Hibernation..

[fun car guy]

So, while i live in the frosty North, my '89 coupe has been sleeping this winter but every month I fire her up and think of the summer when I can bring her out and wondering if anyone here has any suggestions as to storing it.  The oil pressure is good at 50psi, voltage at 14.5 volts which are good indicators but she idles a little roughly at around 800 revs/minute and it's telling me there's an engine electrical problem which I'll have to wait to figure out until spring.  Everything electrical seems to be working otherwise but there's apparently something wrong in the engine department. However, all the electronics seem to be fine otherwise, the interior is nearly spotless and the body almost totally free of rust after 33 years and 165,000 miles so you can see why I'm working on her instead of just scrapping her like so many I've encountered have.  She has a tank full of regular gas with a can of sea foam, injector cleaner and stabilizer which may account for the slightly rough idle as I'm get a lot of white smoke but no coolant loss so no problem there.  Really looking forward to doing a compression test to verify a strong engine, a new fuel filter and a good exterior detailing.

Thanks and a very happy and prosperous new year to all!

[2seater]

I never start my car while in storage. I actually pull the battery and leave it completely unmolested all winter. It does get a full fuel tank with stabilizer, an oil change and leather conditioner. It is stored indoors but in a totally unheated garage or shed with only a dust cover over the top. Coming up on thirty years of doing the same thing and it always starts and runs come the spring.

[fun car guy]

Thanks!  Since I've never had a car for anything other than year-round transportation, I was unsure as to how to store one.  Like you, I keep it in the garage, unheated and covered.  I guess I'll pull the battery and use a trickle charger to keep it full.

[Padgett]

Have always just started occasionally when not driving and tend to keep cars I like for decades. Do use Mobil 1 hi milage 10W-30 in everything American.

[ship]

I've always gone with the belief that if you occasionally start a car while in winter storage, water vapor never completely dissipates from engine/exhaust system.... a bad thing.  I fill the tank, add either Stabil or Seafoam making sure the additive makes it through the injectors, leave the battery in but hook up a battery tender, and never start the car until it's time to bring it out of storage for Spring, Summer, and Fall use.  I too store my Reatta in an unheated garage (actually a vinyl igloo) with a dust cover over it.  I do the same with my '00 Eldorado and all previously owned hobby cars.  I like to leave the car batteries in so that the car does not have to "re-learn" stuff when it's time to take it out of storage.     

[jon L]

If you are going to start your car in the winter storage time, be sure to run it for at least 45 minutes.

Every time you start it water will collect in the bottom of the oil pan, so if you don't run it long enough

the water will not evaporate. Also a battery tender is a good thing.

I store my car in a semi heated garage. The temp never goes below 40*.

[Padgett]

Agree, I always run until the coolant temperature comes up and run the AC at the same time. The temp in my garage also never goes under 40F.