Storing car advice

MyNeonSaysHi · Post by **MyNeonSaysHi** » Sat Dec 14, 2013 12:03 am

My car has been chilling in the garage for almost 4 months now and might probably turn into 7 months or so since the transmission is out and it has been just too cold plus lack of motivation and time to get it all back together with the new parts.

Only the front end is up in the air. Has a pretty much full tank of e70.

Do I need to raise the rear up to prevent flat spots? My buddy said it would have to be over a year for that to happen. Will the e70 in there damage my pump or anything else? Stabil probably won't do anything if I were to pour it in there since I cannot start the car without the transmission.

Battery is just chilling on the ground in the garage with no tender too.

Just have been thinking about it lately and not sure what precautions I should take. Thanks.

Post by **occasional demons** » Sat Dec 14, 2013 9:14 am

Seafoam or Stabil will still help keep the fuel from going flat.

You could put some support under the rear crossmember to take some of the load off of the rear springs, but still leave it so the tires are touching the ground.

A battery tender might not be a bad investment, they are cheap enough, certainly cheaper than a battery. Keeping it in a cool place helps too. A battery will retain it's charge better when cool vs hot.

Might want to plug the end of the exhaust to keep mice out too.

INVUJerry · Post by **INVUJerry** » Sat Dec 14, 2013 10:34 am

If it's on concrete, it could dry rot the rear tires if they're on the concrete. You could take the rear off the ground, or put spares or something on it instead.

Midnight_Rider · Post by **Midnight_Rider** » Sat Dec 14, 2013 5:56 pm

occasional demons wrote:Seafoam or Stabil will still help keep the fuel from going flat.

here filled up the tank before storing the car (I had one more trip planned in the fall but it didn't pan out). Is fuel going flat a real problem? The car started up fine last spring after having gas in the tank all winter.

FAC3L3SS · Post by **FAC3L3SS** » Sat Dec 14, 2013 6:05 pm

Don't forget to fart in the car and hurry and get out!

If it doesn't stink in spring, the car is leaky!

Midnight_Rider · Post by **Midnight_Rider** » Sat Dec 14, 2013 8:11 pm

Post by **occasional demons** » Sat Dec 14, 2013 8:27 pm

A full tank will keep better than a near empty one. A can of Seafoam still wouldn't hurt.

As a fuel system additive, Sea Foam helps, clean carburetor jets, clean passageways, clean fuel injectors, clean deposits, stabilize fuel for up to 2 years, control moisture and adds lubricity to fuel.

As far as tires on concrete, you could put a couple of old floor mats under them.

titansxt · Post by **titansxt** » Sat Dec 14, 2013 11:09 pm

I still have the same tank of gas from LAST time I stored my car. I drove the SRT that few amount of miles this year. I figured the Stabil from last fall should still be doing its job. I'm not worried.

I've never heard of dry rotted tires from a car sitting for a few months let alone from being on concrete. Dry rot is exactly what is sounds like, the tires get dry. The natural and synthetic oils of a tire get pushed around to the surface while being driven on. Hence why tires dry rot over time with little to no use. I'm talking years, not months. UV rays kill a tire pretty quick too but I'm certain a car stored in a garage has little to fear about that. I've never once lifted my tires off the ground and never once have I had a flat spot. Tires these days are far superior to anything in the past. Best advice is to over inflate (about 40 psi) the tires and leave them be till spring.

thy_2003sxt4 · Post by **thy_2003sxt4** » Sun Dec 15, 2013 10:44 am

Could also consider fogging the engine for you can just let it sit til its ready to go. That way you dont have to worry about the internals rusting in storage.

titansxt · Post by **titansxt** » Sun Dec 15, 2013 10:47 am

thy_2003sxt4 wrote:Could also consider fogging the engine for you can just let it sit til its ready to go. That way you dont have to worry about the internals rusting in storage.

The oil already inside will do just as good of a job.

Post by **occasional demons** » Sun Dec 15, 2013 12:31 pm

As long as the engine is covered, it should be fine for that short of a time. Being inside a building is a plus, a temperature controlled environment even better. Condensation is a bitch.

The 3.0 I dropped into the GDF's Sundance was out in the woods in a wooden box for 12 years, and cranked up just fine, once I cleaned the chipmunk nest out of the intake valley.

viewtopic.php?t=53223

sidepipe87 · Post by **sidepipe87** » Sun Dec 15, 2013 12:43 pm

FAC3L3SS wrote:Don't forget to fart in the car and hurry and get out!

If it doesn't stink in spring, the car is leaky!

I did this last year but when i went back to the car in spring there was black mold growing inside it... It's possible it was a slight shart, but are they actually poisonous enough to grow mold?

Post by **occasional demons** » Sun Dec 15, 2013 3:52 pm

You must have been sporting wood when you let it rip. Black mold needs wood to grow.

Perv.

Midnight_Rider · Post by **Midnight_Rider** » Sun Dec 15, 2013 8:30 pm

Good golly, this thread has really gone off-topic.

sidepipe87 · Post by **sidepipe87** » Sun Dec 15, 2013 9:33 pm

Well if you really care about the topic then I'd say that I usually back my car in the garage tight against the wall, hook it up to the battery tender and put Stabil in the tank. This year I didn't put Stabil in since I'll probably pull it in and out a few times for jobs on other cars. Come to think of it, I'm not even sure the last time I put gas in the car... probably on the way home from Carlisle.

Post by **jonnymopar** » Sun Dec 15, 2013 11:24 pm

Every year, the Daytona goes in a corner from November to April-ish. I've never done a thing to it before I put it away, other than make sure the tire pressure is right, and take it for a good drive so I've got fresh memories in my head all winter. I've never really paid attention to how much fuel was in it, but I'll usually just go easy on it in the spring until a full tank of fresh fuel has gone through it. Tires have never given me a problem.

MyNeonSaysHi · Post by **MyNeonSaysHi** » Mon Dec 16, 2013 12:25 am

Great advice you guys. Minus the farting/sharting in the car.

Being the fuel is e70 not make much of a difference? Bit worried about that. So Seafoam over Stabil? Might as well jack the rear end up to take the load off the tires.

MyNeonSaysHi · Post by **MyNeonSaysHi** » Tue Dec 17, 2013 12:40 am

Ended up putting a full can of Seafoam in gas tank, 44 psi in both tires and lifted rear up and put cardboard under the rear tires and dropped it back down.

dblsg · Post by **dblsg** » Wed Dec 18, 2013 9:37 am

sidepipe87 wrote: Come to think of it, I'm not even sure the last time I put gas in the car... probably on the way home from Carlisle.

and i haven't drove to Carlisle in the past 2 years

Midnight_Rider · Post by **Midnight_Rider** » Wed Dec 18, 2013 4:20 pm

dblsg wrote:...and i haven't drove to Carlisle in the past 2 years

That needs to change.[/off-topic]

MyNeonSaysHi · Post by **MyNeonSaysHi** » Sat Jul 19, 2014 12:20 am

Fast forward 7 months later... Car is still on jackstands, but only got about 2 or so hours worth of work left. Last time I changed the oil was the beginning of June 2013. So it has been over 13 months. About 2k on the oil. Pennzoil Platinum 10w-30. Good idea to change it out before I try to start it up?

Post by **occasional demons** » Sat Jul 19, 2014 1:50 pm

It will be fine. Whatever moisture has accumulated in the oil would still be in the stuff that's left after draining. I would start it and let it get up to operating temp before changing it, if you plan to change it.

Technically fresh oil should be put in before storing for a long period, as any acids from higher mileage oil could slowly eat away at things in there.

Or flush it with cheap ATF and drain. Just remember to add oil when starting.

MyNeonSaysHi · Post by **MyNeonSaysHi** » Sat Jul 19, 2014 8:24 pm

Didn't get me in time. I ended up draining the old oil. And put fresh 0w-40 Mobil 1 in with new filter. I let it drain for about 2 hours. Won't run it that long before I change it again.

Oh yeah, she runs! Fired right up. Even with a full tank of e70 in there from Sept 2013.

I did put a full can of Seafoam in there too.

Post by **occasional demons** » Sat Jul 19, 2014 8:44 pm

Whatever moisture, if any, probably evaporated once it got up to temp anyways.

MyNeonSaysHi · Post by **MyNeonSaysHi** » Sun Jul 20, 2014 3:27 pm

Thanks man