Winter Storage: To start or not to start?

[genXgts]

Have been reading conflicting reports on starting your car that is in winter storage.

While coolant temps will pull into operating range, without a load being put on the motor (driving out of the garage not an option), is the motor really getting warmed sufficiently to get fluids moving?

Have read also to at least roll the car back and forth to get rear end fluid moving, and snick thru the gears to get the tranny fluid moving. Does this really get the fluid moving either? Certainly not warmed up in my opinion, and the flat spot issues can be resolved by pumping up the tires to 40 pounds and sitting the car on carpet.

Anyone offer their opinion, and southerners zipit.com, soon as I find my 20 year old US supermodel named Chloe, I will be moving south, until then it's income tax I pay.

 

[Craig 201 MPH]

Ryan,

We just let ours sit with a trickle charger, no problems. Get any snow today? Just started here in Barrie

 

[FrankBarba]

i use to let my cars sit until some of the collectables started having problems with the carb gaskets drying out, and also the rad, heater hoses and any other rubber hoses drying and starting to dry rot. now all cars in storage run for a minimum of 1/2 each month...just my opinion though.

 

[jimandela]

genXgts,
living here in Buffalo NY I too have storage issues.
I pumped up the tires to 40psi parked up on wood and carpet.
and go visit the unheated storage facility every 6 weeks to start
let run 25-30 mins. then back out about 8 ft or so.
repark a little further forward or back so tires not in exact same spot. recover.

see it again in 6 weeks, repeat. pray for early spring.

this has worked out just fine.
also I leave the window open about 1/4 inch. so that the interior
gets a little air.

also new oil and filer going into storage.
immediate oil change and filter in spring.


best wishes
JIM

 

[SUN RA KAT]

I try to drive mine for at least an hour every week, snow & road conditions permitting. If the weather and/or road conditions get too bad so I can't drive it in 2 weeks' time, I'll break down & get a trickle charger.

 

[jimandela]

went and started it tonight.
might switch to once every 4 weeks instead of 6
started alittle hard. battery must have been getting low.
good luck
JIM

 

[genXgts]

Went ahead and let her run today for half an hour monitoring temp gauge. Fan cycled on/off for a few rounds, cats were getting toasty so shut her down.

Having it running staring at truckloads of snow 5 feet from the frontend hurts, I started making noises pretending I was squealing the tires rowing thru the gears, at that point it was time to leave the garage.

 

[jimandela]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>
Having it running staring at truckloads of snow 5 feet from the frontend hurts, I started making noises pretending I was squealing the tires rowing thru the gears, at that point it was time to leave the garage.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

NICE!