WinterStorage Guidelines

The following guidelines are for short-term storage at a duration of four to six months at a time. Anything greater than this period, I would not recommend these steps. For long term storage more drastic measures should be take to help preserve the internals of the engine and other mechanical parts which is beyond the scope of this document. Otherwise, this is the document for you.

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Pre-Storage Prep

1. Have the oil changed very shortly before putting away the car. A day or two before is sufficient. The reasoning for this is because oil in the crankcase, when used, can accumulate acids from the combustion process and its by-products. Leaving the engine internals and gaskets exposed to this can lead to obvious problems.
   
2. Waxing and polishing the car is a good idea if you would like to preserve the paint. And the car should be throughly washed a night or two before storing to removed any dirt from the paint and underbody.
   
3. Something that is not 100% necessary is to have the car rustproofed a week or so before putting it away. This is soley a personal preference. I have done this every year and have had no problem. That same has been said about people who chose not to have the rust proofing done. Therefore this decision is entirely up to the owner and the conditions of the storage area. If you are worried about moisture, then the rustproofing is a good idea. If you are confident that the place you are storing your vehicle is dry, then you are probably best to save your money.
   
4. Inflate the tires to a level just above the maximum PSI rating for the tire. If your tires are rated for max. PSI of 40, pumping the tires to 42 PSI would be sufficient. This is your first step to decreasing the chances of flat-spotting on your tires. The maximum PSI rating for the tire is usually located on the sidewall.
   
5. Purchase a quality fuel stabilizer product. The one I recommend is Sta-bil ( looks like this http://www.goldeagle.com/sta-bil/products.htm ) and can be bought at Canadian Tire for around $10.
   
6. Got to the local gas station, add the fuel stabilizer to the tank and fill the tank up to full. It is important that the tank be full while in storage to minimize the chances of condensation forming inside the tank. Condensation in the fuel tank can cause premature deterioration of the tank and moisture in the fuel mixture can cause the car to run poorly.
   
7. Acquire a couple rectangular pieces of cardboard. These will be used to go under each tire when it reaches it’s final destination. I suggest at least a couple layers under each tire.
   
8. Once the car is parked and set in position, now it is time to disconnect the battery. It is sufficient to simply disconnect the negative (black) terminal. Some people recommend removing the battery from the car entirely and storing it in a dry and warm place. This is totally up to you.
   
9. Make sure the parking brake is not set. If the car is a standard shift, use a couple bricks or wheel chocks to keep the vehicle from moving, even if you think the surface is level. The reason for this is the parking brake can bind to the rotor/drum over the winter period and this is obviously not a good situation. Make sure the parking brake is left off and save yourself a costly repair in the spring.
   
10. Cover the tailpipes over to prevent and unwanted critters from entering your exhaust system. I use a couple plastic grocery bags (doubled up) and an elastic on the end of pipe. Some people use a tennis ball tape to the end.
    
11. If you can access it easily, open the air box where the air filter is located and stuff several bags into the cavity, then reseal the air box. This is for the same reason as the exhaust, keeping out unwanted tiny guests.
    
12. Place a couple boxes of baking soda, slightly opened, through out the car. This helps to keep out some of the dampness. What works even better is placing several cups of silica gel through out the cars interior. This is the same stuff that they pack with electronics, shoes, etc. to keep things dry. It can be purchased at a craft shop like Michaels.
    
13. Now place a nice quality cover over top of the car. This will help to preserve the paint finish over the next few months. If the cover is not going to be exposed to any of the elements, then I recommend a cotton based cover, as synthetics have a tendency to scratch the paint.
    
14. As a final note: For the more seriously minded people, a couple other steps that I would add to this would be to have the coolant and transmission fluid changed, for the same reasons as changing the oil. Also, switching to synthetic brake fluid is an advantageous move as well, as sythetic brake fluid tends to absorb less moisture than conventional DOT3 brake fluid.

During the Storage Period

I highly recommend that you leave the car untouched for the duration of the winter. Starting the car and just letting it idle periodically during it’s storage period can be more detrimental to the car then not starting it at all. This is because condensation and carbon build up inside the engine and exhaust. Unless you are actually going to go out and drive the car for approximately 20 minutes or so to push out the condensation and carbon buildup, then you are best leaving it parked.

Post Storage Period

1. Remove the car cover (in case this isn’t obvious enough) and open the hood.
   
2. The first thing you want to do is remove the plastic from the air box and the plastic bags for the exhaust.
   
3. Now reconnect the battery.
   
4. Now start the car and let it run at idle for a short period. This will allow the engine to relubricate itself before you attempt to move it.
   
5. While the car is warming up, be sure to collect all the baking soda or silica gel. Otherwise you’ll have some unnecessary vacuuming to do later.
   
6. Readjust the pressure in the tires to the manufacturer’s recommended PSI. This rating can usually be found on the inside of the driver’s door. If you forgot to bring an air pressure gauge with you, then leave the pressure as it is untill you get home. The over-inflated pressure should be alright for a short trip.
   
7. Change the oil again as soon as possible. Since oil should be change every 3 months, you’re probably long overdue by now.
   
8. Enjoy another season!