Winter Storage

[Twans97]

So I'm out here is Chicago and coming up on the winter months (unfortunately) and curious to know what I need to do to ensure a fresh start in the Spring. I have read a bunch of past threads, but wondered if all of that would need to be done if I started her up weekly? I will be only a block or two from the non temp controled storage unit and figured I would swing by and start weekly. is that sufficient?

Thanks

Grape

 

[Steve 00RT/10]

Clean the car up, fill the gas tank (Stabil not needed), put about 45-50 pounds in the tires (carpet pads not needed for tires), battery tender on it if possible (or remove the battery if not), lay a piece of Visqueen / blue tarp or equivalent under it, get it good and hot before before parking it,, and then shut it down for the winter. Starting it and idling it without giving it a good run on the highway is no good IMO. It will never burn off all the bad stuff you get from starting and idling. Most Vipers don't see more than 5-6 months of storage. This procedure is all that's really needed.

Place some Bounce dryer sheets around various places in the car/ engine compartment. Stick tennis balls or rags in the tail pipes. If a GEN I,II RT/10....unlatch the roof to relieve tension on the gasket. Write yourself a note and stick in the car to remind you to fasten it down in the spring.

Steve

 

[jasontiff]

It's that time again!? We just had our first sub-90˚ day here in Austin!

Though I may complain about getting fried in the RT in the summer, I think I'll take the year-round driving vs the storage route. Having grown up in Missouri, I feel for you guys up north.

 

[viperdude118]

Clean the car up, fill the gas tank (Stabil not needed), put about 45-50 pounds in the tires (carpet pads not needed for tires), battery tender on it if possible (or remove the battery if not), lay a piece of Visqueen / blue tarp or equivalent under it, get it good and hot before before parking it,, and then shut it down for the winter. Starting it and idling it without giving it a good run on the highway is no good IMO. It will never burn off all the bad stuff you get from starting and idling. Most Vipers don't see more than 5-6 months of storage. This procedure is all that's really needed.

Place some Bounce dryer sheets around various places in the car/ engine compartment. Stick tennis balls or rags in the tail pipes. If a GEN I,II RT/10....unlatch the roof to relieve tension on the gasket. Write yourself a note and stick in the car to remind you to fasten it down in the spring.

Steve

What is the purpose of the tarp underneath the car?

 

[Steve 00RT/10]

What is the purpose of the tarp underneath the car?

It acts as a vapor barrier to prevent moisture from being drawn up onto the car from the floor. It's a must for anything stored outside on dirt, but even inside concrete floors can give up some moisture to a warmer surface (car) above. The rational has always made sense to me and you can buy a cheap blue tarp for about $10 bucks--maybe less.

Steve

 

[ViperJay]

lets not even talk about this. its toooo depressing.

 

[mele]

lets not even talk about this. its toooo depressing.

Amen.... as amazing as Montana is... there is a down side

MEL

 

[Nitro187]

Why 45 to 50 pounds of pressure? that seems like a lot? Wouldn't putting it up on blocks \ jack stands be better?

And with the fuel tank full, why would fuel stablizer not be required? Sure, it's premium gas, but it still spoils when stored... especially the small amounts in the engine\fuel system. Better safe then sorry?

Great idea about leaving a note to 'remind' yourself about the gasket... I saw a guy do that to his corvette... laughed my ass off.

 

[Obsidian]

Oh God! Please don't start talking about winter weather yet. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

 

[Steve 00RT/10]

Why 45 to 50 pounds of pressure? that seems like a lot? Wouldn't putting it up on blocks \ jack stands be better?

Not really. Max is 51. I've autocrossed many times at 49/47 or 48/46. It's a 5 minute job to blow them up versus jacking all 4 corners and transporting all that stuff if storage is off site from your house.

And with the fuel tank full, why would fuel stablizer not be required? Sure, it's premium gas, but it still spoils when stored... especially the small amounts in the engine\fuel system. Better safe then sorry?

I don't believe it spoils anymore..at least not for the 5-6 months I store the car. i haven't used Stabil in anything I own for over 20 years...including snowblowers, grass cutters, snowmachines, weedeaters...etc. I have had zero issues fuel related due to gas varnish or the like.

I do come from the school that used to do all those things. I first stored a MGC-GT in the the winter of 70-71. Back then we put oil in all the cylinders, jacked all four corners, Stabil in the gas, battery removed. It was a real procedure. It is a much simpler process now.

Great idea about leaving a note to 'remind' yourself about the gasket... I saw a guy do that to his corvette... laughed my ass off.

I know a Viper guy whose top blew off in the spring....with no note.

Steve

 

[mike & juli]

It's that time again!? We just had our first sub-90˚ day here in Austin!
Though I may complain about getting fried in the RT in the summer, I think I'll take the year-round driving vs the storage route. Having grown up in Missouri, I feel for you guys up north.

Thank you Jason..................................................
This may be a depressing thread, but unfortunately, it's all TOO REAL for us.
Steve, you gave great advice...mostly we wax the car, already get oil changed, fill up gas tank, and leave it on a trickle charger. We also pump up the tires, but NOT as much as 45psi. Start it up and if NOT ICY or SNOWY, back it out of the garage and let it run a LONG while (revving up here and there). So, it doesn't go on a tarp or up on any tire carpets/mounts. We DO have days when we can move the car in and out, but we have a VERY STEEP driveway, so it's gotta be when it's NOT ICY or snowy, or we'd be in the ditch across the driveway...lol!~! THEN we can run it on the highway, clean er out a bit, we DO try to do that. Let's just HOPE we have LOTS more time to !
~~juli

 

[sdaddy]

So I'm out here is Chicago and coming up on the winter months (unfortunately) and curious to know what I need to do to ensure a fresh start in the Spring. I have read a bunch of past threads, but wondered if all of that would need to be done if I started her up weekly? I will be only a block or two from the non temp controled storage unit and figured I would swing by and start weekly. is that sufficient?

Thanks

Grape

You northern state guys just need to ship your cars down south for the winter so they can stay driven and avoid future potential problems. The car should be taken out as often as possible on dry clear days during the winter. Storing for six months is not good for any car. And if you start it, you need to move it and drive it for 30 minutes minimum. Starting and running in place a few minutes a week does more harm than good.

 

[SmoknTires]

Winter... I still haven't replaced the outdoor garden lights that I chomped up with the snowblower from this last winter.

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

Why 45 to 50 pounds of pressure? that seems like a lot? Wouldn't putting it up on blocks \ jack stands be better?

And with the fuel tank full, why would fuel stablizer not be required? Sure, it's premium gas, but it still spoils when stored... especially the small amounts in the engine\fuel system. Better safe then sorry?

Great idea about leaving a note to 'remind' yourself about the gasket... I saw a guy do that to his corvette... laughed my ass off.

After a track day run the tire pressure will go up 10-25 psi depending on the tire. 45-50 psi is not at all unbearable. It's a valid recommendation.

Premium or regular -doesn't matter. The oxidation resistance of purchased gasoline will be more than enough for a winter shut down. The difficulty you may experience is that summer gasoline is blended to start well in warm weather and winter gas is blended to start well when cold. Those who store cars probably have summer gas in the tank and try to start when it's still cool out. Has nothing to do with deterioration of the fuel.

 

[2000_Black_RT10]

Starting it and idling it without giving it a good run on the highway is no good IMO. It will never burn off all the bad stuff you get from starting and idling.

Hey Steve - Not to sound like a ****.. but it's a toss up.. As the engine sits you can get some rust on the cylinder walls and it's compressing some valve springs for too long. Some valves are open and some are shut when the engine is off, in such that the valve springs which are fully compressed is not so good for the full winter season. I still feel that it is good to run the engine a few times over the winter to relieve the valve spring compression and to clean up the cylinder walls.
Mike

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

The additives in oil should easily protect the cylinder wall over a winter. While the oil may run off, the additives will stay on the walls.

From a lubricant perspective, short idling periods are so bad that the API performance standards (API SL, now we are at API SM) have included the Sequence V test procedure almost from the beginning. The test was originally termed the "Aunt Minnie" test because it simulated short infrequent drives to church, to the store, etc, and never long trips to boil off fuel and water. This resulted in water levels of 5-10% in the oil. Yes, after 64 hours of the test procedure, there was 5%-10% water in the oil.

I can't speak for the valve springs.