Winter Storage Ideas?

[Guest gunjeep444]

I have arranged to store my 56 Buick in a metal building in town. It is not insulated. Anti-freeze is good for our cold temps. I figured to take the Neg cable off the battery and put Stabil in the gas. I plan, once a month, if not too cold to go in to town and look it over and maybe start it up, perhaps drive around town some. Any other ideas?

[JohnD1956]

Put a sheet of 4 Mil Plastic on the floor before you drive the car in the barn. I imagine the metal shed can be very humid in the winter what with unfiltered sunlight warming it up and cooling it off daily, thus you run the risk of dew and dampness impacting your car everyday. Check to see if the shed has ventilation and if the air can move freely.

Also, I recommend you leave the hood open. Mice hate light.

[Guest brh]

Keep the gas tank full, put a trickle charger on the battery to keep it up to par. If you can't put a charger on it I suggest taking it home. Its a good plan to try and start it, but reality is, you may be doing more harm than good. If you can spin it over a few times keeping the oil up in the engine ya might want to do that every once in a while. By starting it in cold temps ya wash oil off the cylinder walls with gas, because of the choke. I don't set the choke, keep the battery charged and spin the engine over till the oil light goes out. She only goes out in decent weather.

I think mice hate moth balls too?? Don't know about that for sure.

Edited October 6, 2011 by brh
More info (see edit history)

[Bhigdog]

Time to set out the miecy traps. Soon as the nites get cold they start coming in. I just started my trap line by putting out traps around the perimeter walls of the garages and shop. I'm getting one or two every nite now.....bob

[retirednow]

Put my mouse traps out last week as well. However, the next door neighbors' cat that hangs out here more than at home has been doing a good job patrolling the grounds:D:)

[JohnD1956]

... If you can spin it over a few times keeping the oil up in the engine ya might want to do that every once in a while. ..., keep the battery charged and spin the engine over till the oil light goes out.

I think mice hate moth balls too?? Don't know about that for sure.

I'm thinking you're right about this Brian. Disconnect the positive lead to the coil. Just pulling the center wire on my 69 was enough to wind up with a huge spark discharge from the cap to the nearest piece of metal, which was the fuel line. I'm also considering priming my carbs with 10wt oil to combat the effects of ethanol.

Also I think they are right that mice do not tolerate Bounce Dryer sheets. I had a problem inthe garage last year and I was sure it came from the bottoms of the garage doors which do not seal at my house. I took out the vermin with traps and at the same time I stuffed bounce sheets in the gaps of the garage doors. I then put more traps right by the doors. After the initial purging, I didn't have another mouse all winter.

[Guest NikeAjax]

Jerry, um, you may want to just pull the battery out all together and when Spring comes, that's when you see he car again. If I'm not mistaken, you'll get lots of moisture in the engine everytime you shut it down when it's warm, this will turn into a gray sludge at the bottom of the pan that you can't really get out unless you pull the pan: it builds up and doesn't boil away very well.

Also, you may want to get some kind of moisture absorber, a coupl'a tubs each for the trunk and passenger compartment. When you see the car again, take'm out carefull-like, they're gunna have a goodly amount o' water in 'em!

Maybe you can put the battery in something else and swap it out every once in a while?

Every time you open and close the doors, you're adding more moisture to the what you left in there before: air hold water vapors. Those vapors settle in things like, carpet, door panels, seats, etc.

Maybe you can move to Texas to avoid said procedures! (no offense to all the Texans out there, my heart goes out to you--really!)

That's just my take, I'm certain others will disagree, and hopefully they'll tell me why my logic is flawed--I hope?

Jaybird

[Guest gunjeep444]

Thanks for the advice guys. I will just spin the motor monthly and let go of the idea of starting it. It will be under a car cover, maybe will do the plastic on the floor thing, seems like a good idea. How can you identify a trickle charger, or do you buy them that way?

[buick man]

Just for laughs here is my winter list shake down list and you may want to alter it slightly and according to your needs:

1) Pull the car into a structure or your rec room- It is better than leaving it outside

2) Open all the doors as wide as possible - Mice like to climb and do not like to jump so this will deter them.

3) Put no less than 35 aluminum pans exactly 5 inches by 7 inches scattered all over the floor especially around the area just in front of the drivers door and right in front of the hood latch making getting at these areas area very difficult. - This will deter theft especially if the car is left outside.

4) Remove all gas from gas tank and fill completely with dove dish detergent with no water. Do not substitute, as no other brand will do. - This will assure a very clean gas tank in the spring.

5) Drain the oil out of the car by removing the drain plug and running the engine for at least 5 minutes near around 1500 rpm AFTER the oil has been expelled. Make sure to leave the pan plug out as this deters mice in the area as well - This will ensure a clean engine block come spring time.

6) Take a large sock that has been worn very recently for no less than 6 days, and stick it into the exhaust pipe. - This discourages condensation in the exhaust system and keeps mice out as well

7) Open the hood and cover the engine with plastic wrap making sure to not get it near the radiator

8) Leave the water in the radiator and install a block heater with fan so you can plug it into a outlet and leave it on all winter long. This will insure a warm block come spring.

9) Deflate the tires of all air and leave flat. This will make sure you have no flat spots on the tread area of your tires come spring.

10) Take a bar of ivory soap and rub it on and into all the glass front, side and rear. This will insure that the glass will not get marked and stained from moisture and objects falling onto it.

Well that pretty much sums up my list. Works like a charm. :confused:

[1957buickjim]

David...that is exactly what I do to prep my car for winter storage..wow, I didn't think anyone else knew my secrets for storage...

[Guest brh]

Just for laughs here is my winter list shake down list and you may want to alter it slightly and according to your needs:

6) Take a large sock that has been worn very recently for no less than 6 days, and stick it into the exhaust pipe. - This discourages condensation in the exhaust system and keeps mice out as well

And miss the entertainment value of firing her up and seeing mice, nest and all shooting out of the tail pipe????

[buick5563]

Hell, in Texas it is almost driving season!

[1957buickjim]

Sure Mike..rub it in. We are just getting ready for salt season here! By the way, do the trees change color in Texas?

[buick man]

... ha ha yady yak ... OK - so here are some of my personal best REAL advice winterizing tips:

(But you do have to remember I live on the top floor next to the fire escape and and just back from the neon sign at the California Hotel in downtown Sausalito, CA )

1) Since ethanol attracts water and will separate from the real fuel components keeping the tank full is a mistake as condensation will overwhelm your inner tank and the admixture of fuels inside it to separate causing a cornucopia of both starting & running problems come spring time. This method however did work when ethanol was not used as an oxygenate back when true pure leaded or unleaded gas was easily available.

Remedy: Take the car out for a drive. Run car until there is around a gallon of gas or so left. Then add about a 1/2 qt of marvel mystery oil and a 1/2 pint of Stabil to a 1/2 gallon of gas and add this to the tank. Let it run for about 5-minutes then shut the car off. Then drain the tank, remove the fuel line inlet and drop the tank. Takes about 5 minutes to accomplish this and is very easy after the fuel has been drained out. Then pour a gallon of marvel mystery oil into the tank and spin and turn it around, spin it upside down and around until the mystery oil which is really a fluid has coated the the entire inside of the tank, then let it sit up on a shelf till spring. You will be more than glad you did. Note: Stabil does not prevent ethanol from separating nor real gas from water, but it does keep both fuels from turning into shellac.

2) A - Flush cooling system and install fresh new coolant with no more than 50/50 blend using distilled water for this mix ratio. This will insure the antifreeze is not season old and acidic which would otherwise attack your metal cooling system components while it sits during the winter. Don't wait until spring to do this but do this at every winter storage event and you will then be good to go next spring with no oxidative or reductive reactions in your cooling system during the winter months.

2) B - Drain the oil and then fill the crankcase with the cheapest oil you can find. Add 3 gallons of this to the crank case to fill it up good

3) Take battery out of car and store on a full wave charger that has a true "float cycle" which will also maintain and not cook the battery. Do not use a simple trickle charger as a maintainer as this will microwave your battery and weaken the plates.

4) Jack the car up and get the weight off the suspension and tires. Remove about 10 lbs of air from each tire and cover them with sheets or wheel covers

5) Block the intake of air cleaner and tail pipe with a balled up rag then duct tap over them to seal. Then write a note that you have done this and attach it to the steering wheel horn so you will remember to remove them come time for your spring shake down flight.

6) Crack windows and doors to release tension.

7) Apply a NON silicone based or a NON-petroleum based product to protect all the rubber seals of windows and doors seals. Shut doors.

8) Cover car with a good light breathable car cover.

Hope this helps.

Edited October 8, 2011 by buick man (see edit history)

[Bill Stoneberg]

By the way, do the trees change color in Texas?

Yes, they go from green to ugly brown in a day or so.

Normal years though, we have lots of different colored trees, not like up north but enough to see.

But when its been 110 and no rain this year, all the trees are stressing.

And Mike is right, Its driving and car show season.

[1957buickjim]

2) B - Drain the oil and then fill the crankcase with the cheapest oil you can find. Add 3 gallons of this to the crank case to fill it up good

3 Gallons? Will the oil pan and engine accept this much oil?

Yes, they go from green to ugly brown in a day or so.

So that means you have to drive fast to see the color tour!

[buick man]

Yes Jim it will and then some. When you put the normal one gallon in it is not even close to the bottom of the crank journals. Another gallon will immerse the crank shaft and bottom of rods. The next gallon will flood the lower case and bores coming up into the center main oil gallery and camshaft area. No condensation.

[Guest rsd9699]

I think 3 gallons of oil in the crankcase will leak out oil in places you do not want oil to leak out of.

Use a plastic bag before you duct tape to make removal easier and not pull paint and leave duct tape residue every where.

I would add a couple of quarts of trans fluid to the remaining gas and run until the smoke is too thick to stand to get the oil into the lines, pump and carb and into cylinder and valves.

I would use a non-vented gas cap to lock moisture out of the tank. Add some dry alcohol to absorb any remaining moisture.

Or simply store the car in Texas and come down and drive it when ever your bones get too cold.

I also know some heavy footed teenagers that can exercise the cars if you can not make it down and they will test the mechanical component's to their limits at no extra charge. They also offer free scrapes and dings and bruised fenders and bumpers.

Ron

[Guest gunjeep444]

You can still get regular(un-leaded) up here, which is what I run in it. Got some Stabil in the tank. Tank was cleaned and lined with that stuff, so it should be okay. Sending off a few pot metal pieces to get re-chromed over the winter. May buy new springs and replace the ones the previous owner cut to lower it, rides rough and can be scary on bumpy roads.

[Guest GRANNYS70SKYLARK]

Skip the car cover and put the visors down, mice use them as shelves to get into the headliner.

Edited October 14, 2011 by GRANNYS70SKYLARK (see edit history)

[Guest BigDogDaddy]

Mice also do not like Irish Spring soap. But it HAS to be the Original version to work. Get a few bars, and cut each bar into three pieces. Place the pieces throughout the car, under the hood, and in the trunk. It keeps the mice away, and in the spring your car has a nice smell to it.

Phil

[JohnD1956]

I tried that Irish spring soap once. Threw it out with the droppings in the containers that spring and switched to the bounce dryer sheets.

[buick man]

I'd go with the texas way of reason, but I always seem to get a red rash over my neck even think'in about it yall. Regarding any ginda trans fuild in your gas? - think again = gummy bear ring lands and tarnish. Any fragrant soap and mice equals co-mingle

David - Live from the Hotel California! - Oh yeah...

[Guest rsd9699]

I am almost 100% sure your government must have some document that describes how to store also anything for days - weeks - months - years - decades - centuries.

I am sure we have paid dearly for this type of info so if we could just find it - we would have the answer to all our questions.

Ron