venem07 Posted September 13, 2013 Report Share Posted September 13, 2013 sorry to say getting ready to store car for winter. Looking for tips on storing my car. I live in michigan and have a heated garage but never stored a car before. thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJN Posted September 14, 2013 Report Share Posted September 14, 2013 You can try a search there are many topics and opinions on this but the main ones are, and my routine. Change oil Clean good inside and out with a good coat of sealant on the outside Car cover Battery maintainer hooked up I park on Flatstoppers Fuel stabilizer in full tank and ran through for few min before actually putting car away last I put plastic baggies on the tail pipes to keep any thing out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ingram4868 Posted September 14, 2013 Report Share Posted September 14, 2013 All good recommendations from MJN. If you don't have flatstoppers you can over inflate the tires but the biggest factor is to put a Battery Tender (or other maker) on the battery. You've got to see how Grabber prepares his for winter. I just wish I had half his energy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobramach1 Posted September 14, 2013 Report Share Posted September 14, 2013 The search function is your friend. This has been discussed over and again. Everything you need to know is above already though. I won't be formally putting mine away this winter since its going to be easier to start and back the Shelby vs the '70 Mach out of the garage all winter as I start the restoration of another stang. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
venem07 Posted September 14, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 14, 2013 THANKS MJN Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevem Posted September 26, 2013 Report Share Posted September 26, 2013 i have a 2010 that was just Super Snaked. I live in Upstate N.Y. My garage is not heated, and was raised with the proper way to store a vehicle in the winter is to fill it and add a stabilizer. But when I asked SAI they told me NEVER add a stabilizer. Leave a 1/4 tank of gas in the car, start it and run for 20 minutes or so every month, and then add another gallon of gas. I told them it could be 10 degees for months up here as in Michigan, but they stood by what they said. I'm confused also what to do. Any feedback?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ingram4868 Posted September 26, 2013 Report Share Posted September 26, 2013 i have a 2010 that was just Super Snaked. I live in Upstate N.Y. My garage is not heated, and was raised with the proper way to store a vehicle in the winter is to fill it and add a stabilizer. But when I asked SAI they told me NEVER add a stabilizer. Leave a 1/4 tank of gas in the car, start it and run for 20 minutes or so every month, and then add another gallon of gas. I told them it could be 10 degees for months up here as in Michigan, but they stood by what they said. I'm confused also what to do. Any feedback?? Another issue that seems to be in question is the level of fuel in the tank. I had always been told to fill the tank so there is less surface area within the tank to collect condensation. I wonder if there are any professional studies on this. I also think of TV car shows where they find an old car after years of sitting and they start it up after changing the fluids. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJN Posted September 26, 2013 Report Share Posted September 26, 2013 I would think more area to be able to catch moisture from temp swings not filling tank. Maybe cause modern tanks are more of a sealed system? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ITHERTZ66 Posted September 26, 2013 Report Share Posted September 26, 2013 i have a 2010 that was just Super Snaked. I live in Upstate N.Y. My garage is not heated, and was raised with the proper way to store a vehicle in the winter is to fill it and add a stabilizer. But when I asked SAI they told me NEVER add a stabilizer. Leave a 1/4 tank of gas in the car, start it and run for 20 minutes or so every month, and then add another gallon of gas. I told them it could be 10 degees for months up here as in Michigan, but they stood by what they said. I'm confused also what to do. Any feedback?? This goes against all I've learned. I've been cold storing cars here in ND and MN for decades without any issues. I don't think there is EVER any need to start the car while in storage, and doing so usually causes more problems than good. Moisture/rust is your enemy. Why warm up a car, only to shut it down and let the condensation from the startup refreeze and/or flash rust? Fill up the tank (also allows the tank not to get contaminated with extra moisture if full of gas) and use Seafoam or some other fuel treatment/stabilizer. Today's pump gas goes bad in about a month! My process is simple: Clean and dry the car - make sure to drive it to get it all completely dry (never store a car wet) Add 10lbs of extra air in the tires (if you decide to raise the car up, take the wheels/tires off to take stress of the suspension, but I don't think it's necessary to raise the car) Fill up with fresh gas and Seafoam and drive around a bit to get it all in the hoses and such Cover up the car if you wish - leave the windows open a crack, put down sun visors and lay in moisture traps and mouse repellent of your choice Hook up battery tender change oil if you wish or change it in the spring before placing it into service LEAVE IT ALONE - let it go cold in cold storage - avoid heat/cold cycles. If you have a heated garage, you must keep it heated all winter - not when you simply want to work in there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helge Ruchelski Posted September 26, 2013 Report Share Posted September 26, 2013 Now thats the perfect way to store a car!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SNKBITE Posted September 26, 2013 Report Share Posted September 26, 2013 This goes against all I've learned. I've been cold storing cars here in ND and MN for decades without any issues. I don't think there is EVER any need to start the car while in storage, and doing so usually causes more problems than good. Moisture/rust is your enemy. Why warm up a car, only to shut it down and let the condensation from the startup refreeze and/or flash rust? Fill up the tank (also allows the tank not to get contaminated with extra moisture if full of gas) and use Seafoam or some other fuel treatment/stabilizer. Today's pump gas goes bad in about a month! My process is simple: Clean and dry the car - make sure to drive it to get it all completely dry (never store a car wet) Add 10lbs of extra air in the tires (if you decide to raise the car up, take the wheels/tires off to take stress of the suspension, but I don't think it's necessary to raise the car) Fill up with fresh gas and Seafoam and drive around a bit to get it all in the hoses and such Cover up the car if you wish - leave the windows open a crack, put down sun visors and lay in moisture traps and mouse repellent of your choice Hook up battery tender change oil if you wish or change it in the spring before placing it into service LEAVE IT ALONE - let it go cold in cold storage - avoid heat/cold cycles. If you have a heated garage, you must keep it heated all winter - not when you simply want to work in there. Being another cold climate resident in the great state of MN, everything listed here is what I have been doing for 30 years. Never mess with success. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark.barton Posted September 26, 2013 Report Share Posted September 26, 2013 i have a 2010 that was just Super Snaked. I live in Upstate N.Y. My garage is not heated, and was raised with the proper way to store a vehicle in the winter is to fill it and add a stabilizer. But when I asked SAI they told me NEVER add a stabilizer. Leave a 1/4 tank of gas in the car, start it and run for 20 minutes or so every month, and then add another gallon of gas. I told them it could be 10 degees for months up here as in Michigan, but they stood by what they said. I'm confused also what to do. Any feedback?? One thing SAI is taking into account is ethanol blended fuels. I have been told that these fuels have a shelf life of about 60 days, 90 tops. Worse yet, most fuel stabilizers contain around 15% isopropanol alcohol (so now we have alcohol + more alcohol). So, what they are recommending is to keep fuel moving through the car and replace it with fresh fuel as often as possible. Even Ford recommends not using any kind of fuel additives in their vehicles. If you have the budget, fill the tank with 100 octane unleaded racing fuel. Racing fuels have a very long shelf life and no alcohol to absorb water. Just my 2 cents. Mark P.S. I do run mine during the winter just so I can hear it and dream about spring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevem Posted September 27, 2013 Report Share Posted September 27, 2013 Thanks for the advice all. To expand my question per Marks reply, we either have up here 91 octane w no ethanol, or 93 w 10% ethanol. Any advice on what one to use?? We are able to get the 100 octane racing fuel, that I will fill the tank with for the winter, but anyone know if you could run the 100 in a S.S. for the summer, or maybe half and half with the 91?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ITHERTZ66 Posted September 27, 2013 Report Share Posted September 27, 2013 If you can store your car with non oxygenated fuel that meets the requirements of your tune than do it (still need to use a stabilizer, though)!!!! What are the octane requirements for the SS - is this printed on your gas cap? No need to use higher octane unless you are racing and concerned with heat soak. Here in MN, it would be illegal for me to fill my car with non-oxygenated fuel as that is reserved for small engines and classic vehicles per MN law. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevem Posted September 27, 2013 Report Share Posted September 27, 2013 Got it thanks. I am asking SAI now to verify, as they told me I could use either 91 or 93 (didn't tell me which you to use, 91 no eth, or 93 w eth. They also said If I want I could go half and half w the 100. for a little extra pep.I'm not an expert in any of this, so as to my confusion. I'll wait to see if I hear back from them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark.barton Posted September 27, 2013 Report Share Posted September 27, 2013 Thanks for the advice all. To expand my question per Marks reply, we either have up here 91 octane w no ethanol, or 93 w 10% ethanol. Any advice on what one to use?? We are able to get the 100 octane racing fuel, that I will fill the tank with for the winter, but anyone know if you could run the 100 in a S.S. for the summer, or maybe half and half with the 91?? From what I understand (and I swear I read it here on the forums) the horsepower difference between 91 octane and 93 octane is maybe 1 to 2 horsepower. And going to 100 octane might boost horsepower by 3 or 4 over 91 octane, so the performance gain per dollar is really minimal. There is no reason you can't, other than local laws like ITHERTZ66 says, run 100 octane unleaded fuel year around. But, at 3.50 a gallon vs 7.00 to 12.00 a gallon, well, my pockets aren't that deep. As far as what to use year around, Ford recommends 93 octane in the owners manual and a minimum octane rating of 91 is acceptable and will not cause any damage to the engine. If you have 93 octane in your area, use it, but here in Kansas, the best we can get is 91. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IngotSilverSnake Posted September 28, 2013 Report Share Posted September 28, 2013 Cannot believe anyone would recommend never using fuel stabilizer is a car for long term storage. Hard to believe that SAI did so. Very BAD advice. I worked in the marine industry for 7 years. Yachts/boats typically sit idle much more often than they are used and fuel degradation is a HUGE issue particularly with ethanol fuels. The solution is StarBrite StarTron Fuel Treatment. StarTron keeps fuel fresh for up to 2 years and is formulated specifically to deal with ethanol related issues. I never heard of a single case where a yacht or boat had a fuel related problem if they were using StarTron. There were lots of examples of problems for those that did not. I use StarTron in every piece of equipment I own (except the whole house generator - it uses propane) even when not stored. When your car is stored, keep your fuel tank full and use StarTron. You will have NO fuel related issues. http://mystarbrite.com/startron/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJN Posted September 28, 2013 Report Share Posted September 28, 2013 STA-BIL actually has that the regular red one they have works with Ethanol based fuels. They also have a lot of info on storing your car and such /www.goldeagle.com/engine_care/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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