Winter Storage
So it’s finally time to put Cornelius away for the winter. I am fortunate enough to have an extra 10 feet at the front of my garage where the truck can be kept and still allow two vehicles to park normally. And while tight, there is also enough room to get at most everything so that I can pull a part or two off for restoration over the winter.
I’ve put together a winter storage to-do list that I have compiled from a few sources, and this is pretty much what I’ve followed for Cornelius. Have any thoughts or additions?
Before storage
- Select a dry, dark location for storage — preferably with limited access. Concrete flooring is best at keeping away moisture. If you must store your car on a dirt floor, place a plastic barrier under the vehicle, and place carpet pieces or plywood under the tires.
Give the vehicle a good wash/wax. Putting on and removing a vehicle cover will lead to unwanted scratches if the car is dirty. - Fill the fuel tank (preferably with premium) and add fuel stabilizer. Be sure to run the vehicle to move fuel stabilizer into the carburetor, fuel rails, injectors, etc. The fuller the tank, the less room there will be for air, which carries moisture that can lead to fuel contamination and possibly rust within the tank.
- Change the oil and filter right before putting away the vehicle. The clean oil will reduce the risk of harmful contaminants working away at your engine during hibernation — and you’ll be ready to go in spring.
- Check the antifreeze.
- Add air to the tires.
- If you’re storing your car offsite, some insurance companies require you to report the address of the offsite location. Check with your insurer to determine your policy’s requirements.
When storing
- Place baking soda refrigerator packages in the interior and trunk areas.
- To keep insects and vermin out of the car, put a plastic bag over the air cleaner/air inlet and exhaust pipe(s). You also can cover these with aluminum foil and tape securely. Place mothballs in the tailpipe and around the outside of the car, or insert steel wool in the tailpipe. Note – many folks use dryer sheets for vermin protection.
- Place the vehicle on jack stands. This step avoids tire flat spots and adds longevity to the suspension because it is not supporting the vehicle’s weight during storage.
- If you cannot use jack stands, it’s worthwhile to inflate your tires to a higher air pressure before storing your car because tires can slowly lose pressure over time and with temperature changes. However, don’t exceed the tire’s maximum air pressure, which is listed on the side of the tire, and be sure to fill all four tires to the correct air pressure when you take your car out of storage. If you already know one of your tires has a leak, replace it because it will deflate completely over time, and your car could end up kneeling on its rim.
- For your battery, take one of the following actions: Unhook the battery by removing the negative cable first (for negative-ground systems) and store it separately — never on a concrete floor and preferably where it will not freeze; or leave the battery in the car and put a battery tender on it, if there is power available. That way if you want to start it a few times in the winter you don’t have to put the battery in and out. There are a wide range of opinions about periodically starting the vehicle. Note that unless you get the engine up to operating temperature for a good 10-plus minutes to burn off the water vapors that initially develop at startup-cold operation, starting is not a good idea. Anything less will leave water in the combustion chamber and all exhaust components.
- Close all of the windows.
- Got this one from “Skinned Knuckles” magazine – for points systems, insert a piece of paper between the points in the distributor to keep them clean (perhaps put a post-it note on the distributor cap to remind yourself!).
- If the vehicle will be exposed to freezing temperatures, be certain no personal items that may freeze or burst are left in the vehicle.