Storing vehicle for two years

[Justin Kirkham]

All right, as some of you may remember, I am moving for two years, and my baby will be stored. Here is how it will work. She will be put into a unheated, but structurally sound, garage for the next two years, after a good detail and oil change, etc. My father will start it up once a week, let it idle for 15 minutes, he will pull it out of the garage, then pull it back in. Here are my questions:

1. Should I put my car cover on it?
2. What should I do with all the fluids?
3. Should I put anything under the wheels?
4. Anything that I may be overlooking?

-Justin

[CAMAROWIDBASS]

http://www.camarov6.com/ubb/ultimate...c;f=1;t=013379

[FlyBoy9994]

The other post is full of good info but your situation is different. If your Father is going to start it for you than you can skip a lot of unecessary steps.

I notice you live in MI so anti-freeze is a no brainer. Make sure your father lets the car get all the way up to temperature and stays there for several minutes (15 mins. minimum) so the water circulates through the thermostat, radiator, engine etc. Make sure the heater AND defroster is on occasionally so water/coolant can circulate through the heater core too. This will also keep your A/C compressor lubed as the defroster also utilizes the A/C system. Make sure you do a fresh oil and filter change just before you leave. Also, it should keep your battery charged but your father might want to unhook the negative battery cable in between starts, especially during the winter. The only thing I'm not 100% sure about is the fuel. Make sure the tank is near full and do some research on fuel stabilizer. I don't think the original gas will last two years. Anybody else on this??

I would consider a cheap set of old tires. Moving the car once a week for only a few feet may not be enough to stop flat spots. If your father drove your car to the market once a week you wouldn't have to worry about it.

I don't think a car cover would be needed unless the garage is really dirty/dusty. It would make moving the car a lot more convenient without it anyway. Just wax it real good before you leave.

When you get back, change ALL the fluids... coolant, oil, tranny, diff.. EVERYTHING. Slap on your good wheels and tires, wash her up and enjoy!!

For what it's worth... Later

[speedracer95v6]

Since the vette has been getting "painted" :mad: by my uncle it has been sitting for like a year now. I put fuel stabilizer in and it runs fine when I start it.

I'm about to get the paint finished though...grrr...

[V6Bob]

"My father will start it up once a week, let it idle for 15 minutes, he will pull it out of the garage, then pull it back in."

This maight be a bad idea. When a car first starts it generates stuff, like acids, that are bad for the motor. If the engine runs enough, it gets hot enough to boil them out. The above is definitely not enough. It's like doing nothing but driving the car on very short trips, wears it out fast.

Here's one website that seems decent:

http://autorepair.about.com/library/.../aa122003a.htm

Google "storing car months", you'll find more.

Anyway, they say:

"Starting the engine and letting it run until it reaches normal operating temperature is not good enough, and could actually harm the engine. The best thing is a 40 mile drive every two months with the air conditioner on to keep things loose and limber."