Winter Storage
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,265
Likes: 18
From: Bolton Masshole
Winter Storage Im off at school and i just picked up my 97 ws6 (in sig). This weekend i am planning on changing the oil and filling it up with 93, and running some fuel system cleaner through it maybe. Maybe richen up the coolant mixture a bi as well. I don't want to "store" the car per say, becuase i usually come home every 2-3 weeks and like to mess around with it (might do a bigger cam this winter as well as some other stuff), and over thanksgiving i was going to put the insurance on it for that week and drive it a few hundred miles to break in the clutch. So do you guys think it would be okay for the car to be outside (under my cover) for the winter as long as the oil is clean and i start it up and let it get to running temp every 2-3 weeks, or should i just store it with some STA-BIL and leave it till april? Thanks guys
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 3,452
Likes: 3
From: somewhere that doesn't get snow
i didnt add any sta-bil to my car last winter and it was fine, although it was just in my garage covered with the battery disconnected from about mid november till early march. i did have it out one time in january for a freakishly warm 65 degree day that had been preceeded by a rain storm so the roads were salt free. i didnt notice any problems other than a pretty bad oil leak which was pre existing (intake manifold gasket) that for whatever reason got really bad after the car sat for 4 months
TECH Fanatic
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,285
Likes: 1
From: Elgin, Il
Whatever you do, don't disconnect the battery. Down the road your wiring harness could corrode. When you go to start it in the spring put the battery on a deep cycle charge and it'll start like a champ.
When I know my car is done for a long period, I put more air in the tires too. Helps keep from flat spotting while it sits. Also, I wouldn't bother starting it unless your gonna drive it.
I've stored mine for 10 years, leaving it in the garage. Never added stabil and never disconnected the battery, never drove it or started it. It's always fine in the spring, I just add extra air in the tires as mentioned above. Unheated garage too.
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Joined: May 2006
Posts: 3,452
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From: somewhere that doesn't get snow
hmm, i must have a drain on mine somewhere because it won't start if its left for more than a week or so.. it used to be worse than that but i replaced a red top duralast that might have been bad (would die within 3 days) with a new yellowtop and it lasts about 8-10 days. IIRC when the red top was new it would only last 5-6 days so i think maybe the red top was bad from the start
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Verdad Gallardo TECH Fanatic
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,285
Likes: 1
From: Elgin, Il
Do a parasitic drain check.
Make sure everything is off (radio, lights, etc)
Pull the negative battery cable and put a 10 gauge or thicker jumper wire in between the negative cable and he negative posts (this helps absorb voltage spikes so you don't fry your meter). Connect an Ammeter or DMM with an amp clamp to the negative post and cable. Now you just gotta wait until the PCM "goes to sleep". Some cars are faster than others, usually overnight will do. Usually around 50mA draw is max.
If you have more, start pulling fuses and relays one at a time to see if the draw goes away. Start looking from there.
Make sure everything is off (radio, lights, etc)
Pull the negative battery cable and put a 10 gauge or thicker jumper wire in between the negative cable and he negative posts (this helps absorb voltage spikes so you don't fry your meter). Connect an Ammeter or DMM with an amp clamp to the negative post and cable. Now you just gotta wait until the PCM "goes to sleep". Some cars are faster than others, usually overnight will do. Usually around 50mA draw is max.
If you have more, start pulling fuses and relays one at a time to see if the draw goes away. Start looking from there.