Winter Storage

I'm going to put my 1976 Country Squire away for the winter this weekend in a heated building. The building was an old high tech factory and it's full of all types of cars from Model A's to a new S Class Mercede's and even RV's. The building is nice and dry and the owner keeps the temp at a min of 50 degree's.

Is there anything I should do with putting the car away until the end of April? I was considering filling up the gasoline tank and adding Stabil to the gas tank and run it for a few miles before going into winter storage.

Any other storage tips?

 

Definitely fill the tank and yes, emphatically, to the gas stabilizer. Fresh oil is also a good idea. mostly common sense.

 

I have 2 wagons barned for the winter also, yup on the full tank and stabilizer. I also suggest placing ....

inside and under the hood. Don't know why but mice and bugs don't like the stuff so they stay out.

 

Back in Illinois I'd fill the tank. But gas was real so it didn't seem to matter. Some cars I jacked up off the tires but mostly just parked them in the garage. At that time I put Moth Balls inside the cars.

Here in Florida I turn off the engine until later in the week.

 

Did you ever get the smell out?........

A friends Grandpa did that to a car one winter, we all thought he must have dumped pounds inside as the smell even after a interior wash never went away.

 

My car had several bars of Irish Spring soap scattered about. They kept the mustiness odor down.

 

I put Moth Balls inside the cars.

I don't remember any smell later. Maybe they were a different kind of Moths!

 

No, they probably smelled like your clothes, so you were used to it.

 

Most of my clothes smell like used motor oil, stale gasoline, and exhaust fumes.And sometimes the smell of fibreglass, bondo, and welding smoke.

 

The Colony Park is tucked away in my garage until April, under the California cover. I was amazed that they had one for a wagon, but sure enough, it fits perfectly. I just fill the gas tank and park it, but I'm going to try that Bounce tip. The other half of the two car garage is full of lumber and old doors and such that belong to my contractor landlord. It's probably a prime area for those little critters to set up house.

 

I'm with Cat..........I only store them by the week over the winter...........

 

I drive my '69 Ford year 'round, so I don't have to worry about winterizing it. I drove it to the Mecum KC auction this past weekend and it was 5 degrees outside. The new carb with electric choke works like a champ. Heater works good, defroster works good enough. I do put Sta-bil in all my lawn equipment for the winter.

So - drive it once in a while over the winter (2 or 3 times a month) and you won't have to winterize it!

 

Your climate has a lot to do with that IMO, it's pretty damp here and that can cause a lot of grief because of, and I'm storing in a BARN so .......

I also as you mention go out, start, drive, move the cars around from time to time. I did not mention but along with the fuel stabilizer I dump some methyl hydrate in the gas tanks, I also do this with the cars we drive daily in the cold/damp. Maybe it is over kill but I grew up and Dad dumped it down the tank on every fill during the winter...it's a frozen prairie thing. I also prefer that as it's old school where as fuel stabilizer is new school......... so i'm bias as new school 9 out of 10 fails with older school stuff

 

Full fuel tank or empty? I've heard the arguments, stabilizer or none? In a boat you want an empty tank as a full one WILL cause condensation and rot any wood or fibreglass covered wood it's in contact with. In a car with a steel tank you want a full tank even up the neck, to stop damp air from being drawn in and causing internal condensation and corrosion. Methyl hydrate will not remove water it will only lower it's freezing point so as not to freeze your lines. This is basically what fuel stabilizer is, alcohol. I have owned boats and cars in the great white north for 35 years and have never used fuel stabilizers before and I have never had a problem storing boats or cars for 5-6 months at a time. I hope this doesn't start a toilet paper over or under argument. Lmao, just my2cents

 

Thirsty keep in mind fuel is not the same gasoline we used to buy. In a very short time where we live it gels and turns to a mess that ruins carburator parts and clogs lines. Even though it's warm here, if we don't drive regularly we need to add Stabil or something. Especially to lawn mowers, chain saws, etc.
I am not a chemist but knew one once. So I am not sure what Methyl hydrate is. My guess it's what we used in Ilinois called HEET. It helped keep fuel lines from freezing and got rid of ice in the lines.