InTheAir

Up here in the Great White North (okay, just south of the Great White North), we don't have that much longer before it will be time to put the rides away for the winter. For those of us who are new to "storing a car for the winter", I am hoping to get some advice from the collective wisdom here.

I have searched the archives and read what I could find. I have also found this site, which seems to provide a lot of detail: http://www.porschenet.com/winter.html . It seems to provide a lot of good information, but I also want to find out if there is anything else I should do.

Here is what I am planning:

• Run A Tankful of Chevron Fuel Injector Cleaner (with Techron) through the engine before oil change
• Change Oil & Filter
• Change Brake Fluid
• Gas Up and Add Stabil
• Wash and Wax Car (drive for 3 or so days to make sure it dries completely)
• Over-inflate Tires to 45 psi.
• Seal Convertible Top with RaggTopp
• Clean Interior Carpet and Leather
• Clean Wheels
• Incline Front Seats Forward
• Condition Rubber Seals, Trim, etc.
• Cover Openings In Engine and Exhaust with Aluminum Foil (easy to see in the Spring and also easy to see if a rodent made it its home)
• Moth ***** In or Under the Engine Compartment????
• Plug in Cigarette Lighter Battery Charger
• Cover Car

Is this about it?
__________________________________
For those referencing this thread, here is my final list:

My final list ended up as:

 Run A Tank Full Of Chevron Fuel Injector Cleaner (With Techron) Before Oil Change
 Change Oil & Filter (every year)
 Change Brake Fluid (every other year)
 Change Transmission Fluid
 Remove Battery And Wash Area With Baking Soda
 Lubricate Battery Terminals
 Clean Interior Carpet And Leather, Including Trunk Area
 Condition Rubber Seals, Trim, Etc. (Aerospace 303)
 Clean Convertible Top With RaggTopp
 Wash Car And Engine Bay
 Clean Wheels
 Seal Convertible Top With RaggTopp
 Wax Car (ZFX *2, Z6, Z5, Z6, Z2, Z8)
 Fill Gas Tank And Add Stabil (Run Engine To Circulate Stabil Through System)
 Over-Inflate Tires To 50 PSI
 Park On Carpet
 Cover Openings In Engine And Exhaust With Aluminum Foil
 Moth ***** In Or Under The Engine Compartment (Put In Sock)
 Open Doors (close to one 'click')
 Plug In Battery Conditioner/Tender
 Release Parking Brake (Ensure In Gear)
 Cover Car

SinVancouver

I only have one item on my winterize list..

- Drive car every day till spring.. then drive faster.

rockwoodfarm

Jeff, sounds like a pretty comlete recipe for putting the batmobile to bed. I like your anti-rodent measures, I go one further and set a few traps around the area in my barn where my car spends the winter. The foil and mothballs may keep them away, but I'm willing to enforce more permanent consequences for mice that want to inhabit my car. Enjoy driving this fall, as the air temp. drops our cars get happier.

amfp

Jeff,

First, your car looks great ! Clearly because you want to protect from tough midwest winters. Not to mention the nuts on the road when driving your secondary car in the snow and ice.

Some further thoughts if want to be fanatically, like me.

1) I would park the tires under rug strips or wood to help against flat spots. I use 50 lbs, but 45 should be ok.

2) Clean the trunk area. Remove the spare and wash area with baking soda to remove any potential battery acid, and dirt. Make sure if you don't have Optima the battery and is clean, and has enough distilled water. Lubricate terminals. Also check that the ventilation hose for the battery that is it connected, and vented properly outside the car. I would keep trunk unlatched for some air circulaton for battery especially with fitted car cover during storage. Not bad idea to keep all doors and hood unlatched too. Crack windows a bit too.

3) "Moth ***** In or Under the Engine Compartment????" Put moth ***** in socks and place in engine and trunk compartment. Put Bounty fabric softner sheets in hood and inside the car. Mice do not like the smell of Bounty sheets either. Place moth ***** in front of car and under car. Can use baited mice traps around car. This may sound like overkill, but with one PPI, I noticed a mice nest and damage to engine harness. So rodents can be a real problem.

4) Make sure your garage door seals are tight without excessive air pockets.

5) Keep food, like dog food, garbage out of the garage. This can bring in other rodents you don't want.

6) Seal exhaust tips.

7) Crack the cab top about 1/16 inch so top is not pressing against front seal.

8) If changing brake fluid make sure the slave cylinder is also flushed. If trans oil has not be changed since new, not bad idea to change that as well.

9) Store car after engine is warm so there is no condensation.

10) Place dehumider containers inside car. Can buy at boat stores.

11) Check car bi-weekly for rodents.

12) Remove collision and liability insurance.

13) Release emergency brake, place car in second gear.

14) Make list of all you did, and date stored. So you know what is done and what needs to be removed/reversed when ready to start and drive car.

15) If possible, and roads are clean, try driving car once a month or so for 45 minutes, and put A/C on and use all accessories.

DarrylH

We may have similar climates, depending on what part of Michigan you live in, and I've decided to drive the car when the roads are dry and salt free. My mechanic thinks the engine seals and a/c seals and bearings in fans and all that stuff do better when exercised. The longest the car has ever had to sit was about 2 1/2 weeks. So I do a very reduced version of winter storage.

1. Cheesecloth bags with mothballs in the cabin, in the engine compartment, and in the luggage compartment, as well as scattered in a rough perimeter around the car. Hadn't heard about Bounty. Sounds good, smells better than mothballs... Don't store anything edible in the garage - BTDT, very bad idea. Bird seed - everywhere!
2. Steel wool in the exhaust pipe.
3. Aluminum foil over the air cleaner intake.
4. Battery maintainer.
5. Tires on carpet, as above. I leave my tire pressures as-is, adjusted for the cold, and roll the car a little every week by hand if it hasn't been driven. Flat spotting hasn't been a problem. YMMV.
6. Springer3 on the 964 forum suggested putting a low wattage (25) light bulb under the engine 24/7 to help reduce condensation issues. I haven't done this, but it sounds like a really good idea...

I can reverse these in about 5 minutes for drives on dry days. I don't drive the car unless it can be thoroughly warmed up. The tires never get warm so you can't drive too aggressively. So far so good. And a lot more fun than just parking it! Just another 2 cents Canadian...

InTheAir

Wow, guys, that was excellent. Thanks for all of the suggestions. I'll give them all a go.

BlackCar

Has anyone seen the large plastic bag apporach. Honest. You drive onto a large clear plastic that zips shut, and the car is then sealed for the winter. Keeps out mice and moisture, and keeps dust off the car. I had bookmarked the website but can't locate it right now.

Pedro356C

Hey Jeff...light the fireplace and get a bottle of brandy! ;- )

PS. Your Avatar looks great...

pjc

Yeh,

What about a "carcoon" - do you have those baby's over there?

PJC

993cab

I was about the ask the same question. I need to do 3 cars, but listen to this (no laughing) they will be parked outside. I am thinking of using 2 car covers. A basic Porsche car Cover with a 4 layer waterproof one on top. The only thing about the 4-layer is that is has a cotton type material that may may leave residue on the RAG and it be tough to clean it after.

Last year I had condensation build up under the cover and decided t o ditch the cover.

The other thing I was thinking was using my kis swimming "noodles" under the cover to create a air pocket so there is no condensation build up.

InTheAir

You should try to find someone with an extra slot in their garage, a storage unit, a rental unit, etc. If the 993 is the one that is parked outside, please don't tell me--I won't be able to sleep.

P.S. Thanks, Pedro. Maybe when I come down to Florida in Oct., I'll just stay until April.

993cab

They are all outside.

InTheAir

Unfortunately for me, the Bat Mobile has been put to sleep (temporarily) until the Spring thaw.

Sleep tight.

(At least the garage heater gets hooked up in a day or so, so she will be nice and toasty. )

Pedro356C

Hey Jeff...give the leather a good layer of leatherique rejuvenator oil to keep the leather moist and protected against the dry air generated by the heater...

vjd3

I have a "Car Jacket" sized correctly for a 911, costs about $200 new, will sell it to a Rennlist member for $80 plus shipping. You drive the car on it and it zips around the car. It came with a 993 I bought and I believe the original owner never used it. Won't work outdoors for me ;-)

http://www.autoanything.com/products...&se=car_jacket