Advice on storing a car long term

[Chris B.]

I have a car in my garage that has been sitting for 3 or 4 months. Before I stored it I did an oil change, drove it and got it really hot and filled it up with gas and aired up the tires and then parked it in the garage where it has sat. I charge the battery every couple months on a charger. Should I start her up and get it up to operating temp and also run the AC for a while to keep things working? Or should I just let it sit till I'm ready to use it again? It will be another 4 months of so till I put it back in service. Thanks!
Picture of car:

 

[Donald]

A true float charger on the battery would be best. While the car will start after sitting for 3-4 months, it starts to sulfate after about 1 month.

I would not keep it filled with gas as I would want to be able to dump in some fresh gas to mix. Consider StarTron (Walmart) blue stabilizer. You are marginal on the need for stabilizer. But the cost is minimal.

I would not bother changing the oil unless you are close to needing an oil change. Additives take care of any acids that get into the oil.

Critters? Maybe a 12" piece of pantihose filled with mothballs and tied in a knot. Put it in the engine compartment.

Nice Volvo.

 

[Chris B.]

Should I start it and let it idle for 30 minutes and run the ac?

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: Chris B.
Should I start it and let it idle for 30 minutes and run the ac?

That'll probably just cause more damage. I'd actually drive it for 30 minutes instead.

 

[OtisBlkR1]

Originally Posted By: Chris B.
Should I start it and let it idle for 30 minutes and run the ac?


I would'nt start it unless you planned on taking it out and stressing the motor, taking it out on a nice long hour drive and getting it up to speed and letting all the fluids move around. It wouldnt hurt anything to give the motor a chance to burn off anything that may have accumulated. 2 pennies.

 

[fdcg27]

The Volvo looks okay, but that original looking Nova in the background is more impressive.
Unless you plan to drive the car, I'd leave it unstarted.
You won't get it warm enough for long enough to do any good just idling it in the driveway.
A battery maintainer would be ideal in this situation, even a cheap HF float charger.
You could also just let the car sit and plan on replacing the battery when you bring it back into use.
I'm guessing that this car is not currently registered, judging by the lack of tags, and you've probably suspended insurance on it, so driving it is not an option.
That being the case, I'd let it sit unmolested, although I know it's tempting to start and idle it for a while.

 

[147_Grain]

Recommend the trickle battery tender, LOF change, plenty of Fuel Stabilizer in the gas tank, and actually driving the car for a while every month.

 

[Donald]

Just to be clear as people confuse the terms, you want a battery maintainer or float charger. A real trickle charger is small, maybe 2 AMPS, but never shuts off. A float charger "floats" the voltage exactly and is always going on and off.

 

[gfh77665]

I am NOT an authority on many things, but I DO know about storing cars, and have years of successful experience. Do this:

1) Fill gas up to the brim while mixing 2X Stabil in. Filling to the brim displaces air (vapor) space over the gas, effectively sealing it from oxidation and condensation.

2) IF you crank, run for 20-30 min., at 1500-2000 RPM's. This has never failed to reach full temp. Run the A/C the whole time.

3) Even if you don't drive it, move it forward and reverse, cutting the wheels right and left. Use windshield wipers and roll power windows up and down.

4) Keep tires fully aired, I go PSI over.


Do these things and you will be OK for 2 years.

 

[The_Jeff]

If you're not going to start it, roll it, several feet if possible. Will help the brakes and wheel bearings as well as the tires.

I've used year old gas with and without sta-bil. I can tell the difference but the stuff still starts.

 

[dparm]

Other than maybe a float charger, you probably don't need to do much else. I stored my car for 9 months during my freshman year at college and did nothing. My dad drove it once a month for a few minutes and then put it right back -- when I got home for summer break, it ran perfectly and started right up.

If you have a friend that can drive it around every once in a while, that would certainly help.


BTW, sweet R. I really wanted one of those!

 

[gofast182]

There are a lot of write-ups about this in the S2000 forums as many of us don't use our cars in the winter.

Fill the tank with fuel, this will eliminate surface area where condensation can form. For anything 4 months or under there's absolutely no need for fuel stabilizer.

Inflate the tires to around 40psi to help prevent flat spots.

Turn every electric in the car off, dome light, climate control, radio, everything. This will make it easier on the battery when restarting for the first time.

Place steel wool in the intake and exhaust so mice will not enter.

Prop the wiper arms so the blades will not dry in a compressed position.

Make sure the e-brake is off as it can seize to the rotor.

Crack a window ever so slightly so the interior can breathe.

Remove everything and I mean everything including manuals from the inside of the car so mice have no additional nest building material.

And do not start it until you're ready to start using it regularly. Resist the temptation. It will actually be easier on the car to do just one start from a completely oil-drained engine than doing it once a month 'just to be sure'.

 

[JHZR2]

Nice car. No way would I idle it for 30 minutes. I agree that the AC should be operated, but I would optimally take the car out and in the 30 minutes, put 20-30 miles of highway driving on it, to get everything hot, the tire antioxidants flexed to the surface, and everything good, then put it back. It may be a little bit dirtier from being on the road, but it will be better for all systems.

There are a lot of good tips that I never considered given in this thread (prop up wiper arms??? Genius!)

 

[dparm]

Wipers have already taken a set. No need to stand them up.

 

[UNC164]

Tires will get flat spots if unmoved for long periods of time - get it up on 4 cheap jack stands or just roll it a couple of feet so every couple of weeks so its on different part of tire.

 

[UNC164]

Tires will get flat spots if unmoved for long periods of time - get it up on 4 cheap jack stands or just roll it a couple of feet so every couple of weeks so its on different part of tire.

 

[gfh77665]

Originally Posted By: cashmoney
Tires will get flat spots if unmoved for long periods of time - get it up on 4 cheap jack stands or just roll it a couple of feet so every couple of weeks so its on different part of tire.


Sorry, but NO, do not do this! Modern tires will not permanently flat spot, but even if they did, DO NOT jack your car up. Thats an old myth that causes damage to suspensions - suspensions that were made to be loaded. DO NOT jack your car up.

 

[Clevy]

Originally Posted By: cashmoney
Tires will get flat spots if unmoved for long periods of time - get it up on 4 cheap jack stands or just roll it a couple of feet so every couple of weeks so its on different part of tire.


Not anymore they don't.

 

[Chris B.]

Thanks everyone! Your advice was helpful!

 

[Chris B.]

Originally Posted By: fdcg27
The Volvo looks okay, but that original looking Nova in the background is more impressive.
Unless you plan to drive the car, I'd leave it unstarted.
You won't get it warm enough for long enough to do any good just idling it in the driveway.
A battery maintainer would be ideal in this situation, even a cheap HF float charger.
You could also just let the car sit and plan on replacing the battery when you bring it back into use.
I'm guessing that this car is not currently registered, judging by the lack of tags, and you've probably suspended insurance on it, so driving it is not an option.
That being the case, I'd let it sit unmolested, although I know it's tempting to start and idle it for a while.


That poor Nova sits out in the weather and is rusting away! The owners next door keep a junk pop up trailer in their garage and let the car sit. It has 30,000 miles on it!