What needs to be done to get my car ready if I want to store it through the winter months (i.e. gas additive, car cover, oil and other fluid checks and changes)?

Also, should I start my car on occasion while in storage?

Although I'm not a brand new member to the board, I felt this would be a good question for all interested in keeping their ride safe in storage during the winter months.

Thanks,
Brian

 

outside storage or indoor storage. I know that you metioned car cover,but there are alot of people that store their car in a garage and use a car cover. Regardless all your flids should be fresh for the winter. Some dry gas for the fuel tank, to help against condensation. Move your car every 2 weeks so that the wheels don't lock up on you. fill your tires about 4-5 psi higher than normal. Let your car warn-up to operating temp. when you do turn it on. If you don't let it heat up properly it could damage your car.
good luck

 

Gotta try that Search feature:
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Put fuel stabilizer in the tank. Drive it around a little to mix well and get it up into the fuel rail before storage.

Unhook battery

Increase tire pressure slightly.. Tires will leak down slowly

Make sure it has fresh oil in it.

Store with windows up and a good car cover

Just let it sit. Unless your going to drive it at least 15 miles, starting it up every once in a while is worse than just letting it sit.

Mine was stored about 1 1/2 years like this. No problems at all.

When you do get ready to drive it after storage, charge the battery and remove the fuel pump fuse. Crank it about a minute, re-install fuse and start. (this gets everything oiled prior to start)

Note: the tires will 'flat spot', but that will go away after about 50 miles of driving. Don't worry about it.

 

-----> michigan during winter, I "winterized" mine today its nice and cosy under its cover in the garage, But I am going to miss it for the next 6 months. Also make sure its washed and waxed before you put the cover on any dirt you leav on the car will be trapped between the paint and the cover and when the cover moves just from the wind or being rummed on it will force the dirt into the paint.

 

I disagree. Rings will leave marks on cylinder walls when left in one place for long periods of time. Oil will run down from everywhere in the motor and settle in the pan, thus allowing top engine areas to become dry of oil. Priming the pump, or in the case of our cars pulling the fuel pump fuse, is not good enough IMO.

I understand the arguement about moisture build-up when running the car at idle, but as the motor is not sealed air tight, even if you don't start the motor moisture within the air will still work it's way into the motor. True, you can't ever burn off all the mositure in the oil when you just let the car sit and idle, but leaving the car sit for long periods of time without running is even worse IMO. Motors are meant to stay oiled, and no matter how good of an oil you use, eventually gravity will bring it down to the pan. I like the top end to stay fully oiled at all times, and I don't like the rings to mark cylinder walls from staying in the same spot for long durations.

I start my T/A about once a month during winter storage. I've been doing that for over 3 years now. It's perfect in the spring. I've done that for many years with other F-bodies I've stored as well. No problems ever.

I agree with everything else on your list though...

 

I'm not a big fan of starting and idling an engine during winter storage but I thought of an idea which might work and give the best of both worlds.

Start up the engine once every two weeks, but only let it idle for 15-20 seconds, then shut it down. This should give it sufficient time to move the oil around, but the engine wouldn't heat up enough to cause much condensation. Of course this probably works best if the car is not stored outside, where the oil would be super cold and super thick.

I still think the very best method would be to actually drive the car once every two weeks, and go at least 25-30 miles each time. But some areas might not have clean enough roads in the winter to allow this.

 

I agree, by far the best way is to just drive it, but unfortunatly in places like Chicago, we have what I call the "100% match rule". Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) matches the snowfall amounts in inches by 100% with inches of salt. Really after the first decent snow fall the roads are pretty much done till the first decent rain.

Anyway, the 15-20 second idea is interesting, but it's still not as good as really letting the motor fully warm up and allow for seals to become warm and pliable/lubricated, and give the lifters and such a decent workout. Are the pros & cons better than letting it sit idling for 20-30 mins though? I don't know. What I can say is, if you are storing the car in a well insulated area, and you close up the garage as soon as the motor is off, and it's not 0* outside, it will stay warm in the garage for quite a while thereby allowing the motor to cool slowly and only develop limited moisture as the internals cool.

How much "damage" is that moisture doing? Well, if you started storage with fresh, high quality oil and change the oil very soon after storage ends, I don't really see what damage could be done? One of the reasons why you would be starting the motor would be to re-coat all the upper internals with oil, hence they would not be bare/exposed/oil-less, so the moisture should not effect them really. Granted, the protective qualities of the oil will be reduced, but so long as you're not seeing any high rpms with that oil, does it really matter that much?

I think there are pros and cons to both (starting or not starting), it's just a matter of opinion which is really the lesser of the two evils. Ask 10 experianced, knowledgeable people and you'll probably get a 50/50 split...