I figure I have another 6 weeks before my car goes away for winter storage until April or May. I'm beginning to gear up for it. I have a cover for the car and it will be kept in a locked garage that isn't really opened except in the summer.

I know I should put it away with as little gas as possible. Should I go over once a month and start it to be sure it runs ok, and let it run 10 minutes for the oil to warm up? Or should I ignore it until the spring? Obviously I have to get the oil changed after I put in gas next spring, but anything else I should be doing or should be aware of for winter storage?

 

I like to run the 2 old cars (72 mustang 68 cougar) at least once every 2 weeks. If it's too messy to drive (wet or salty roads) then just idle in the driveway or in the garage. Do keep the door open . Idle 10 minutes or so as you say. Get everything up to temp and get a charge on the battery. As far as what to do with the gas, some people add a fuel stabilizer to a full tank, or drain the tank low as you said. I've never done either of those, running the car every 2 weeks should keep more or less fresh gas in the carb. If you want you could just get a gas can and put a fresh gallon of gas in every couple of times you start it up.

 

You should fill the tank ALL THE WAY and add fuel stabilizer. An almost empty tank will get condensation inside it and start the rusting process. If you could empty it all the way and get it dry then you would be ok, but that is near impossible. Running the car is pointless during the winter. You won't get a proper charge on the battery nor does it put "fresh" fuel in your carb. The fuel in the tank is just as old as the stuff in your carb or lines already. Its all going stale and forms sticky gunky buildup. Fill the tank 100%, add a bit of fuel stabilizer, run the car for a few minutes to get the stabilizer fuel through the lines and into the carb. Fuel system taken care of.

Battery, hook it up to a battery tender type of charger, one with a trickle charge. Do this in a garage, not indoors, charging batteries give off poisonous fumes. Your battery will be healthy and happy in the spring.

I'm in Canada, and have to store my vehicles for the winter as well. I had a motorcycle for a long time and that taught me many things about how to store and care for a vehicle over the winter months.

In the spring, change the oil and filter within the first week, burn out that tank of gas driving and add fresh gas. And you're ready to roll.

Yes the car cover is also a good idea.

 

So how is it that I can idle my car in the driveway for 10 minutes, put it back in the garage, and check the battery next morning and it is always 12.75 volts? Seems like it got charged, didn't it? And the point of running it is to not to have the same fuel sitting in the carb for 4 months. That can gum up your carb. A full tank of gas isn't going to turn into a big pool of varnish in 4 months. I had the same gas sit in the tank for 6 months while I welded in replacement floor pans on both sides and never had a problem with it.

 

Check out these tips at this website:

www.classiccarclub.org/Tech%20Tips.htm

 

REally you can do whatever you want. But running your car for 10 minutes now and again over the winter isn't effective. A battery tender is the proper method.
As far as the fuel goes, no it won't turn into a mess of varnish over a few months, but it sure does start to change. Trust me. it does. And that little bit that does ends up at the bottom of your tank. Repeat this procedure over and over and you will start seeing the benefits.... of leaving your fuel all winter.

Also, when you are starting the car over and over during the winter you are using up that fuel in the tank, creating a void at the top. THIS is where condensation will build and start eating away at your tank. a full tank won't rust, a half full tank will rust when condesation starts.

A bottle of fuel stabil is about $4.00. adding it to your tank is the simplest way to keep your fuel system clean during storage for months. Again, if you think running the fuel through now and again is helping you are missing the whole point, the fuel is all the same age. It is no more fresher in your tank than it is in your carb.

REally what I am pointing out are very simple steps to ensure long lasting performance after storage every year. Its really no big deal and will protect your investment.

 

When I was teaching overseas, I stored mine in the barn for about 10 months out of the year. I always left it stored with a full tank of gas and some "stabil" added to the fuel. My brother would take it out for a 30 or so mile drive every month or so, and topped off the tank with fresh gas. During the summer when I drove it, I made sure it ran completely out of gas, then I drained the rest before filling it back up. By using this method, I had no problems with the fuel gumming up. Now, you also need to take care of the tires. Either jack up the car at all 4 corners, or at least put some lumber under each tire. Cement and rubber and moisture don't mix.

 

Hey PhilleyDog, yeah, I don't mean things to get testy here. This is one of those things where everyone has their opinion on what is best. We get our fair share of sleet and freezing rain here, so when the roads get salted, the old cars may stay put for a month or so. But usually a good rainstorm periodically cleans everything up and I get to sneak the cars out for some good cruises. I usually go thru at least 2-3 tankfuls per car over the course of the winter.

You're right, the Sta-Bil is cheap insurance. The link posted above is useful too, I think if you are really going to let the car set for 4-6 months, it's a good idea to run the carb dry. That is what I did right before starting on my floor pan replacement. You have to remove the metal fuel line that runs from front to back in order to remove / replace the driver's side floor pan, so I plugged the gas tank and then ran the carb dry. BTW, if you don't want to pay for a gas shutoff valve (I have no idea what they cost), then you can just take 3 feet or so of the correct ID fuel hose, stick a cap (bolt) in it, pull the rubber hose off the gas tank, put your plug / tube on, and clamp it onto the tank. Tape the cap end of the hose to a chair or something so it is higher than fuel tank level, that way the fuel will not tend to want to run out of the tank. You will spill some gas on the floor during the capping process, and even if it only takes 2 seconds to cap it, it is going to feel like eternity.

And some will probably argue that it's best to leave some gas in the carb so that rubber parts don't dry out, and on and on we go. Hopefully we can all stay civil.

 

For small engines such as weed eaters where you mix oil with the gas, I usually drain the carburetor dry after each use to avoid gumming up. But on a strictly gasoline engine, it is not necessary. Most of it is going to evaporate anyway.

 

You guys go to alot of trouble.. We store cars for years sometimes. But over winter a full tank is best. It keep the tank from rusting. You dont want rust in there thats for sure.

I have found that letting a car sit over the winter doesnt make permanent flat spots on the tires, it runs a bit rough for a while but once they heat up and get rollin for around 3-8 miles they run just fine. If you dont want to deal with the bumpy tires, or you have cheap ones on, put some jackstands under the car but dont let the suspension droop. While its up there, hit every grease zerk under it and I always remove the battery. I have like 10 of the Optimas layin around here, I keep them in the shop and throw a charger on them when they get low. I check em every couple months.

If you dont want to pull it the battery, then unhook the negative cable. A tender would be a good thing to have if you dont have 6 spares like some of us do. Make sure the top of the battery is clean, no oil dirt or road grime on it, and unhook the negative and it should last all winter just fine. I have found on dirty batterys that you can get a DC reading on the plastic wherever there is that greasy dirt, its very thin but will drain a battery by letting it transfer a charge.

Store a car for 20 years and you will have ALOT more to do when you bring it back out, no matter what you do before it goes in..

Dryer sheets have been keepin mice out of my cars this year, they cant stand the smell. So if you have a rodent problem give that a try. I put 3 in the back seat, one in each footwell, and 4 in the trunk. Closing the vents helps too.