Hi, need some advice. I live in north east (pa.).Up untill the beginning of january the weather hasnt been to bad. so ive been getting the car out 1 a week. Since the beginning of january the weather took a turn for the worst - snow, ice, salt, and cinders. Im going to keep the car parked in garage. Worst case senario, if it sits till march area, For shorter term storage like this ( 2 months ). Is there anything i should do for that length of time? Like warm up and run? How long, how much, tires, etc.. The gas is almost full. Dont want to put on blocks. Thanks for much needed help. Got to take care of my baby!
short car storage help
- Thread starter Metajames
- Start date
Mark Waldron
Professional Detailer
I have stored trucks for 4 months at a time and the only thing I would recommend is make sure your tire pressure is ok, make sure your gas tank is full and add stabilizer, and put a car cover on it after you've cleaned and dressed everything. Some people disconnect the battery cables but I never had a problem with keeping them connected. If there's a small drain somewhere in your electrical system, you'll find out when you find that you have a dead battery.
Accumulator
Well-known member
For that length of time I don't even use fuel stabilizer, but it sure wouldn't hurt. I *do* over-inflate the tires to avoid flatspotting; I put about 50 psi in them. Put a note on the steering wheel as a reminder about the pressure. I'll sometimes drive around for a few miles with the high pressure just to more quickly "work out" any flatspotting that has occurred despite my efforts.
I would make sure you don't have a rodent problem. We had a mouse take up residence between the fuel tank and body pan of my wife's A8 even though we only parked it for a couple of weeks. It gnawed up a fuel vapor hose that ended up costing a fortune to replace because they had to disassemble the whole rear half of the car to get to it
BTW, those "smart" trickle-chargers are pretty cheap and they work well. But letting the battery run down isn't *really* that big a deal unless you make a habit of it.
I would make sure you don't have a rodent problem. We had a mouse take up residence between the fuel tank and body pan of my wife's A8 even though we only parked it for a couple of weeks. It gnawed up a fuel vapor hose that ended up costing a fortune to replace because they had to disassemble the whole rear half of the car to get to it
BTW, those "smart" trickle-chargers are pretty cheap and they work well. But letting the battery run down isn't *really* that big a deal unless you make a habit of it.
Mark Waldron
Professional Detailer
I don't think it is necessary, but it couldn't hurt.
Bill D
Hooked For Life
I always ran the car for about 20 minutes or so, then before turing off the engine, if allowable, ( not for a turbo though) gently pressed on the gas in effort to blow out remaining condensation in the exhaust.
togwt
The Old Grey Whistle Test
For short-term storage not all the steps cited may be necessary, you can decide what you feel is required for your vehicle-
Storing your vehicle, ranging from a convertible that's reserved for sunny days to a show car for whatever reason, only requires a few precautions to ensure that it is preserved and will be operational after its in hibernation. All cars hate to sit idle, so don't expect to top off the fluids and drive out of the garage.
But a little work now can protect a vehicle from rust, animals and other storage-related headaches. To help vehicle owners keep their stored vehicles in good shape, here are a few storage tips.
Vehicle Storage
·Change the oil and filter.
·Replace brake fluid with DOT 3
·Do not drain the fuel tank, as an empty tank will cause condensation and it will start to rust! Top off fuel tank, then pour Stabil into the tank and run it for a few minutes (to get it into the fuel lines) If you don't cycle your fuel through the tank every two months, it starts an oxidation process and will turn into varnish over time, this can clog your fuel lines, One ounce protects three gallons of any type of fuel.
·Top off coolant with a 50/50 water and corrosion inhibitor and fill all fluids
·Spray distributor with WD-40
·Protect the paint, give the vehicle a good washing, dry it thoroughly and then apply an oil rich polish.
·Clean the interior of the car, apply a generous coating of Leatherique Rejuvinator oil to all leather surfaces, and use a box of DampRid moisture absorbing products, also leave a bar of scented soap under the seats (vermin don't like the smell)
·Apply Wurth HHS-2000 clear spray lubricant to seat rails and sunroof guide rails
·Apply a conditioner to `rubber' weather stripping (Zymol Seal)
·Apply leather conditioner to all leather surfaces.
·Close all windows, trunk, and hood, and stuff the exhaust with a cloth to ensure mice do not enter
·Close windows but leave a small gap to ensure rubber seals are not completely flattened, same for doors, close to first `click'
·Over inflate the tyres (50psi) Do not place car jacks as these will unload the suspension and may do harm. Some vehicles should not be stored with the suspensions unloaded (check with manufacturer)
·Store the car in gear; do not apply the emergency brake.
·Remove sparkplugs and inject a little oil down into each of the cylinders.
·Remove the battery, clean and store separately (the myth about storing a battery on concrete is just that, a myth) coat the terminals with Wurth battery and terminal cleaner, do the same thing with the cable terminals, coat battery hold down bolts with WD40.
·Alternatively use a Battery Tender, a fully automatic two-stage lead acid battery charger, lightweight, compact size, trickle charger that assures batteries are maintained after charging. Ideal for all lead-acid, sealed maintenance free and gel cell batteries. After full 14.4 VDC charge is reached, converts to float charger and monitors battery at 13.2 volts. When voltage drops below 12.6 VDC, charger resumes charging back to 14.4 VDC. Two-colour LED indicator, Spark-proof; reverse polarity protected, twelve-foot output cord and quick-connect harness. Comes with a set of quick disconnect clamps and rings
·Cover the car with a good quality cotton car cover. If you are storing the vehicle outside use a UV sunshade on the windshield and rear window, plus a car cover
Storing your vehicle, ranging from a convertible that's reserved for sunny days to a show car for whatever reason, only requires a few precautions to ensure that it is preserved and will be operational after its in hibernation. All cars hate to sit idle, so don't expect to top off the fluids and drive out of the garage.
But a little work now can protect a vehicle from rust, animals and other storage-related headaches. To help vehicle owners keep their stored vehicles in good shape, here are a few storage tips.
Vehicle Storage
·Change the oil and filter.
·Replace brake fluid with DOT 3
·Do not drain the fuel tank, as an empty tank will cause condensation and it will start to rust! Top off fuel tank, then pour Stabil into the tank and run it for a few minutes (to get it into the fuel lines) If you don't cycle your fuel through the tank every two months, it starts an oxidation process and will turn into varnish over time, this can clog your fuel lines, One ounce protects three gallons of any type of fuel.
·Top off coolant with a 50/50 water and corrosion inhibitor and fill all fluids
·Spray distributor with WD-40
·Protect the paint, give the vehicle a good washing, dry it thoroughly and then apply an oil rich polish.
·Clean the interior of the car, apply a generous coating of Leatherique Rejuvinator oil to all leather surfaces, and use a box of DampRid moisture absorbing products, also leave a bar of scented soap under the seats (vermin don't like the smell)
·Apply Wurth HHS-2000 clear spray lubricant to seat rails and sunroof guide rails
·Apply a conditioner to `rubber' weather stripping (Zymol Seal)
·Apply leather conditioner to all leather surfaces.
·Close all windows, trunk, and hood, and stuff the exhaust with a cloth to ensure mice do not enter
·Close windows but leave a small gap to ensure rubber seals are not completely flattened, same for doors, close to first `click'
·Over inflate the tyres (50psi) Do not place car jacks as these will unload the suspension and may do harm. Some vehicles should not be stored with the suspensions unloaded (check with manufacturer)
·Store the car in gear; do not apply the emergency brake.
·Remove sparkplugs and inject a little oil down into each of the cylinders.
·Remove the battery, clean and store separately (the myth about storing a battery on concrete is just that, a myth) coat the terminals with Wurth battery and terminal cleaner, do the same thing with the cable terminals, coat battery hold down bolts with WD40.
·Alternatively use a Battery Tender, a fully automatic two-stage lead acid battery charger, lightweight, compact size, trickle charger that assures batteries are maintained after charging. Ideal for all lead-acid, sealed maintenance free and gel cell batteries. After full 14.4 VDC charge is reached, converts to float charger and monitors battery at 13.2 volts. When voltage drops below 12.6 VDC, charger resumes charging back to 14.4 VDC. Two-colour LED indicator, Spark-proof; reverse polarity protected, twelve-foot output cord and quick-connect harness. Comes with a set of quick disconnect clamps and rings
·Cover the car with a good quality cotton car cover. If you are storing the vehicle outside use a UV sunshade on the windshield and rear window, plus a car cover
dschribs
New member
Lexis
I store my car every year for a few months. As mentioned above, the fuel is going to be the first thing that goes bad. Use fuel stabilizer in the tank. It certainly can't hurt. A trickle charger on the battery is always a good idea or use a simple shut off switch that connects to the battery terminal.
Here's one sold by Eastwood
Battery Shutoff Switch
Also, mice LOVE to make little mice homes in cars that sit. I use a fresh box of Bounce dryer sheets every few weeks in my car. I just spread the sheets around in the interior, trunk and even under the hood. Mice hate the smell and it keeps the car smelling fresh during storage. There was also a suggestion in TOGWT's list of stuffing the exhaust pipe(s) with cloth. A good idea, but use steel wool. They won't chew through it. Matter of fact, it's the best thing to stop a determined mouse.
I store my car every year for a few months. As mentioned above, the fuel is going to be the first thing that goes bad. Use fuel stabilizer in the tank. It certainly can't hurt. A trickle charger on the battery is always a good idea or use a simple shut off switch that connects to the battery terminal.
Here's one sold by Eastwood
Battery Shutoff Switch
Also, mice LOVE to make little mice homes in cars that sit. I use a fresh box of Bounce dryer sheets every few weeks in my car. I just spread the sheets around in the interior, trunk and even under the hood. Mice hate the smell and it keeps the car smelling fresh during storage. There was also a suggestion in TOGWT's list of stuffing the exhaust pipe(s) with cloth. A good idea, but use steel wool. They won't chew through it. Matter of fact, it's the best thing to stop a determined mouse.
Accumulator
Well-known member
lexis said:
The argument against it concerns condensation in both the engine and exhaust system. I do start the S8 from time to time when it's sitting idle, but I no longer do it to the Jag. After 18 years I had to replace some exhaust components (ones made from stainless steel, too) that rusted out from the inside. I thought I'd always run it long enough to dry up any condensation, but apparently I hadn't. I sure wouldn't do it with a non-stainless exhaust system.
Again, two months just isn't that big a deal. But if you really want to play it safe get the battery tender and don't start it until you're gonna drive it. If you're mechanically inclined, turn the motor over without firing it up (I pull the fuel pump fuse/relay) to lube it up before you actually start it. But this is all overkill for now-March.
I'm not an expert, but while watching the Barett-Jackson auction this weekend they discussed this. They did recommended starting the car once a month and backing it out into the driveway then back into the garage. Apparently driving 20 or 30 feet will help "circulate" the drivetrain lubricants adequately.