basic storage question

[Werner R.]

what's better:
change oil and filter and let it sit for a wisconsin winter, or
start it every two weeks and run it until it gets hot enough to boil off any condensation in the system.
i ask because i just changed the oil and filter one month ago after putting 200 miles on a new rebuild, and i'm too old to crawl under the car more than necessary. thought i might change the oil in the spring. yikes. maybe i should sell the c-2 and get a buick.

[Terry M.]

Re: basic storage question

Let it sit with fresh oil. Starting it is a waste of time and energy, and will only lead to exhaust system corrosion. If you get a dry day or two in January -- and there is no salt dust on the roads, yea, I know fat chance -- then drive it for at least 20 miles -- otherwise leave it alone for the winter.

[Tim S.]

Re: basic storage question

Werner,
In my opinion, you are just fine with your last oil change. I would let the car sit. While you can start it & run it, you are going to be kinda rough on the exhaust. I am a big advocate of the battery tenders (whatever brand). I just do not have battery problems anymore. Above and beyond that, the normal procedures you find everywhere about storage.

Hope this helps,
Tim

[Tom H.]

Re: basic storage question

I agree with both replies. That's what I do ! Let it sit.

[Duke W.]

Re: basic storage question

Various studies over the years indicate that for typical automotive use, 80 percent of engine wear occurs during cold start and warm-up. Draw your own conclusions!

A few months of (properly prepared) indoor storage does absolutely no harm from lack of use. The biggest risk is rodent damage, so take appropriate precautions.

Very cold winter air has very little absolute moisture content, even if relative humidity is high. Corrosion in the arctic is much slower than in a warmer climate.

The biggest risk of condensing humidity usually comes in the late winter or spring when a warm, damp front in followed by a winter-like cold front. In these cases air out the garage as much as possible when the cold front arrives to reduce the chance of condensing humidity.

The annual oil change should be scheduled just prior to or on the day you store the car for the winter, but if the engine has less than 500 miles during the driving season, I think it's okay to go two years, especially in engines that have properly functioning PCV systems. Draft tube systems don't ventilate the crankcase as well, so they allow more rapid buildup of contaminants like condensed blow-by.

Duke

[Martin N.]

Re: basic storage question

WERNER-
My 74 is stored in my heated garage here in Northern IL. so not to much of a concern for me. My buddy up in Lake Geneva, WI. stores his 73 in an concrete floor / unheated out building and what we do with his is pull the distributor every spring and prime the engine by spinning the oil pump with a 1/2 drill. He doesn't start his at all during the winter months and usually checks for critter's (so far over the few years, not an issue) evey week or so. I feel the pain Werner, some snow flurries here this afternoon.

Marty

[Chris L.]

Re: basic storage question

Does it help to take the weight off the suspension by putting jack stands under the car? I have heard pros and cons on this. My winters aren't that cold (Southern Maryland)and I have been starting them up at least once a month and letting them run until they reach maximum operating temp, about 20 minutes or so. Am I doing more harm than good?? Thanks

[Duke W.]

Re: basic storage question

WERNER-
My buddy up in Lake Geneva, WI. stores his 73 in an concrete floor / unheated out building and what we do with his is pull the distributor every spring and prime the engine by spinning the oil pump with a 1/2 drill.

Marty

You're wasting your time! Assuming you are using a 15W-40 oil, and you do the spring start at over 15 degrees F, just crank it up!

It will start faster if you use a syringe to inject fuel into the float bowl through a bowl vent until the fuel just begins to drip out of the primary discharge nozzles. Otherwise, you get no pump shot from the choke setting procedure (because most of the fuel has evaporated and any left is at the high end of the distillation curve), and it will take a handful or two of revolutions before the float bowl has enough fuel to begin feeding fuel to the engine.

1. Fill the float bowl
2. Floor and let off the throttle to add a pump shot and close the choke valve
3. Wait about a minute or two to let the liquid fuel in the manifold partially evaporate.
4. Crank it, and the engine should start as if it had only been sitting overnight.
5. Oil pressure should come up to full cold value the same as if the car had been sitting overnight - about 1-3 seconds.

Duke

[Bill M.]

Re: basic storage question

Does it help to take the weight off the suspension by putting jack stands under the car? I have heard pros and cons on this. Thanks

The suspension bushings are unloaded with the car sitting on the ground. (As the suspension moves up and down, the bushings twist. They are not twisted at all with the car sitting on the ground.) I used to store my car supported on the suspension so the tires were unloaded and the bushings were loaded, but I don't any more. I just let it sit on the ground. I would still lift it if I had nylon tires, but the steel belted radials are just a little lumpy in the spring; they get round quick. I prefer to have the car ready to be pushed out of the garage in case of a fire.

[Martin N.]

Re: basic storage question

DUKE-
Usually start the car on April Fool's Day every year (just a joke with him) so temps are alot higher than 15 degrees. No need for a syringe or anything, it's a small block Pro-street machine with an electric fuel pump.

Marty

[Bill M.]

Re: basic storage question

Very cold winter air has very little absolute moisture content, even if relative humidity is high. Corrosion in the arctic is much slower than in a warmer climate.

The biggest risk of condensing humidity usually comes in the late winter or spring when a warm, damp front in followed by a winter-like cold front. In these cases air out the garage as much as possible when the cold front arrives to reduce the chance of condensing humidity.

Duke

I'm in Michigan. My '65 sat from fall to spring in an unheated, attached garage. I pulled the oil plug on the 396 one spring and got a lot of water out of the oil pan. I pulled the intake manifold, and found rivers of rust in the intake ports. I now heat my garage until Dec. 15 and after Mar. 15 to avoid fall and spring condensation. I let the garage go to ambient from Dec. 15 to Mar. 15.

[Michael W.]

Re: basic storage question

Am I doing more harm than good?? Thanks

Yes! Just let it sit.

[Duke W.]

Re: basic storage question

I would still lift it if I had nylon tires, but the steel belted radials are just a little lumpy in the spring; they get round quick. I prefer to have the car ready to be pushed out of the garage in case of a fire.

I store cars with H to Z rated tires that have nylon cap belts. I've never noticed any lumpiness from flat spots, but when the cars come out of storage I warm the tires up slowly on surface streets before I hit the freeway.

I fill the tires to the sidewall placarded maximum cold pressure prior to storage, which is up to 44 psi. I usually have to bleed them down to achieve my normal operating cold pressure when I bring the car out of six months storage.

These are EFI cars so starting is never an issue - about the same as if they had sat a day.

Duke

[Bill M.]

Re: basic storage question

I store cars with H to Z rated tires that have nylon cap belts. I've never noticed any lumpiness from flat spots, but when the cars come out of storage I warm the tires up slowly on surface streets before I hit the freeway.

Duke

Hi Duke:

I was referring to the old bias nylon tires (I heard they would take a permanent set!) in terms of getting them in the air.

I have 275/40ZR17 Goodyear GSCs and 275/40ZR17 BFG KDs that are a little lumpy after sitting for a month or more. My car has the stiff suspension; may make it more noticeable.

Bill

[Jim T.]

Re: basic storage question

Bill M. with the GSC's on my 96 LT4 I leave the car in neutral and just roll it forward for a couple days and then roll it back a few days later to change the contact area. Seems to work better than just letting it sit for weeks when I do get it out of the garage and having tires that need to round out. It sure rolls a lot easier than my 68 and 70.