I plan to keep mystang vert in the garage all winter and since I'm new to verts and stangs is there anything I should do to the top before I store it in the garage? It will probably remain in the garage for right around 3 to3 1/2months. Unless there is a warm front that happens to roll in a little early. Any thoughts?

 

if it stays unmoved for that long i would probably prop it up on jackstands to avoid flat spots on your tires and fill your gas up i dont know of nuthing else. im sure alot of people have more good ideas

 

I put mine in a self storage unit each winter.
1. Fill tank and add gas stabilizer.
2. Put moth ball brick under car to keep critters away.
3. Cover
4. Pray for spring.

 

too stinky when you have to drive it again......use bounce tumble dryer sheets, the critters don't like the smell of those either but your car will smell of fresh laundry in the spring (a few under the hood, in the cabin & in the trunk)

also you could fill your tires with Nitrogen so the pressure doesn't drop over the storage period. disconnect the battery.

when you start her up in the spring disconnect the coil lead & crank her over to distribute the oil through the engine before starting her for real - much kinder on the internals that way.

 

Could anyone tell me what the "&amp" is?

Also, on this topic, why not just start up the car every couple weeks, and back it out of the garage at least. Warm up and soak the main bearing seals and power steering seals anyway. Park a few feet away from the position so the tires don't flat spot. Since you are not putting foggin oil in the cylinders, I think it would be good to run the engine several times over the winter so the piston rings don't start to rust from sitting in one position all winter.

Come to think of it, is underbody rust such a big problem nowadays? If you get a period when there is no snow or ice on the roads, and no salt, then drive the car on the roads and give it a real warm up.

 

Piston rings don't rust in a matter of a few months on a sealed engine. I have pulled motors apart that sat for 30 years that still had rings that were good. You don't really have to worry about flat spotting the tires either. Starting it every few weeks can lead to getting condensation in the exhaust, if you do this make to let it run or drive it for a good bit. I have been storing cars over the winter for many many years. I fill the tank and make sure the tires are full of air and that is pretty much it. As long as it is inside your top will be fine.

 

My storage experience is with ATV's, motorcycles, and snowmobiles. The owner's manuals all said put oil in the cylinders. But, on my 2008 Ninja 650, no oil is necessary because there is nickel cadnium in the cylinders, pistons, or rings, I'm not sure. But no rust concerns for that engine.

But consider the start up concern mentioned by UK Pony. Extra oil in the cylinders would make restarting in the spring that much easier on the metal. But when that is not practical, then starting the car every few weeks seems like it would be better. Not as much time for the oil to drain down in the cylinders.

Most people should have no problem letting the car idle for 15 minutes and getting the exhaust pipes hot. When you think of all the benefits from an engine warm-up, its hard to justify not doing it. Main bearing oil seals don't dry up. Power steering seals and boots get some use (but they are hard to warm up). The A/C gets needed running. So many benefits, and the only drawback is running it until the pipes get hot.

It's one thing if the car owner is away (military service, etc.) and can't get to the car. Or if it has to be put in a storage facility that one can't start a car in. But if the car is just in one's own garage. Start it, warm it up, and drive it if at all possible. Salt on the roads should be the only big worry, assuming you have the car insurred over the winter.

This is a real issue for me. My car is likely to be off the road from November until mid April. Lucky for me (I think) that I live in the country and have a long driveway that never gets road salt. My neighbors will think I am nuts if they see me driving back and forth up the driveway.

 

It is not the rings that you worry about on a start up, it's more the bearings. I have had some pretty exotic high HP engines in my cars over the years and all I really did was fill it up, add gas stabilizer and that's it. On start up I would just crank it for a min or so with the coil off. One thing I did forget is the battery, keep a battery tender on it or take it with you and keep it charged up at home. A few months will not dry up anything on a car in a garage, hell they sit on lots at the factory and dealers sometimes that long.

 

1. Cover!!!
2. fuel stabilizer
3. take the battery inside and put on a tender
4. wait impatiently until spring

 

If you're outside sno blowing open the garage door and let the car run every so often.A battery tender works well to to keep our battery from going low.