Here are some ideas for getting your car ready for storage. This is a list of tips that I have read here and on other sites.

1. Change your oil and filter. This will eliminate any sludge that is in the oil or condensation.

2. Wash and dry your car. Make sure to get the nooks and crannies. Make sure to wash any road salt off. The idea of this is to clean off any rust causing agents that may be on there.

3. Add Sta-bil or fuel stabilizer. One ounce is good for 2.5 gallons for up to a year. If you are going to storing longer, double the doseage.

4. Clean the area around where the car will be stored. The last thing you want is a ladder to fall down on the car.

Do either A or B.

5 A. Disconnect the battery if you are not going to be starting it on a regular basis. Make sure to plug the intake and tail pipes. You don’t want any four legged furry friends making your car a home.

5 B. Leave the batttery connected. Mark on your calendar a schedule to let your car start and run for. I let mine run for about 20-30 minutes every 2 weeks. Thats normally enough time to bring the engine up to temprature and charge the battery.

6. Set out D-Con or other rat/mouse poison.

7. Call your lein holder and insurance agent to let them know that the car is in storage. That saves you money. (Assuming you don’t spend it on mods. :-))

8. Get a vapor permeable car cover. This keeps dust off of your car. Along with cat prints and snow. If any moisture is under the cover this will allow the moisture to escape.

9 A. Break the lugnuts loose. Proceed to 9 B.

9 B. Using the lift points, jack the car up and put on jack stands. This takes the weight off of the suspension and keeps the tires from getting flat spots.

10. Take the wheels off. This way you can clean the break dust off of inside of the barrel for next year and it keeps the finish from tarnishing.

11. Using silica packs, tape, and plastic bags; cover the rotors, toss in a silica pack and tape the bag shut. This will keep the rotors from rusting.

12. Place a reusable silica pack in the interior of the car if the T-tops leak. That will absorb moisture if water or snow get in.

If I have forgotten anything please feel free to add to this list.

 

I agree with much of your list, and have been performing some similar tasks and maintainence for many years when storing my F-bodies for the winter. Except that mine are always stored indoors, and it seems that some of your list is geared towards outdoor storage.

BUT, I disagree with your advice to put the car on jack stands for the winter. Modern steel belted radials don't flat spot over a winter. I have stored multiple F-cars every winter for about 8 years now, and not once have I ever put them on jack stands. And come spring, I've NEVER had flatspotted tires. What I do is, fill the tires to max psi cold (45psi for most tires normally found on F-bodies) and leave it like that till spring.

Jacking the car up and letting the suspension hang does more harm than good. It's not a natural position for the suspension to stay in for long periods of time, and as a result issues can arise. I've known a few people to have struts/shocks leaking after letting the car hang for a winter.

Also, rather than using silica packs for the interior, I'd recommend a product called "Damp-Rid". It's sold at Home Depot. The container it comes in fits perfectly in the center console cup holder of late model 4th gen F-cars. I would recommend using this whether the t-tops leak or not. Moisture builds in any car when it's closed up for long periods of time. Using some Damp Rid will keep that issue away, and the car will contiune to smell new for years if you start that habit from the begining.

 

RPM I agree with you. Putting a car on jackstands is a waste. The suspension is designed to be loaded. I stored a '65 Chevy indoors in the winter for the last 10 years. I usually inflated the (radial) tires to max psi. The couple times I forgot, it took about 45 minutes of driving to eliminate the vibration from the tire sitting so long. It was in no way permanent.

I always use sta-bil, and fill the tank.
I also (now) use a battery tender.
I never start the car unless I am going to drive it. Idling in the garage/driveway won't get the engine/exhaust hot enough to burn off all the water/impurities in the exhaust.


This year storing an F-body, I'll do the same things.

 

Good suggestions. I just threw some stabilizer in mine and closed the garage door for 4 months. It cranked a little slow but it started right up.

A couple of winters ago I didn't have garage storage so I left it next to my old man's driveway with a car cover on it. I didn't realize it was where he put all his snow with the blower so the car ended up spending the winter inside a glacier. The brake rotors sure were junk after that.

 

How about the interior? Definately vacuum everywhere including the spot between the center console and the seats. I actually found a set of original keys down there after 1.5 years of owning the car. Also dry the mats, don't want mildew accumulating. Also Febreeze it and leave air fresheners half out the bag.



One question do I lock the doors, you know when the alarm goes on before or after I disconnect the battery? I ask this because I am no sure if the security feature locks you out if you disconnect the battery when the alarm is on.

 

If you store it outside make sure your antifreeze stays in liquid form to as low a temperature as you can. It may freeze up and crack your block.

 

another thing I always do is when its gonna sit all winter, i back off my rocker arms to take the pressure off the springs.

 

Guys.... My 1999 Camaro SS only had 12,000 miles on it.. Point being.. It sat ALOT. After about 2 weeks I notice the car shimmy a little bit... This was caused for the tires flat spotting.. Luckily it was only temporary, but if I were to do it all over again, i'd like to jack it up. Stored it 3 years on the tires... I rolled it every 2 weeks forward/back to avoid this. Just my .02 Nice info!

 

goos info guys thanks

 

Is there any specific reason you should vacuum the interior out? Besides it looking all nice when you go to drive it?

 

you might have food an other things in there that could attract critters so if you vacuum it out you pretty much take that away.

 

My '98 has 13,000 miles, and my '00 had 9,000 miles when I sold it. They sat at least as often as yours I never had any significant flat spotting issues....once in a while I can recall feeling a slight vibration for ONLY the first few blocks of driving after sitting for awhile, but that's it. No biggie. Usually it didn't even do that.

I keep the tires at 30psi during the on season, usually driving the car every 2-3 weeks, and 44psi during winter storage. This has always worked great.

As I stated above, jacking the car up and letting the suspension hang does more harm than good. It's not a natural position for the suspension to stay in for long periods of time, and as a result issues can arise. I've known people to have struts/shocks leaking after letting the car hang for a winter. Personally, I'd rather have temporary flat spotting after storage than leaking shocks/struts. IMO.

 

What is the verdict on locking the car and unhooking the battery. Will the alarm sound after you take the battery off or does that disconect the alarm as well?

 

The alarm will not sound once the battery is disconnected.

 

What about brake fluid? I've seen alot of cars have brake fluid turn cloudy and "jelly-like" after it sits in cold conditions unused. Is there any kind of additive that can keep this from happening?

 

My garage is not heated. It's an attached garage, but even still it gets down as low as ~20 degree range most of the winter and even lower if it's really cold outside. I've been storing various f-bodies since 1998 and I've never had an issue with jelly-like brake fluid, or any other fluid for that matter.

Hope that helps.

 

Ok, I wasn't sure but I had it happen to me in my old cadillac, and ironically enough there was a Cavaleir at a lot I was at for an interveiw that had the same problem (it was a 98ish, and the Cadillac was an 89) Thought maybe it was an "older" GM thing or sumthin. Thanks!

 

Maybe there was a lot of moisture in the brake fluid on those cars you saw. The fluid will absorb moisture over time, so if the car has a lot of miles without the brake fluid ever having been changed then perhaps the fluid had begun to freeze somewhat, making it cloudy and thick.

Just a thought.

 

/\ Probly what was. The Caddy had about 222K and all I changed was the gas, and a few tires lol...whata peice...

 

if you set the alarm and then go unplug the battery it will go off as soon as u plug it back in and startle the *hit outa u, so... manually lock the doors b4 u unplug ur battery or you'll be in for a surprise, i know from experience