Storing car for the winter, how to keep oil good?

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Fordiesel69

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I could not word my title correctly, so here it goes.

Last winter I stored my car in a 45 degree garage and had to sometimes move the car outside to pull another in to work on it. After doing this a few times my oil got cloudy from the quick starts not getting the oil temp up. So I changed the oil in the middle of winter and never started it again.

This year I am not so lucky, I had to rent a storage unit that is not in any way heated. I want to pull the battery and never start it. I was advised to not do that unless I remove the spark plugs and fog the cylinders. I am not going to do that for the reason the 4.6L's have inherent thread problems with plugs ejecting. So I assume I will need to start it every month or two and need to know how long it will need to idle to warm the oil enough to not cause moisture.

BTW, I am running PP, and it was the brand of oil that got cloudy last year.
 
Do not start it. Just leave it in storage and dont worry about starting it,as you'll just get moisture,condensation in the oil.

I've stored my mustang this way for years now. Take battery out,fill fuel tank full of gas and add some Stabil,and leave stored until spring / summer.
 
How many months do you store yours? I will need mine in storage until mid to late april to avoid the salt.

How will I keep the cylinders from rusting?

Rust has destoryed every nice vehicle I have owned and it will not destroy this one.
 
Originally Posted By: Fordiesel69
How many months do you store yours? I will need mine in storage until mid to late april to avoid the salt.

How will I keep the cylinders from rusting?

Rust has destoryed every nice vehicle I have owned and it will not destroy this one.


It's in storage from November until May.
The cylinders will be fine.
 
Here is my recommendation for what it is worth:

Stabil and Marvel Mystery Oil in the gas.
Change the oil and filter just prior to storage.
Check the cooling system/antifreeze.
Top off all fluids.

Operate vehicle long enough to bring the fresh oil up to operating temperature and get the MMO and Stabil into the fuel injectors and upper cylinder area.
The MMO will serve to "fog" the upper cylinder area to some degree.
If it were mine I would park it with a double dose of MMO and premium gas to make up for the octane loss.
Park it, install a battery tender or remove the battery and forget it until you are ready to put it back into service again.

Good luck Sir.

Rickey.
 
Originally Posted By: Fordiesel69
I could not word my title correctly, so here it goes.

Last winter I stored my car in a 45 degree garage and had to sometimes move the car outside to pull another in to work on it. After doing this a few times my oil got cloudy from the quick starts not getting the oil temp up. So I changed the oil in the middle of winter and never started it again.

This year I am not so lucky, I had to rent a storage unit that is not in any way heated. I want to pull the battery and never start it. I was advised to not do that unless I remove the spark plugs and fog the cylinders. I am not going to do that for the reason the 4.6L's have inherent thread problems with plugs ejecting. So I assume I will need to start it every month or two and need to know how long it will need to idle to warm the oil enough to not cause moisture.

BTW, I am running PP, and it was the brand of oil that got cloudy last year.



For winter storage you really don't have to pull the plugs. Make sure you have fresh oil and a new filter. Get some MMO and some stabil. Add 1 qt of MMO to the gas tank along with the recommended amount of Stabil, add them at the gas station, and fill the tank. Drive the car for about 1/2 hour park it. The MMO will stop any flash rusting inside the cylinders. No need to restart the car until the spring, pull the battery.
 
I would fog the engine through the intake before shuting it down. Also turn the engine over (by hand if needed) to prevent the valve springs that are open are not compressed for the whole time.
 
You don't have to pull the plugs, fog the cylinders but if I had some extra time, and cared about it I think I would. I'm not sure what would be the best thing to fog the cylinder with, but I did see Walmart carried Stabil fog spray now, if it were me I would do some research on what to us to fog the cylinders with, and the main point being corrosion/ring sticking prevention.

A engine that is in great condition will be the one that will have stuck rings before one that is wore, or consumes oil, that is a killer if you think about it, engines in tip top shape will have problems with corrosion in the cylinders, and stuck rings, and a wore out oil burner, or even one with high miles that consumes just a mediocre amount of oil will be just fine.
 
i've always stored my thunder bird with never fogging the cylinders etc, i just park it and never start it till i get it out for spring.

this year i just ran down to less then quarter tank of gas, put some fuel stabilizer in it, let it run for 5 min then shut it down.
 
If you're just storing it over a winter, there isn't much to do. Fuel stabilizer and some blocks are all you need. Just disconnect the battery and let it sit. Change the oil before you start it back up in the spring. I, an many other Mustang owners, have been doing that without any problems.

Longer term storage requires more effort, but that's not what we're talking here.
 
No point in fogging the cylinders if you're storing it for just the winter. The qt of MMO in the gas tank I suggested will protect the cylinders from flash rusting, if the OP is worried about that. Yes longer term storage requires more effort.
 
I'm curious as to what the consensus is regarding tires when storing the vehicle over 4-6 months? Better to raise the car on stands or would it be alright to leave it on the ground?
 
If you don't start it, there will be no moisture in the oil to disperse.
Your battery is going to be a problem. Keep it charged, or bring it somewhere else to keep it warm and charged.
Jack up your tire pressures - 35-40.
Use Sta-Bil and MMO in the gas, and run it before you make your last oil change to get it inside and on parts.
 
Originally Posted By: Peter_Pan
I'm curious as to what the consensus is regarding tires when storing the vehicle over 4-6 months? Better to raise the car on stands or would it be alright to leave it on the ground?


This out-of-date advice stems from the thoughts of 20+ years ago, when bias ply tires were common. With radials, there is no reason whatsoever to jack it up on stands. I stored for 2 years (on the ground) with zero problems.
 
i store 8 vehicles for winter, change oil, add stabil, run 5 minutes, remove battery, cover car, see you in april.
 
Originally Posted By: gfh77665
Originally Posted By: Peter_Pan
I'm curious as to what the consensus is regarding tires when storing the vehicle over 4-6 months? Better to raise the car on stands or would it be alright to leave it on the ground?


This out-of-date advice stems from the thoughts of 20+ years ago, when bias ply tires were common. With radials, there is no reason whatsoever to jack it up on stands. I stored for 2 years (on the ground) with zero problems.


http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=37

Jackstands will remove weight from the springs and prevent sagging over a long time period
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: Peter_Pan
I'm curious as to what the consensus is regarding tires when storing the vehicle over 4-6 months? Better to raise the car on stands or would it be alright to leave it on the ground?


From the Yokohama TSB Tire Storage Recommendations`

TIRES INSTALLED ON VEHICLES
Storage area should be level, well drained. Care should be taken to avoid prolonged contact with
petroleum based substances: oils, fuels and asphalt.
Long term storage, or storage of seasonal vehicles; i.e. RV's, boat trailers and show cars requires special
preparations. Vehicles should be raised on blocks, so weight is removed from the tires.
TECHNICAL SERVICES BULLETIN Tire Storage Recommendations
11/21/2002
TIRE STORAGE RECOMMENDATIONS - Page 2
If blocking is not possible, tire pressure should be increased 25% from inflation required for the loaded
vehicle. Vehicles should be moved every three months to prevent flat spotting and ozone cracking at the
tire sidewall flex point. Flat spots usually disappear, when the tires warm-up, after a 25+ mile drive.
Flat spotting, which occurs on vehicles not moved for six, or more months may not disappear.
 
Originally Posted By: Bluestream

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=37

Jackstands will remove weight from the springs and prevent sagging over a long time period


The springs are made to support the car. All of the bushings and balljoints, however, are meant to be in their standard loaded position not stretched to their limit with the suspension dangling.

Next time you're under your car with it up on stands, check the shape of all of the bushings, links and ball joints. The type/brand of vehicle and design of the suspension will greatly affect how much of an issue this is. Next thing you know when you drop it back on the ground you've got play in everything as all of the formerly round holes are now ovals, dust boots are torn etc.... That'll be a really entertaining alignment too.

On my BMW with multi-link front/rear suspension and bushings mounting the front/rear suspension subframes to the rest of the chassis this is a big deal.

I strongly disagree with storing on stands.

When I was winter storing a Porsche, I'd run the tires up to ~50psi and depending on the storage situation I'd try to roll the car forward and back by hand a couple of feet every couple of weeks - never any flat spots.

I'd also fog the cylinders, shove steel wool in sandwich bags into all of the orifices (tail pipes, air intakes), chock the wheels and leave it in neutral (so no transmission springs were kept compressed) without the parking brake set (so nothing seizes and springs aren't compressed). I would fill the gas tank as full as possible so the daily temperature cycle wouldn't cause moisture in the gas tank (a standard winter DRIVING practice here, let alone storage practice) and use stabilizer. I don't feel that leaving the tank close to empty is a good practice.

Change the oil before storage so the acids and contamination is flushed away. Don't start it until you're ready to drive it, and make the first drive a good one to clear any moisture out of the oil.

The battery always came out of the car and was regularly topped up or left on a long-term tender. This all worked like a charm for years.
 
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