fill your tank before storage. I would suggest using Marine Sta-bil since it is formulated for ethanol fuel.
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Doesn't all fuel contain around 10% ethanol these days? I just fill up with premium grade (91) Shell gas and add Marvel's Mystery Oil (Premix) before filling up. I plan to not use premix on the last fill up before I leave. Would Sta-bil be fine with Shell gas, or do I need the Marine one?



MDRX8 said:
I would recommend a fuel stabilizer like Sta-Bil. I see you love your 8 as much as I love mine. A trickle charger as Battery Tender will keep it charged.
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Thanks. Yeah, I love my as well, if you haven't already noticed. Lol. That's why I'm not taking it to school, at least till rain season is over towards the end of the year. I won't have time to wash it every time it rains, and won't be able to maintain it as well with it being outside and not garage kept. :( I would induce swirls like crazy since I won't have halogens and such. When I bring it, I plan to convert it back to stock, so I don't ruin my wheels, or my flawless aftermarket front bumper, with no chips, and EXTREMELY light swirls! That way, I can come back home put my car back to modified, and still enjoy it with those parts being flawless!



I plan to just unplug the battery, and when I come back in 3 months, just plug it back in. If I need to, I'll borrow my neighbor's battery charger.



AuAltima3.5 said:
The biggies here are probably the fuel stabilizer and jackstands.



3 months of no movement can put some serious flat spots in tire. I would look into jackstands if the garage is level, or some junkyard wheels and tires just to keep the yours from flat spotting.



Is your garage humid?



I would change the oil a minimum once a year. It should... be ok. Edit: Once a year if you are doing <3000 a year. I don't suppose you can rack up 3k on school vacation until the summer?
Click to expand...



Yeah. Definitely won't go over 3k this school year. Lol. I just had the oil change about 1k miles ago, if that, so you think it would be fine for me to not change it when I come back for like 5 days, drive it, then store it for 3 more weeks? I just don't want to change the oil every time I come back to drive it, if I don't have to.



jopa489 said:
All good advice listed above, that should be all you need to worry about.



Good luck with school. The time will go by fast, you'll see the 8 soon. :)
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Thanks. I'll be attending Cal Poly University and majoring in Electrical Engineering. I hope the time does fly by, cause I can't wait to come back to my 8, even though I haven't even left yet. Lol. If only I had my own personal garage, with lighting and everything, then I wouldn't mind taking my car. Just don't want to get water spots and such from all the rain when the season approaches. With the limited time I'll have, leaving the car to sit with water spots, would just be asking for trouble. Can't wait to come back to it though. I'm trying to enjoy ever last minute of it, including the detailing before I put it away for 3 months. :)
 
Also, so everyone agrees that I don't have to worry about adding some stabilizer or such to the coolant, just to the gas tank when it's full? When I come back to drive it in three months, would there be anything special I would need to do regarding the gas tank?



Also, I heard from someone that you should remove the wiper blades so they don't stick to the glass or something? Does everyone agree this should be done, or should I just disregard that? Thanks again for all the help. I really appreciate it. :)
 
Rotary's can be a real P.I.T.A. if not stored properly, dont ask me how I know :doh Here is some specific info that I modified a bit that you can use for your 8. I go through this process on my 7's every winter and it works well.



The Engine



The first thing people think of when considering storing a car. Indeed it is the most involved part of the process since the rotary engine contains many intricate components and internal unprotected bare metal surfaces. These surfaces will easily rust as condensation forms due to temperature changes and moisture in the air.



Fully degrease and clean the engine bay. No matter which product you use you must keep it out of the electrical system and do not allow it to sit on aluminum. Rinse from above with a gentle spray of water.



Pour the recommended amount of fuel stabilizer into the fuel tank. I generally use Sta-Bil. The bottle has a built in measuring cup and instructions for amounts on the label. You want this to be the first step so the stabilizer will circulate throughout the entire fuel system.



To begin, start by changing your coolant. Flush the system if you are so equipped and don't forget the heater core. Coolant will become acidic over time as it's additive package depletes. At the same time, corrosion inhibitors wear out. This can cause havoc on the cooling passages during periods of inactivity. Start the car and go for a drive to circulate your new coolant and warm up the oil. Don't forget to run the heater as you want to get all that stale coolant out of the core.



Before you continue you will probably want to park the car in it's final resting place. After the next few steps are completed you cannot start the engine so if the car has to be moved you will be pushing it.



Jack up the front of the car and change the oil and filter. Be careful as the engine is still hot. Hot oil flows much more easily then cold oil. Start the car and let it idle for a minute or so to circulate the new oil.



With the car up to operating temperature, shut it off and remove the air filter. Start the car again and while holding a high idle (around 1000-1200 RPM) spray fogging oil into the intake. Fogging oil is available at almost any auto parts store and is a thick aerosol oil that will cling to any metal parts and prevent corrosion. Continue spraying the oil into the intake by pulsing the nozzle, gradually increasing the amount you are spraying. This will create a lot of smoke as the oil burns off. Finally, when you are down to about half a can, spray a continuous stream into the intake and allow the idle to drop and the car to stall. This will coat the inside of the intake and engine, preventing corrosion on all internal components (rotors, irons, seals, throttle plates, etc.). Make sure to turn the ignition key to off after you have stalled the car.



This next step will involve removing the spark plugs. Remove each leading plug and then spray fogging oil liberally into each hole. Most cans come with an applicator you can shove into the hole and use to spray almost the entire engine. By rotating the eccentric shaft slightly you can get the entire bottom half of the engine and some of the top half. Pulling the trailing plug can sometimes give you access to the top half if the applicator is thin. Once the engine is coated internally you can put the plugs back into place after applying anti-seize to their threads. Apply dielectric grease to the spark plug boots to prevent them from sticking.



Apply a rubber preservative to the hoses for your cooling and heating system. You'll be replacing these hoses if you store the car for more then a year anyway but it's worth keeping them in good shape if the storage period is less then you expect. Avoid anything with silicone as in the long term it may dry rubber out. Try not to get any of these products on the belts since many of them are greasy and will cause the belts to slip wildly when the engine is restarted.



Spray a light oil (for example, WD-40) around the throttle body linkages. These linkages are designed to operate dry so a light oil is important otherwise you'll just be stuck cleaning it up when you unstore the car. WD-40 is useless as a lubricant but is a decent corrosion inhibitor and will evaporate the first time the car is warmed after storage. Also spray exposed steel and aluminum parts. This can be a bit messy but will be worth it to prevent surface rust.



The Battery

Remove the battery from the engine compartment and bring it indoors. Keep it at a steady temperature and check it's state of charge every 6 months. If necessary, top up the charge should you get a volt reading of less then about 11.6V. Avoid trickle chargers unless they are of the "smart" type (ie. BatteryTender) as most will overcharge the battery and cause sulfation. Never leave the battery in the engine bay as it will slowly drain (if left connected) and cause corrosion issues.



Storage Myths

There are several common myths associated with car storage that need to be addressed.



The first is that it is somehow a good thing to start the car every week or so, then either let it idle for a while or go for a drive around the block. This is in fact one of the worst things you can possibly do to an engine. The main reason is that unless the engine reaches full operating temperature, moisture (a natural byproduct of combustion and temperature changes) and acids (combustion byproducts) will build up inside the engine and contaminate the oil and metal surfaces. Obviously this is not good for metal components and results in increased wear and shorter life. This effect is easily seen by looking inside the oil filler tube of any rotary that was used primarily for short trips as there will be a clearly visible rust scale that has formed. During normal driving the engine generally heats up enough to vaporize these nasties which are then drawn off by the purge system and burned by the engine.



The second myth is that a car should be stored on jackstands to keep the weight off the suspension. The theory is that keeping weight off of the suspension will somehow preserve it's full motion. In fact, removing the weight of the car will pull the suspension out of it's normal resting place and put it in an unnatural state of hyper extension. Keeping it this way over the long term will cause bushings and joints to bind up and the end result may be corrosion building up in the area of normal suspension travel where don't want it instead of the unused areas where it basically doesn't matter.
 
Thanks. I just had all the spark plugs and and fluids changed about a year ago, oil changed about two months ago. I also received a new engine last September due to mine failing from a recall. Do I really need to do all this stuff? I cleaned the air intake filter on my CAI about 3 months ago, so that should be fine. I never shut my car off unless it is warmed up completely, so do I really need to do all the above, besides stabil? I cleaned my engine bay completely back in May, and waxed all the painted parts, as well as polished my intake. Do I really need to clean this again? I don't drive very far, probably like 1.5k miles since May, so it is still relatively clean, just a little dusty. I leave on Saturday, and have a lot of other things I need to do as well, not related to my car, so besides a full clean up of the exterior, interior has already been done, what else is a for sure must that I need to do? BTW I'll be back over Thanksgiving Break, so this car won't be stored too long.
 
A moisture absorber is a disposable dehumidifier. It removes moisture/humidity out of the air and absorbs it. I use it because it helps to prevent mold and mildew growth in the interior of your car.



This is what I use and is available at locally at pretty much everywhere. Walmart, homedepot, rite aid, cvs...etc.



D A M P R I D - The Original Non-Electric Moisture Absorber





Something like this can happen if you have high moisture levels in your car and it is trapped inside.



http://www.autopia.org/forum/click-brag/94461-moldy-interior.html
 
I'm surprised at all the advice to do so much stuff over a 3 month sit. My vehicles often sit that long with zero problems at all. New cars sit untouched at dealerships for months at a time.



OK, my shop is a temp/humidity controlled environment, but still...I've been letting cars sit for extended periods without problems since forever.



Fuel stabilizer for 3 months?!? I sure wouldn't bother with that. I understand "better safe than sorry", but I really do think all this involved storage prep is overkill.



Even with the rotary's apex seal issues, I just don't see it :nixweiss



All I'd do is pump the tires up to ~50psi. I don't even bother covering them much any more.
 
I agree except for the fuel stabilizer, I'd add some. What year is your RX-8 ???
Accumulator said:
I'm surprised at all the advice to do so much stuff over a 3 month sit. My vehicles often sit that long with zero problems at all. New cars sit untouched at dealerships for months at a time.



OK, my shop is a temp/humidity controlled environment, but still...I've been letting cars sit for extended periods without problems since forever.



Fuel stabilizer for 3 months?!? I sure wouldn't bother with that. I understand "better safe than sorry", but I really do think all this involved storage prep is overkill.



Even with the rotary's apex seal issues, I just don't see it :nixweiss



All I'd do is pump the tires up to ~50psi. I don't even bother covering them much any more.
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Guess I never think about the fuel stabilizer as it often takes me a few months to run through a whole tank of gas in the garage-queens. The (untreated) gas in the Jag is sometimes *OLD* but it's never been an issue.



Heh heh...speaking of "better safe than sorry" I hope I don't jinx myself by posting this stuff; the gas in the S8 is about nine months old :eek:
 
Rx8 Fanatic said:
Thanks. I just had all the spark plugs and and fluids changed about a year ago, oil changed about two months ago. I also received a new engine last September due to mine failing from a recall. Do I really need to do all this stuff? I cleaned the air intake filter on my CAI about 3 months ago, so that should be fine. I never shut my car off unless it is warmed up completely, so do I really need to do all the above, besides stabil? I cleaned my engine bay completely back in May, and waxed all the painted parts, as well as polished my intake. Do I really need to clean this again? I don't drive very far, probably like 1.5k miles since May, so it is still relatively clean, just a little dusty. I leave on Saturday, and have a lot of other things I need to do as well, not related to my car, so besides a full clean up of the exterior, interior has already been done, what else is a for sure must that I need to do? BTW I'll be back over Thanksgiving Break, so this car won't be stored too long.
Click to expand...



You dont have to do any of this if you dont want to, its just a guide to properly storing your car. I personally wouldnt let my car sit for more than a month without storing it this way but thats just me. Its like going from a compound to a wax IMO, half a$$ and careless. Im as OCD about maintenence as I am detailing.



My older 7 is running the original engine (88) and I race every summer and store in the winter this way. My other 7 is pretty much a garage queen with low miles.



Why was your engine rebuilt?
 
^^Failed compression due to a miscalculation of the OMP flow rates when the Rx8 was released back in '04. They discovered it back in like May 08 and had ECU reflashes, but by then it was too late. Warrenty was extended to 8 years 100k miles, and new rebuilt engines were going in left and right. I'm not complaining though since my 8 is running great, and has more power now than when I got it. I also had the chance to break in the new engine the right way. With this one, I have NEVER gone above 5k rpm while cold. Something I unfortunately did a lot with the old one before I knew better.



I agree with you about the maintenance and such, but some of the things I am not capable to do, nor do I even have the time to. Otherwise, I would. Pretty much all the above was done not too long ago, so I think it will be fine.
 
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