Storing your car for winter

[cococola]

Iam putting my 944 away for part winter storage[] with the possibility that I will bring her out on the rare chance of a dry/sunny crisp morning []and I would like feedback on any reccomendations how to store.The car will be garaged with an outdoor/indoor car cover with handbrake off and in gear.Thank you in advance for any tips.[]

 

[Diver944]

How odd [&:] You buy a gorgeous, good handling car and lock it away for part of the year [&:]

Seriously, there are people that store their cars over winter so I'm sure someone will be along with advice.

 

[carlmthompson]

This is pretty much what I do during the winter, and I don't really recommend alot:-

1) A car cover will stop the dust gathering (I haven't got one myself - mainly I just polish and wax before storing so it hoses off easily!)
2) Make sure the tyre pressures are correct so you don't get any flat spots.
3) Connect the car to a battery conditioner so that you can start it at will. I use an Oxford Maximiser, although there are alternatives.

I've also carpetted my garage to minimise the rising damp from a cold concrete floor.

Other than doing that, I've never had any problems starting it after long periods (firmly touching wood at this point!)

 

[John Sims]

I tend to think it does more damage not using a car than using it regularly.

If you leave a car alone for long enough it allows all the oil to drain back into the sump leaving nice unoiled surfaces ready to rub together when you first restart the car. If I'm not using Beaky I still like to start him up and warm up his oil every couple of weeks. Reverse him out of the garage to lift some gear oil around his cogs and scrub off any rust on the disks.

 

[carlmthompson]

There is a line of thinking that that could do more harm than good - mainly 'cause if the car is idling it's not warming up properly, causing premature ([8|]) engine wear, and causes condensation - especially in the exhaust system.

 

[sawood12]

In the few years i've been on this forum I've always noticed a rise in queries about niggly problems around March time from all the people who have left their cars idle over the winter. It doesn't just effect 944's either - it seems to be a common thread accross most of the older models that are getting on a bit now. Why don't you just use the car less frequently over the winter?

I've always thought that some of the best driving days are over the winter - those cold, dry, crisp, clear, blue-sky days that are always a pleasure to drive in as they are not hot, the engine is gulping in all that nice cold air and it just seems fresh somehow. It always makes me wonder what's the point in hard-tops with cabriolets - days like this would be much more enjoyable to drive in than hot sweaty sunny summer days when you just want to be cocooned up nice and comfy in your climate controlled cabin. I would have thought you'd get more use out of a soft top in winter rather than summer.

Anyway, back to your question. I can't really think of anything to add to the comments already made except it would be wise to change the oil as soon as the spring comes in and you get the car moving again to clear all that condensation that would have settled in your oil after being stood all winter.

 

[carlmthompson]

Don't get me wrong Scott, I do use the car in the winter - just not as much and try and avoid days when the gritter has been out, as salt is a bit of a killer no matter how much zinc has been applied!
Ideally I like a sunny day after a good downpour so that most of the salt has been washed away.

 

[Hilux]

1) A car cover will stop the dust gathering (I haven't got one myself - mainly I just polish and wax before storing so it hoses off easily!)
2) Make sure the tyre pressures are correct so you don't get any flat spots.
3) Connect the car to a battery conditioner so that you can start it at will. I use an Oxford Maximiser, although there are alternatives.

I've also carpetted my garage to minimise the rising damp from a cold concrete floor.

Other than doing that, I've never had any problems starting it after long periods (firmly touching wood at this point!)

Having been into concours classic cars a few years ago `how to overwinter your classic` was always a subject that arose at this time of year.

DONT use WD40 to protect steel, it dries out and water then attracts, believe me I know.

If you must use a cover then use one that wicks damp, a cotton type absorbs and holds water (as does a carpet) Most cars with older paint (despite what the manufacturers claim) dont like moisture between a cover and the paint. You dont cover it outside do you []

IMHO a carpet will hold moisture wheras a dry concrete floor will `give up` its moisture (if any).

Ensure plenty of ventilation, I know that it lets in damp air but it equalises the dew point which prevents condensation forming. Note also that good ventilation will also dry out the space regularly too.

Use a battery `optimiser` NOT a charger

Clean off all bugs and bird poo

Wash and wax the car before putting it away

A smigeon of vaseline on the door seals stops them sticking (also works on your daily driver if its frosty/freezing) and wont ruin your best whistle.

Open up garage and car doors and windows on a nice dry day

Sticky (expensive) tyres will flat spot so jack the car off the ground or move car back and forth occasionally

Leave handbrake off

Cover or tape up the air intake, some valves will be open

A squirt of engine oil down the spark plug hole will coat the ring and help stop abrason when starting

When starting up after a long time, take off HT lead and turn over till oil pressure registers

Running the car at idle to warm up is supposed to be a no no, personally the only reason I can see is that it fills your exhaust up with water. I do it now and again but run it at fast idle and rev it much to the neighbours annoyance [] Ensure it reaches max temp and use all switches, heater, wipers etc to esnsure they still work.

etc etc etc

Not that I do any of these any more (except the `optimiser`)

 

[JayKayEm]

I store my '44 over winter for numerous reasons; 6 months SORN saving, gritters; mileage, gets dirty after 3 miles, morons skidding into me in an icy Tesco car park[]. You get the idea.

Plus I can play with other rear drive cars that go sideways in the snow without worrying about getting it a bit wrong []

Some very good points from Hilux there, as pointed out, cranking after storage is always a good idea.

However, for EFI cars, if you pull a HT lead while cranking, the engine ECU still injects fuel.

This will :
a) 'wash' cylinder bores of the residual oil film
b) pump hydrocarbons (unburnt fuel) into the catalytic converter, which destroys the precious metals contained within. Bad news next MoT time. Late cars only, where I believe the MoT cat criteria starts August 1992. I have only seen a handful of K plate 944's so this might be for 968's only.

I prefer to pull the DME relay, which immobilses the ECU and fuel pump. I then crank while watching my oil pressure gauge creep up and then reinsert the DME relay.

Lifters primed, shell bearings lubed. Sorted.

Unless this too has a downside......... please advise

Additional points:
1) I never shut my doors because it compresses the seals over time. I leave them on the first catch.
2) I overpressurise my tyres to prevent flat spotting. A note goes on the dash to rectify!
3) Excersice once a month up and down the (sunny) bypass. Erm, while SORNed. [] cough cough.....