Hello, I am looking for some feedback from the experts on my winter storage plan. Here goes: I'm going to detail interior (treat leather), exterior(zaino), and park in my garage under the oem car cover. I will also hook up a battery tender. Then I will just let it sit there without starting for roughly 3 months. Is there any harm is doing this. I've read the tires don't really flatspot. I've also read that starting it up every few weeks actually does more harm than good, so I've decided just to let it sit without starting. Please let me know if I'm going to be harming anything by not touching it for so long. Thanks.

 

I'm no expert, but that's exactly how I plan to store mine too. Except I don't have power where I'm storing it, so I'll be taking the battery back to my house to keep warm and charge once a month. I also plan to have my oil changed shortly before storage, but I may be putting a few more miles on it after that oil change, weather permitting.

 

not sure that i would just let it sit... it would be a good idea to take it out for a drive at least a few times- a drive of about 20-30 minutes imo.
i know from experience that an engine that sits will have harmful results. i had a tractor that sat over the winter- the fuel clogged the carb (or in your case your injectors), and we had rust issues inside engine parts.
gas goes bad (oxidizes) and moisture can collect inside an engine. by running it (again i would take it on the road) you can keep from damaging it this way.
by the way, if you drive it and get it dirty- thats a good excuse for a detail that it probably needs anyway!

 

Unfortunately wanabe, tomspedale and I are from states that don't enjoy California winters, that is, we're storing our cars in anticipation of snowfall that will prevent us from taking the car out once in a while, though I do agree that would be the best option. And current wisdom has been that a fuel stabilizer isn't necessary for storage of six months or less. I'm personally hoping that mine doesn't have to sit for any longer than two months, but the winters up here can be unpredictable.

 

so djohnston, are you following a similiar plan as me? Are you just going to let it sit or start it up every now and then. Last year I started it every 2 weeks, but from what I've read, that might do more harm than good. It would be really nice to take it for a drive a few times during the winter, but I take the insurance off leaving only fire and theft in order to save some $$. Sorry, but I'm cheap.

 

Make sure your gas tank is full.

If you leave the car on the ground fill the tires up to like 40-45lbs.

I put mine on stands for the winter - it gives a good excuse to clean the underside of the car.

Leave the parking brake off if possible too.

Mine sits on stands for 4-5 months and I never start it. Done this for three winters now with no problems.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by tomspedale
[B]so djohnston, are you following a similiar plan as me?

 

This will be my first year to store the S2000, but here is what I have done for the past 10 years with my CRX-Si which gets stored in an unheated garage, generally from beginning of November to end of April.
To store the car I do the following:
1- Each and every time I go for a drive in October when I bring the car home I wash and dry it and fill it up with gas so the tank is full. You want the smallest air gap in the tank because temp changes will cause condensation in there, I've never been a big advocate of fuel stabilizer but some are and that is okay if you want to go that route.
2- As soon as the first snow flies the car is grounded, I do not bring it out until we have had the last salting of the road, followed by 1 or 2 major rainstorms. I do not start the car up during the winter!
3- Oil and filter change - don't leave the dirty oil sitting in the engine for months at a time.
4- Pump the tires to about 45 to 50 psi.
5- Be sure the window wash fluid is the anti-freeze kind and not some straight water.
6- Check anti-freeze for how low it is good for and adjust if needed.
7- Every 3 years radiator flush
8- Every 3 years tranny fluid change
9- Top off any other fluids under the hood.
10- Sweep the garage floor, mine is concrete, lay down a plastic tarp or park the car on linoleum. Concrete can get damp in the winter and if the car sits on linoleum or a tarp it will help to keep most of the moisture away from the car so the underbody does not collect condensation.
11- Remove battery and take it to the warmth of the heated house. Make sure you have the stereo code before unhooking the battery!
12- Open up the battery cells and fill up with distilled water.
13- Put the trickle charger on the battery (2-3 amp) and run it each and every weekend, but not during the weekdays, so it is 5 off and 2 on all winter long.
14- Clean out the interior really well, leave nothing behind, check all small compartments, you don't want a pack of gum left in a storage compartment or a used piece wadded up in the ash tray - trust me on this!
15- If you have a big exhaust tip (4" on CRX-Si) stuff a rag into the end so it is closed, without a catalytic converter and a 2.5" free flow exhaust I'm scarred to think how far up into the engine a small rodent could go. Even if you know you don't have a mouse problem plan ahead, trust me on this!
16- Spray lightly a bit of Febreeze (fabric deodorizer) on both floor mats, it off sets the bad smell of the next one.
17- Place several mothballs around the interior, placing them on small paper plates so they are not in contact with the car. AND based upon my experience, make a list of how many you placed in the car and where, I've had years where I smelt that crap until mid summer when I finally opened a compartment and realized there was a moth ball still in the car- UGH!
18- Open sunroof, roll windows down half way and put car cover on, you do not want to seal the cabin closed.
19- Place several mouse traps around the car, bait them with peanut butter, and remember even if you know you don't have a mouse problem, plan ahead, trust me on this!

During the winter I do the following:
- I do not start the car, I see no real advantage of starting it up and really think it does more harm than good.

 

Hmmmm... I just planned on giving mine a good cleaning and waxing, getting the oil changed and letting it sit until it rains a few times after the last salt coating on the roads.

 

I dunno about leaving the car on the ground, if you are gonna do that drive it over some foam insulation. Or make sure the ground is really really clean.