I’m curious as to how people properly store their vehicles when not in use . I notice members here have quite a collection of vehicles and would be difficult to drive them all with any regularity. Hell I have 4 and can’t keep up . Do folks try and drive them once in a while, or are they just stored full time . Here in the northeast it’s quite a challenge to exercise my cars with a limited season . I suppose the further south you go the more chance you got to put some miles on our cars .

 

Store my 72 from end of September to middle of April. Add Sta-bil to gas drive around park it then disconnect Negative battery terminal.

 

I live in the St. Louis area and usually store my car from the end of November until end of March. Before winter storage I fill the tank and add Sta-Bil 360, which not only stabilizes the unleaded fuel, but also neutralizes the harmful effects of ethanol, and cleans your carburetor and intake. I keep the battery on a smart tender. Our winters are mild enough that I can usually start it up and pull it out into the driveway every 3-weeks or so to bring it up to operating temp and drive any built up moisture out.

 

I take those same two steps as bob does above and really nothing more.

I don't start it up for nilly sake. If I do start the car up I always try to drive it some distance and get everything warmed up.

 

I parked my car last October with 3/4 tank of fuel and didn't start it until May. Did not do anything special, no additives, no trickle chargers, or anything. When I decided to drive it, the battery was a bit low, gave it a quick charge, turned the key for about 30 seconds and when fuel hit the carb it fired and ran. Backed it out of the garage, gave it a quick wash and spray detailer and off I went.

 

Just like oldcutlass, I put my cars away at the end of the season (PA) with a full or mostly full tank of gas, disconnect the battery and that is it. I have been doing that with my 66 chevelle convertible for 15 years now and aside from sometimes needing to charge the battery, the car fires up within a few seconds of cranking and pedal pumping without fail. In fact, when I was restoring the Toro, my chevelle sat untouched for over a year. The vista fires immediately with its push button start and fuel injection even after sitting for months as long as I disconnect the battery. The Toro needs some pedal pumping but I don't think I have ever needed to even charge its battery after sitting over the winter. I have been using these for the past few years:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/38368278479...gAAOSw0DFfPDSg

At about $10 each, the car looks as nice as it did the day you put it away when you uncover it (no dust at all). You can also use them if the car will sit outside overnight. We go to Ocean city every year and being at the beach, the cars would get coated in mist and dust after sitting all night. I have used these covers the last few years and the car looks just as good the next morning as it did the night before. They are not recommended for extended use outside, but will last almost forever inside.

 

Better to leave it sit until you can actually drive it and really heat things up. Idling in the driveway doesn't create enough heat to burn off all the condensation and the the extra hot/cold cycles will actually just create more. At the very least, you'll go through a few mufflers and tailpipes.

 

Car goes into storage mid October, full tank with Sta-Bil. Disconnect battery cable (-) and cover it. Usually comes out second week in April. Can not store at home so buy storage at local fairgrounds covered and building is locked.


Wayne
Medina, Ohio

 

Is your diaphragm ok on the fuel pump? That's a lot of cranking, imo.

 

Diaphragm is fine I've go a Holley 3310, it has 2 bowls to fill.

 

Ah, that would make more sense. I am accustomed to the 7 second Quadrajet fill.

 

I’ve been using a small bottle of gas to prime all my carbs before I start them after sitting . They start instantly instead of cranking waiting for fuel . I haven’t heard anyone mention wether or not they are in a heated or non heated garage . Sub zero temps play a big role with moisture. I usually keep my garage at 35f in the dead of winter it’s pretty well insulated . On a high end restored car I would think it would almost have to be stored in a climate controlled garage to protect from heat , cold, and humidity .

 

Wash/wax/detail, top off all the fluid, maybe fog the engine with oil, charge then disconnect the battery, then cover the car. Let it sit until your ready to drive it again. Just starting it without driving it isn’t a good idea. The engine/exhaust will never get hot enough to boil off the moisture in the exhaust.

This is all that’s needed for short term storage. If it’s longer than a couple months, then there are more precautions that would ensure your car is protected.

 

The toro stays in an attached garage so it stays a little above outside temps in the winter, but it is not heated. The others are in outside non-heated garages.

 

Exactly.

I had a 1970 Corvette from new. Twice it sat for about 10 years without starting (with synthetic oil in the crankcase). It was in an unheated building in Minnesota. When I later dissembled the engine for an upgrade, the bearings looked perfect. Bores and chambers were pristine as well.

One other tip is to charge the battery before storage and always keep a trickle charger--or smart charger--on it. Batteries self-discharge and sulfate, permanently losing life, unless they have a constant, full charge.

If that's too fussy for you, install a pure-lead AGM (Odyssey, NorthStar, Optima); they don't sulfate at partial charge.

 

Consistency is the important thing. Again, having the temperature cycle will create condensation and with car storage, as with so many things, moisture is the enemy. I heat my garage over the winter, but only to 45°F and I run dehumidifiers and leave strategically-placed desiccant bags in the covered cars.

Seems to work -- the cars are still looking and running fine.

 

I make certain tires are inflated, take it for a long ride, fill or mostly fill tank with Mystery oil added, clean inside and out then park in garage. I'll disconnect the battery and cover the car with a dust cover. That's about it, it sits maybe 3 1/2 months. I seldom open the garage door during moist weather.

 

I always prime the carb a bit if my cars been sitting, no need to crank the hell out of it to fill the bowl..starts right up.