Getting ready for Winter Storage...
10-26-2010, 08:22 AM
#16
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Ryan:
The bounce dryer sheet keep the mice away and while the humididty is low during the dead of winter (around here), once things start to warm up, March /April, (and we usuually get a January warm spell- which hinders the snowbaord season) all that moisture goes somewhere...the damp rid will absorb it all before you get her out of storage and begin driving her. In my experience, the window is cracked to allow the trickle charger cable into the car without pinching, and I have nevere had a problem with the hood.
r\
scott
The bounce dryer sheet keep the mice away and while the humididty is low during the dead of winter (around here), once things start to warm up, March /April, (and we usuually get a January warm spell- which hinders the snowbaord season) all that moisture goes somewhere...the damp rid will absorb it all before you get her out of storage and begin driving her. In my experience, the window is cracked to allow the trickle charger cable into the car without pinching, and I have nevere had a problem with the hood.
r\
scott
10-26-2010, 08:35 AM
#17
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My Owner's Manual states for long term storage to over inflate tires to 58 PSI. I have done this the past 4 winter hibernations, and I have never had my tires (PS2's) flat spot.
I also do a few other thing that I think help:
1) First Saturday of each month in storage, I move the car by hand 6-10 inches
2) The last month of storage, I increase interval to weekly
3) Inflate tires with nitrogen
4) Park on hard rubber tiles from Home Depot (like you might find in a health club weight room)
Modern tires rebound and reverse flat spotting pretty well, in the Spring with the first good heat cycle, regardless.
I also do a few other thing that I think help:
1) First Saturday of each month in storage, I move the car by hand 6-10 inches
2) The last month of storage, I increase interval to weekly
3) Inflate tires with nitrogen
4) Park on hard rubber tiles from Home Depot (like you might find in a health club weight room)
Modern tires rebound and reverse flat spotting pretty well, in the Spring with the first good heat cycle, regardless.
10-26-2010, 01:33 PM
#21
Burning Brakes
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10-26-2010, 02:20 PM
#22
I stored my roadster in the winter for 8 years. It was kept underground, if that makes a difference. My experience:
Don't disconnect the battery (interesting piece in the current Excellence on this).
Battery maintainer, not trickle charger. There's a difference.
Full tank of ethanol-free fuel (I never bothered with stabilizer for that length of time, although I use it in my snow machines).
Fresh oil.
Tires inflated to max sidewall pressure (never had a flat spot problem, not that didn't work itself out in a mile or two).
Plug the tailpipes if there's any chance of mice where you are.
Clean and cover.
When you get it out in the spring, don't forget to unplug those tailpipes and lower your tire pressures. FWIW.
Don't disconnect the battery (interesting piece in the current Excellence on this).
Battery maintainer, not trickle charger. There's a difference.
Full tank of ethanol-free fuel (I never bothered with stabilizer for that length of time, although I use it in my snow machines).
Fresh oil.
Tires inflated to max sidewall pressure (never had a flat spot problem, not that didn't work itself out in a mile or two).
Plug the tailpipes if there's any chance of mice where you are.
Clean and cover.
When you get it out in the spring, don't forget to unplug those tailpipes and lower your tire pressures. FWIW.
10-26-2010, 02:35 PM
#24
Burning Brakes
I stored my roadster in the winter for 8 years. It was kept underground, if that makes a difference. My experience:
Don't disconnect the battery (interesting piece in the current Excellence on this).
Battery maintainer, not trickle charger. There's a difference.
Full tank of ethanol-free fuel (I never bothered with stabilizer for that length of time, although I use it in my snow machines).
Fresh oil.
Tires inflated to max sidewall pressure (never had a flat spot problem, not that didn't work itself out in a mile or two).
Plug the tailpipes if there's any chance of mice where you are.
Clean and cover.
When you get it out in the spring, don't forget to unplug those tailpipes and lower your tire pressures. FWIW.
Don't disconnect the battery (interesting piece in the current Excellence on this).
Battery maintainer, not trickle charger. There's a difference.
Full tank of ethanol-free fuel (I never bothered with stabilizer for that length of time, although I use it in my snow machines).
Fresh oil.
Tires inflated to max sidewall pressure (never had a flat spot problem, not that didn't work itself out in a mile or two).
Plug the tailpipes if there's any chance of mice where you are.
Clean and cover.
When you get it out in the spring, don't forget to unplug those tailpipes and lower your tire pressures. FWIW.
I didn't have a chance to see the Excellence article although I was at Chapters twice this week... But what's the problem with disconnecting the battery? I thought this was a good practice.
Now I'm confused... Fresh oil prior to storing or after....? Both make sense in their own way, but what's best?
10-26-2010, 02:41 PM
#25
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I would change the oil BEFORE storage. Here's the rationale: During any period in which you are driving the car, there is a certain amount of contaminants, moisture and acid that build up in the oil. This will vary on the conditions in which you drive the car, the length of your trips, etc. By changing the oil right before you put the car away, you are finally lubricating the internal parts with a fresh bath of clean oil.
Think of it this way. You are out working in the yard, getting all dirty and sweated up. You know that you need to take a shower before you go to work tomorrow. When will you shower and get cleaned up, before you go to bed, or after you get up? Same answer for your car.
larry
Think of it this way. You are out working in the yard, getting all dirty and sweated up. You know that you need to take a shower before you go to work tomorrow. When will you shower and get cleaned up, before you go to bed, or after you get up? Same answer for your car.
larry
10-26-2010, 02:43 PM
#26
The idea of fresh oil for storage is based on the belief that used oil will contain moisture and contaminants that the engine won't like sitting there for four months. Might be overkill, but that's the logic.
The Excellence piece actually has a section called "Don't Disconnect the Battery", believe it or not, and uses a 996 as the hypothetical case. Too long to summarize here, but the risks revolve around the DME losing all of its adaptive parameters. This can lead to misfires, raw fuel entering the cats and a bunch of other ugly stuff. I know some guys have done this without problems and will chime in to say so, but I wouldn't do it on a bet. There's a reason my tech connects a stable power supply to the car before he works on almost anything.
The Excellence piece actually has a section called "Don't Disconnect the Battery", believe it or not, and uses a 996 as the hypothetical case. Too long to summarize here, but the risks revolve around the DME losing all of its adaptive parameters. This can lead to misfires, raw fuel entering the cats and a bunch of other ugly stuff. I know some guys have done this without problems and will chime in to say so, but I wouldn't do it on a bet. There's a reason my tech connects a stable power supply to the car before he works on almost anything.
10-26-2010, 02:49 PM
#27
Burning Brakes
The idea of fresh oil for storage is based on the belief that used oil will contain moisture and contaminants that the engine won't like sitting there for four months. Might be overkill, but that's the logic.
The Excellence piece actually has a section called "Don't Disconnect the Battery", believe it or not, and uses a 996 as the hypothetical case. Too long to summarize here, but the risks revolve around the DME losing all of its adaptive parameters. This can lead to misfires, raw fuel entering the cats and a bunch of other ugly stuff. I know some guys have done this without problems and will chime in to say so, but I wouldn't do it on a bet. There's a reason my tech connects a stable power supply to the car before he works on almost anything.
The Excellence piece actually has a section called "Don't Disconnect the Battery", believe it or not, and uses a 996 as the hypothetical case. Too long to summarize here, but the risks revolve around the DME losing all of its adaptive parameters. This can lead to misfires, raw fuel entering the cats and a bunch of other ugly stuff. I know some guys have done this without problems and will chime in to say so, but I wouldn't do it on a bet. There's a reason my tech connects a stable power supply to the car before he works on almost anything.
10-26-2010, 02:53 PM
#28
Smart people will mock me for paying too much money, but I just bought Porsche's battery maintainer instead of fussing about it. It plugs into the cigarette lighter and turns itself on and off as necessary. Dealerships sell them.
10-26-2010, 03:27 PM
#30
A trickle charger feeds your battery a steady supply of current whether it needs it or not. In extreme cases, I've seen guys boil motorcycle-size batteries dry with these, and even blow them up. A maintainer monitors your battery's condition and rate of discharge and supplies current to replace what's lost as needed.