Tips on Storing a Car over Winter?

[TheBac]

Figured I should ask you guys, but do you have any tips for storing a car over the winter?


I plan to:
Change oil/filter
Wash/vacuum car (obviously let it dry a good amount of time before I put the cover on in storage)
Full tank of fuel with Stabil
Put an extra few psi in tires
Plastic bags over exhaust outlets
Remove battery (store in my basement)
Mothballs in mesh bags underhood


Is there anything else Im not thinking of?

 

[Pure Diesel]

Put some dryer fabric sheets inside the car and trunk. Suppose to help keep the critters from wanting to be inside. Can you put the car on jack stands?

 

[clrussell]

Leave a battery tender on it if that’s an option. Never know you might have a nice day you want to go drive it

 

[2004LB7]

I would leave the oil and change it what you bring it out of mothballs unless it is already due for a change

Definitely get it up on jack stands if you can and lower pressure in tires

If you want to top off the tank then maybe find a station that sells the non ethanol blend. It stores better due to it not being hygroscopic like ethanol

Definitely get the battery on a tender or at least charge it up once a month

Be careful about sealing up the car too tight as any moisture left inside will give it a musty smell. A little bit of air is good

 

[Mike L.]

^^^^^^ what he said.

 

[duramax on fire]

https://www.carid.com/car-capsule/i...MIn5qV-syv3gIVAdbACh1JWgf8EAQYASABEgIRRvD_BwE


Look into one of these. Picked up my 51 from a guy in Michigan. Come winter he would zip up his cars for winter. Comes with a fan and mice are not suppose to get in. Fan keeps fresh air coming in.

Change oil prior to storage. In the boat world they don't want fuel contaminated oil sitting on bearings

Or move to Texas and you can enjoy year around driving lol. 10 degrees one day 80 the next

 

[TheBac]

Thanks guys for all your advice.

Car will be stored in a coworker's polebarn, along with a Ferrari (I know, so cool!) and a few other cars. Absolutely no driving the car in winter.

I forgot about dryer sheets.
No bueno on battery tender, hence why Id pull it.
Crack windows. Good idea.
I dunno about jack stands. Was thinking of putting down pieces of carpet or thicker cardboard under the tires though.
Only place around here that I know of that sells pure gasoline is up on my route, so I dont know how that would work as the storage is the opposite direction.

 

[2004LB7]

Even if you pull the battery it will need a maintenance change or periodic top off. If not it will start to sulfate and start to reduce its capacity and life. Many lead acid batteries loose a few precent of charge a month and anything less then 100% for prolonged periods will hurt the battery

Older tires with nylon cords had issues with sitting still for too long but the modern tires shouldn't have any issues with storage for a winter.

If it was me and couldn't find any ethanol free fuel then I would run or drain it until on empty and fill it with a gas can when you are taking it out. That way you will only have a gallon or two of bad fuel instead of potentially a whole tank. But realistically you will not likely have any issues ether way

 

[GMC_2002_Dmax]

Tom, if the barn has power and you want to spend this $$$ get a car capsule !!!

I have one for my ZR1


http://carcapsule.com/


http://carcapsule.com/how-it-works/

 

[PureHybrid]

Skip the dryer sheets, doesn't work. I pulled my cp3 this year and found a mouse nest down in the valley, dryer sheets balled up with it.

Shouldn't even really need to pull the battery, maybe just unhook the ground cable. I agree with the oil change, unless you've got barely any miles on it. I would be more focused on keeping mice away from the car, fuel treatment and unhooking the battery is really all you need to do, not like it's going to be sitting for over a year.

 

[TheBac]

Thanks guys for all the tips and things you've done. Everything helps me decide what I need to do.
The car will be stored for 6 months.
Thats just "one of those things" when you live in the snowbelt.

 

[2004LB7]

I thought thats what snow tires and chains where for

 

[TheBac]

Thats what my truck or my Cruze is for. :thumb:

 

[2004LB7]

Haha, touché:woott:

 

[DMAXchris]

Tom, if the barn has power and you want to spend this $$$ get a car capsule !!!

I have one for my ZR1


http://carcapsule.com/


http://carcapsule.com/how-it-works/

Those are much cheaper than I expected. What a great idea for a car that'll sit in a non climate controlled garage. Keeps the moisture and pests far away.