MRGTX

There is another thread running about snow tires... so I thought I would ask the question about the rest of the winter preperation in a thread of its own.

What do you do to prep your car for winter?

Do you guys take any precautions to prevent corrosion from salt/road treatments?

Are any S197s showing signs of rust yet? If so, where? Any trouble spots?

Do you remove any of your mods?

Do you restore "stock" tune (if you have a custom tune currently)?

Do you use a different weight oil?

Any insight would be a great help to us suckers who don't have a winter beater. :O

Nuke

It's amazing how many times per week this question is asked. Use the search feature. There are many, many different responses. YOU choose what's right for you, your driving style and your location.

ffk_pennywise

I'll be running winter tires this year. Thats the only prep I'll be doing or have ever done. Been driving mustangs in the winter since 2001 with no issues. You can drive or you cant. Simple as that. I dont change any mods, no need to. Your oils fine. As for salt, I take my car through the touchless wash and get the undercarriage sprayed off after a snow and the roads have dried. Never had a problem with any corrosion. In fact, the bottoms of my cars always look pretty darn clean! Just get you some tires if need be and your all set.

MRGTX

It's amazing how there is always someone on every thread who has to say this.

Actually, I did search. Tons of snow tire discussion, storage discussion, whether or not people DO drive their cars... I just didn't see much about altering tunes, oils, etc.

I thought it was a worthy question. Sorry you disagree.


Good to know, Pennywise. The fact that the undercarriage holds up is great news. Thanks for the insight.

To anyone:
Any thoughts on CAI/tunes?

Is the parking brake freezing issue still a problem or has that been revised for more recent S197s?

Thanks for any help.

Starfire

Yes me also, I run Blizzak tires on my stock rims (the 18") and the tires are actually considered Small truck tires. I believe they are 235/55/18 they are 1/4" taller then stock so no big deal. I also use a touchless car wash and I have had people ask me if I drive in the winter because it looks pretty clean underneath, so they do work. I try to wish at least once a week. Otherwise that is all I did mechanically. I used the bama 87 performance tune since the throttle response isn't as touchy. This year I'll be supercharged so I'm going to ask for a tune with stock throttle response for the bad days but that's all.

Nuke

I DIDN'T disagree. And there ARE threads that repeat everything. And, yes, it IS a worthy question. And I apologize if I appeared to blow you off. It was never my intent.


There's no cut-and-dry answers:

• Most feel no need to detune as long as you watch the heavy foot.
• Unless you're getting below -30 deg. F, our 5W20 oil is fine. I'm actually running Amsoil's ASM 0W20 oil but that is what THEY recommend for our GT's in lieu of their other 5W20 oils.
• Very few here have reported salt related rust.

Other recommendations:

• Keep your tank as full as possible to prevent condensation which can cause fuel line freeze-up.
• If you suspect water in your tank, use some Heet or other dewatering additive.
• Sand bags, about 50 lbs or more over each rear wheel, will help.
• DEFINATELY, dedicated winter tires IF you're area is prone to frequent and deep (> 3"-4" , which is deep by Mustang standards) snows. Otherwise, research an all-season tire but beware. Most A/S tires SUCK in the snow.

Drive safe.

MRGTX

Great info... thanks, Nuke.

I like the idea of the 0 weight Amsoil and I trust their suggestion...I will look into that as well.

As for the tune/CAI- good to know that people leave it alone. I wasn't concerned about the power so much as issues related to lean conditions with the dense air, etc. when you have the timing maxed out.. but I suppose that's what the knock sensor is for.

Very glad to hear that rust isn't a worry.

Typically, I wouldn't put weight in the rear of a car (more mass to accelerate and decellerate!) but it sounds like a lot of you guys do this. I'll have to expiriment.

Definitely going with snows.. the threads that I read on the topic made it sound like they're mandatory... though some swear that they do okay with the all season Neros, etc. ... I suspect they're either braver than me, a better driver, or both. I'll leave that discussion to the other current snow tire thread.

mac10chap

i often ponder what to do during winter but then i realize "holy crap, i live in texas...we will have another 85 degree christmas"...

Nuke

Fine. Just rub it in. I lived in PA all my life (up until 2 1/2 years ago) and snow was a way of life. Then I moved to Kentucky for 2 years where more than 1" was a blizzard. Now I'm in the Chicago suburbs. Talk about from the pan into the fire...

Starfire

Heh Chicago is fun in the winter don't you know! Well at least the people here can kind of sorta drive in the snow. Where abouts are you?