Winter Is Coming: Mothball Your Ride!

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Winter’s coming!  No secret for most Northerners and for us, it’s second nature to mothball a car by the end of October (or so) to the beginning of April.  Under some circumstances (persistent snow and salty slush), it might even be longer.  While the nice car is down, most of us revert to a beater or a daily driver.  It’s that simple. This also applies to race cars -- particularly those that aren’t torn apart for maintenance or updates.

Of course it would be pretty simple to drive the car into your garage, drape a cover over it, lock the door behind you and call it a day.  Proper storage though, turns out to be a wee bit more complicated.  The real idea here is to keep the car from deteriorating during the months (or perhaps years) of inactivity.  It takes some time to properly prepare a vehicle for storage, and the better the job you do in preparing it, the better the car condition will be when it comes out of storage.  Broken down, here’s a basic approach to long-term vehicle storage:

Drive Train…

Engine Oil:  Drain the oil hot. Obviously, when hot, draining the oil purges the contaminants from the engine.   With the oil totally drained, install a new filter, and refill.  Easy.  But another line of thinking goes like this:  Don't fill it with oil.  There is no need to refill the crankcase with lubricant.  Once you pour fresh oil into the valve covers or the oil spout, it will eventually run into the pan and all you are doing is "storing" fresh oil in the engine.  If that’s the case, it’s probably a good idea to take a big chunk of masking tape labeled with “NO OIL” and put it right on top of the air cleaner. And place another similar note right on the steering wheel or dash.

Remove all of the spark plugs and squirt engine oil (some people use automatic transmission fluid, others actually use Marvel Mystery Oil) into each combustion chamber.  A tablespoon or less of oil per cylinder is sufficient. With the spark plugs out (and oil in each spark plug hole), remove the coil wire and spin the engine over several times.  This can also be done by hand by way the crankshaft damper bolt.  This process helps to coat the cylinder walls with oil.  The spark plugs can then be re-installed or replaced with special "dehydrator plugs".  These special plugs actually absorb moisture, which in turn keeps the inside of the engine free of rust.

If the engine is built with a lot of valve spring pressure (for example, a big roller cam), then it’s a good idea to back off all of the rockers to release tension on the springs.  According to Jesel, this is good for not only the springs, it’s also good for the rocker arm and the lifter.

Clutch Assembly:  Believe it or not, the storage process can sometimes "fuse" the clutch disc to the flywheel.  As a result, you might have some unwarranted clutch repairs when the car is returned to active duty.  The fix is to place a section of 2 X 4-inch wood bracing between the seat frame and the pedal to keep the clutch disengaged.

Transmission:  Manual or automatic transmission fluid can be changed at this time, but it isn't totally necessary. Some folks advocate taping the transmission vent opening so that no moisture can enter the inner workings.  On the other hand, other people prefer to leave the vents open so that the components can "breathe" during storage.  What’s right?  Both have merit.

Chassis…

Suspension:  There are two distinct thoughts regarding "blocking" your car for the off-season.  One line of thinking involves the placement of axle stands under frame members so that the suspension drops down fully.  The other subscribes to the theory that cars are designed to rest on their suspension -- thus compressing the springs and shock absorbers. If the car is really nice one precaution you might  take is to place small, clean rags between the axle stands and the actual suspension components.  This keeps underbody paint damage to a minimum.  In addition, you might consider spraying any exposed shock absorber shafts with a protectant such as WD40.  Keep in mind new cars can sit in one spot on dealer lot for months on end with zero preparation.  Just food for thought.

Wheels & Tires:  Wheels and tires can remain on the vehicle.  There is no need to store them away from the automobile -- especially if the length of storage is only a few months.  The real killer of rolling stock is the way the tires are stored.  According to the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, tires should never be stored in areas of direct sunlight, in upper garage areas (where temperatures can exceed 100 degrees), around high voltage electric motors or near welding areas.  All of these factors contribute to decreased tire life.  When storing the car, consider adding separate tire covers. These covers drape over the wheel/tire and protect the rolling stock from excess heat buildup (and of course direct sunlight).  Set the inflation pressure and clean with a good quality tire dressing.  If fitted with chrome wheel covers, chrome wheels or chrome wheel accessories, polish the chrome and then give it a coat of wax.  Don’t bother to remove the wax once applied.  It can be removed once the car is retrieved from storage.

Lubrication:  Lube all chassis lubrication points.  In many locations, you will be able to "shoot" grease into points until the old lube is force out.  Clean up the excess grease.

Cooling System…

Most street driven cars make use of some sort of glycol-based coolant.  If the mothballing calls for the car to be stored for a considerable length of time (as in years), you should consider draining the cooling system totally (and that includes the heater along with the block drains).  When this is accomplished, leave the rad cap off and leave all the drain petcocks open (that also includes the cylinder block drains if so equipped).  This allows air to circulate through the system.  If the storage is shorter term, flush the cooling system and fill it with the proper mix of coolant and water (as per the manufacturer's recommendations).  Be sure to test the system for temperature capability.  Cars that are stored in sub zero weather absolutely require the protection of antifreeze.

Fuel System…

Although "fuel stabilizers" can be used (simply poured into a full tank of gas) tank, some folks feel you should drain the tank completely along with the entire fuel delivery system.  This is rather important if you use octane boosters. Some of them are pretty good at gumming up the fuel pump(s), regulators and other fuel system parts.  Once the tank is drained, you have a pair of options for draining the carburetor and the balance of the fuel delivery system. The first method of removing all fuel from the carburetor (and lines) simply involves firing the engine and running the carburetor out of fuel.  If you've followed the preceding text, you'll immediately remember that the engine doesn't have oil in the pan.  Oops!   A better option is to simply blow out the remaining fuel lines with compressed air. Once the fuel system is "dry", remove the gas cap and leave it off.

Electrical System…

It’s best to keep the battery trickle charged by way of a battery tender.  A good quality tender will actually determine battery condition and automatically turn on or off.  When it comes to batteries, be careful!  A charging battery just happens to discharge some pretty lethal fumes and if ignited, they can cause a huge mess.  Preparing the balance of the electrical system is relatively easy.  The battery should be removed and temporarily set-aside.  Clean the battery tray.  Minor battery acid spills can create big trouble in the corrosion department.  While you're at it, clean the battery cables and give them a coat of dielectric grease.

Brakes…

Do not engage the park brake when the car is stored.  Simply leave everything in a normal "rested" position.  This will prevent the shoes from seizing to the drums.  Simple as that.  Some folks flush and replace the brake hydraulic fluid. It’s not a bad idea.

Sheet Metal…

Preparing the bodywork for storage is relatively simple.  Be sure it's clean, wax the paint and polish the chrome.  When you're done, add a coat of wax to the chrome (and stainless), but don't buff off the residue.  It's easy to remove when the car comes out of storage.  This should not be done to painted surfaces!  It will be almost impossible to remove from body panels.

Interior…

Clean all surfaces and apply some vinyl protectant to the surfaces (don't get carried away).  At the same time, apply some silicone or vinyl protectant to all of the rubber weatherstrip.  Clean and shampoo any cloth upholstery.  Polish the bright work.

With all of the above work completed, roll up the windows so that there is approximately 1/8-inch of gap between the top of the window to the doorframe.  This allows air to circulate through the vehicle.   Finally, cover it with a good car cover. You can turn off the lights and wave goodbye (although if you’re like me, I still check the car regularly – as in daily!)

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Once the engine has been warmed to operating temperature, position the car in the "final resting location" and drain the oil. There's no need to "store" oil in the pan - especially if you are going to drain it before the car is retrieved from storage. See the text for full details.

Another item that is seldom considered is the actual clutch disc. Even if you leave the car in neutral, the clutch disc will remain engaged against the pressure plate and flywheel. In some cases (especially where the moisture level is high), this can result is a "frozen" clutch - one where the disc literally welds itself to the flywheel or pressure plate via rust. Some folks advocate propping the pedal in the down or disengaged position with a piece of wood.

There are a couple of different theories regarding the actual "blocking" method. Some people favor blocking the chassis while others block up the car by way of the suspension points. Whichever method you select, add a soft (and dry) clean rag between the axle stand and the chassis point.

Wheels and tires can remain on the car. The most important aspect of rolling stock storage isn't the position of the rubber, but rather, the location. Things like high-powered electric motors, direct sunlight and other factors can raise havoc with your rolling stock.

Cooling systems should be flushed, and if the car is to be mothballed for some time, drain the system totally. Leave the cap off and at the same time; open the drain petcocks fully (that also includes the cylinder block drains). On a similar note, don't forget to drain the heater. If it freezes, the mess will usually occur in the interior.

The storage of the battery is also critical. Odyssey Battery notes: “While placing a battery directly on a concrete surface doesn’t cause self-discharge, when storing a battery, it is always a good idea to clean off dirt and grime from battery terminals and wipe off the top of the case. Accumulated grime could create a circuit between the terminals that could cause self-discharge.” A battery tender will keep most batteries fully charged and in top operating condition.

It’s most common to simply add a bottle of fuel stabilizer to the gas tank and call it a day. But in other cases, it may be beneficial to drain the gas tank and complete fuel system. The text offers more info.

Clean and detail the car. We like to keep the windows open ever so slightly. This allows air to circulate through the car. Keep the window opening small, however.