Twenty Posted October 16, 2011 Report Share Posted October 16, 2011 (edited) ...before storage, that is. My parents and I will be sharing a storage unit, in which both the Grand Prix and Thunderbird (Once it's back from paint) will hibernate. Now, none of us have ever officially stored a car before, so this is new to us. Due to the unit's location, it's close enough that we can get there quickly and on nice days, the cars will come out and be driven around the nearby roads, but still be kept out of the salt-coated roads of the city. We will be able to keep driving them periodically (So they won't be idle for 6+ months straight) but they will be driven much less than they are now. Before the GP goes away it'll get fresh oil and I'll swap back to the stock wheels and winter tires. It'll be parked with gas (Our cars never go below half-tank) and some fuel stabilizer. The Thunderbird is still a few weeks away from being done, but once it's purple again it'll be driven over and parked as well. During the winter the GP will hopefully also make a stop at the same body shop (Which can be reached without driving on main roads, so as to keep it out of salt) to address a bit of rust, and maybe a couple of other exterior changes. Is there anything else to note/do during storage? Since they'll still be driven here and there to keep things moving, I think that should take care of a few worries, like batteries dying and tires getting flat spots. Edited October 16, 2011 by Twenty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White93z34 Posted October 16, 2011 Report Share Posted October 16, 2011 In the past I haven't done anything special, clean it, park it, start it every now and again, call it good. Spray the dust off come spring. I'll usually leave the windows cracked to let any residual moisture get out. mothballs/drier sheets might not hurt to try and keep rodents at bay. However this year I think I'll be putting battery tenders on anything that gets stored. I'm sick of dead batteries. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GOT2B GM Posted October 16, 2011 Report Share Posted October 16, 2011 Wash and wax the car. Fill the tank with gas, add fuel stabilizer. Disconnect the neg battery terminal. Add air freshener / dryer sheets inside. Cover with a car cover and walk away. I haven't started my TGP, Z34 or Fiero in the past for 5+ months at a time with no issues. Been storing cars for years... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94 olds vert Posted October 16, 2011 Report Share Posted October 16, 2011 If you don't want flat tires jack the car up and place on jack stands. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GOT2B GM Posted October 16, 2011 Report Share Posted October 16, 2011 the flat spots roll themselves out after a few minutes of driving come spring Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urbex Posted October 16, 2011 Report Share Posted October 16, 2011 I've never had an issue with flat spots. I think that's on old tires that are no longer an issue. Like everyone else has said. Fuel stabilizer, I'd get a trickle charger...makes life much easier, no dead batteries. Give it a good coat of wax. I always put drier sheets in the intake, exhaust, and other random places rodents may get into (a few all over the engine to keep them out from under the hood. I've also heard that if you leave the hood open it'll keep them out since they're trying to find dark places to hide. Not sure if that's true or not. And make sure when you start/drive them you get them up to operating temp for a few minutes. I've had issues with moisture before, so starting this year I'll be putting tarps down under the cars. Otherwise they whole thing will get wet, including underneath which isn't so good for rusting. So you may want to pick up some tarps or something to park on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
virtuetovice Posted October 16, 2011 Report Share Posted October 16, 2011 X2 on keeping the rodents/pests away! We stored an all original 67 'stang years ago. It was stored for roughly 3 months and the mice DESTROYED the engine bay and interior. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy K Posted October 17, 2011 Report Share Posted October 17, 2011 (edited) tips to prevent flat spots: over inflate tires. even though people say flat spots go away, they seem to have a permanent effect on the tire (I've spun many used tires and observed an out of round condition that is not always noticed when they are driven on???) I would not waste my time starting and running them. Cold dry starts put alot of wear on the engine. I would disconnect the battery negative cable or completely remove the battery if possible. I would place the car on jackstands, or a coupe wood blocks to raise the suspension up enough that the wheels are off the ground(I've done both) clean and wax car is a good idea, too. When it comes time to bring her back to life, I do a non starting engine crank to circulate the oil prior to starting. One of the easiest ways is to pull the ECM fuse, then crank until the low oil light turns off. This eliminates the harsh starting of the engine prior to having oil circulate. Edited October 17, 2011 by Crazy K Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schurkey Posted October 17, 2011 Report Share Posted October 17, 2011 Wash and wax the car. Fill the tank with gas, add fuel stabilizer. Disconnect the neg battery terminal. Add air freshener / dryer sheets inside. Cover with a car cover and walk away. I haven't started my TGP, Z34 or Fiero in the past for 5+ months at a time with no issues. Been storing cars for years... WINNER! I would not waste my time starting and running them. Cold dry starts put alot of wear on the engine. I would disconnect the battery negative cable or completely remove the battery if possible. I would place the car on jackstands, or a coupe wood blocks to raise the suspension up enough that the wheels are off the ground(I've done both) clean and wax car is a good idea, too. WINNER. When it comes time to bring her back to life, I do a non starting engine crank to circulate the oil prior to starting. One of the easiest ways is to pull the ECM fuse, then crank until the low oil light turns off. This eliminates the harsh starting of the engine prior to having oil circulate. Ehhh...not so much. If you're going to store a vehicle, STORE IT. Don't come back and drive it around. LEAVE IT THE HELL ALONE until you're going to take it OUT of storage for real. I connect the battery, get in, start it, and drive away. Grinding on the starter does nothing except overheat the starter and drop the battery voltage. Start it like you mean it, see that it has oil pressure...and throw it in gear. By the way, if the battery is fully-charged, letting it sit in the cold is the BEST way to store it. Don't think you're doing the battery any favors by bringing it inside and letting it sit for months at room-temperature. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urbex Posted October 17, 2011 Report Share Posted October 17, 2011 ^What he said. Especially about bringing batteries inside. I'd just leave them charged in the car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
runt Posted October 17, 2011 Report Share Posted October 17, 2011 If it's a cement floor, I'd put some wood under the tires if you aren't going to jack it up. Might help prevent some of the flat spotting. I store my bike every winter. I park it, pull the battery and walk away. Hell, half the time I don't even add anything to the fuel but the bike is different than a car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AL Posted October 17, 2011 Report Share Posted October 17, 2011 Why is it best to leave the battery in the car? I took the grand prixs battery out and took it inside, however I forgot dryer sheets so Ill take care of that next time I'm down in Dayton (end of the month) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Breakdown Posted October 17, 2011 Report Share Posted October 17, 2011 If you're going to store a vehicle, STORE IT. Don't come back and drive it around. LEAVE IT THE HELL ALONE until you're going to take it OUT of storage for real. I connect the battery, get in, start it, and drive away. Grinding on the starter does nothing except overheat the starter and drop the battery voltage. Start it like you mean it, see that it has oil pressure...and throw it in gear. By the way, if the battery is fully-charged, letting it sit in the cold is the BEST way to store it. Don't think you're doing the battery any favors by bringing it inside and letting it sit for months at room-temperature. I disagree with almost all of this, but it might be more in how I define storing a car. Mine is stored in an attached garage. Bringing the battery inside will help it lose it's charge less quickly in my opinion. I think that the best idea is to use a trickle charger if possible, I bought one and will use it. No idea of the hydro impact. When the street is bone dry I'll back the car out of the garage and give 'er a run around the block, very slowly and carefully since there's no insurance on the car, maybe once a month. This does a couple of things in my opinion. Keeps gaskets from drying out on the car, I think it helps the brakes and on top of that you're avoiding that flatspotting thing, because the car will usually end up on different parts of the wheels. That's just me and obviously I don't drive and drive to get to a storage location, or anything. I do much of what Chinese Matt recommends as well. Stabilizer, full fuel tank, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urbex Posted October 17, 2011 Report Share Posted October 17, 2011 Why is it best to leave the battery in the car? Because that's what Jesus wants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
intern8tion9l Posted October 17, 2011 Report Share Posted October 17, 2011 i'm storing mine in a barn this year, i'm scared to death of mice. in the past when i stored the cutlass there up on blocks, damage was minimal. but recently the damn mice have gone to town on a couple of my snowmobiles. is there a strategic way to place the dryer sheets? like around the tires where they would get onto the car in the first place? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urbex Posted October 17, 2011 Report Share Posted October 17, 2011 ^I don't know for sure if that helps, but that's what I do, because I figure if it keeps them away they can't get onto the car in the first place... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Psych0matt Posted October 17, 2011 Report Share Posted October 17, 2011 I just start it up every once and a while (and let it run for a long time, to get up to temp and more). I like to drive it around on dry days if I can. Mostly because if it's dry and I can, I like to, not because it's good for it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94 olds vert Posted October 17, 2011 Report Share Posted October 17, 2011 Just do what Ken, says and you'll be golden. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AliasCT Posted October 18, 2011 Report Share Posted October 18, 2011 Ken is God. Think about it. I've *always* heard that cold weather is bad for batteries. At the very least it diminishes the cranking ability of the car... Trickle charge or disconnect and need to charge it back up anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schurkey Posted October 18, 2011 Report Share Posted October 18, 2011 I've *always* heard that cold weather is bad for batteries. At the very least it diminishes the cranking ability of the car... Trickle charge or disconnect and need to charge it back up anyway. The speed of most chemical reactions is slowed to 1/2 by dropping the temperature 10 degrees C. Batteries are a way to store electricity via chemicals. The battery naturally gets weaker as the temperature drops, because the chemical reaction that maintains voltage is slowed. Thus rating "Cold Cranking Amps" (CCA) at 0 degrees F, and that is a smaller number than Cranking Amps (CA) rated at 32 degrees F. Since the car isn't being started, there's no reason to CARE if the battery can't manage full cranking amperage...but...the chemical reactions that cause sulfation and self-discharge are slowed down, too. That'd be a good thing. It's like leaving hamburger in your warm-ish basement versus leaving it in the fridge...or the freezer. It'll last longer if it's kept cold until you're ready to use it. Yes, you may need to re-charge it before breaking it out of storage...but probably not. A battery in good condition, CLEAN so there's no conductive slime on the plastic case, fully-charged but disconnected from vehicle wiring will probably still have plenty of starting power five--six months later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GOT2B GM Posted October 18, 2011 Report Share Posted October 18, 2011 dryer sheets near the floor vents (by the dash / under front seat) and spread moth balls around the outside of the car to keep mice away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AL Posted October 18, 2011 Report Share Posted October 18, 2011 Ill pick some of that up and take it to the GPs temporary home Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GP1138 Posted October 19, 2011 Report Share Posted October 19, 2011 You could always put the battery on a trickle charger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel87 Posted October 19, 2011 Report Share Posted October 19, 2011 I have learned some nice tricks if I store mine somewhere this winter. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twenty Posted October 20, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 20, 2011 Some good info here, thanks everyone! The car will be sitting on its winter tires which are nearing the end of their life anyway, so I'm not terribly concerned with small flat spots should they happen. The car will be moving around regardless, as it travels to and from the body shop and gets pulled out for a stretch on nice days. It won't stay parked the entire time since it will be worked on. The unit already has plastic sheets on the floor and mothballs, both the GP and Thunderbird have been in and out of it since we started renting it, for short stays. The floor is cement, and the unit is non-heated. The GP will have the stock wheels put back on and will get a good cleaning inside and out before it goes away. So far it's been given a first wash to get most of the dirt off, and has fresh oil now. Since it's still outside and being driven I'll only worry about getting the last of the dirt off when it that's over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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