Storing a car for 3 months
#1
Storing a car for 3 months
My car will not be in use for about three more months. I have been working out of state for the last three months and have three more months to go until i come back home. I have currently being coming home once a month and driving my car on the weekend. Today i noticed some oil in the engine and also my coolant was empty, although i filled it the last month. The car is a 1995 Maxima 5sp. I also had to charge the battery.
Any ideas on how to store a car for this length of time with once a month driving. I will change oil, flush the coolant, change brake and clutch fluid tommorow, fill her up and also give her a wash.
Is there anything i need to do to prevent repair (engine, electrical, body) for this length of inactivity for the car. The car is outdoors on a concrete surface.
Any ideas on how to store a car for this length of time with once a month driving. I will change oil, flush the coolant, change brake and clutch fluid tommorow, fill her up and also give her a wash.
Is there anything i need to do to prevent repair (engine, electrical, body) for this length of inactivity for the car. The car is outdoors on a concrete surface.
#2
oil in the engine? or water in the oil? if there is water in the oil, your head gsaket is probably going. as for the inactivity, the only thing you should do is unplug your battery. no sense in changing the oil and refilling the coolant as it will jsut drain right back into the oil while it sits there. do it when you get back.
#5
Put in fuel stabilizer, fill you tank and run it a mile or two....
If you use traditional motor oil, give it a change before storing it. If you use synthetic, it's not as important.
If you are putting it in a garage, make some precautions about rodents, they love to store "treats" in the engine compartment, and chew on wires.
If you use traditional motor oil, give it a change before storing it. If you use synthetic, it's not as important.
If you are putting it in a garage, make some precautions about rodents, they love to store "treats" in the engine compartment, and chew on wires.
#6
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You can also probably pull the battery and put it on a trickle charger to hold the charge in the battery.
Make sure the tank is completly filled all the time. Even a little space can harber condensation in your tank. Water out or some type of gas additive will work to have in the tank at all times.
-matt
Make sure the tank is completly filled all the time. Even a little space can harber condensation in your tank. Water out or some type of gas additive will work to have in the tank at all times.
-matt
#7
Originally Posted by XAugusta MoonX
Get the gas stabilizer too. Or just run it dry.
Gas stabilizer is the way to go.
#12
Originally Posted by 00MaxSE
Put Stabil in your tank, fill up on gas, pull the battery and put it on a trickle charger. That's what I do.
#14
Originally Posted by Chefasaurus
Put the car on jackstands to keep from flatspotting the tires.
#15
Do a web search for motorcycle storage. There you'll find many good ways to store your ride.
Simply, fill tank with gas and stabilizer, change oil/filter, pump up the tires, put a plastic bag over the exhaust outlet, put battery on trickle charger, wash/wax and put a venting cover on it. Most important is not to run the engine until you are taking it out of storage. Running just introduces moisture / condensation to the engine innards. If you are finding water in the oil, its likely due to you running it once a month.
Simply, fill tank with gas and stabilizer, change oil/filter, pump up the tires, put a plastic bag over the exhaust outlet, put battery on trickle charger, wash/wax and put a venting cover on it. Most important is not to run the engine until you are taking it out of storage. Running just introduces moisture / condensation to the engine innards. If you are finding water in the oil, its likely due to you running it once a month.
#16
Originally Posted by chrisZ
Do a web search for motorcycle storage. There you'll find many good ways to store your ride.
Simply, fill tank with gas and stabilizer, change oil/filter, pump up the tires, put a plastic bag over the exhaust outlet, put battery on trickle charger, wash/wax and put a venting cover on it. Most important is not to run the engine until you are taking it out of storage. Running just introduces moisture / condensation to the engine innards. If you are finding water in the oil, its likely due to you running it once a month.
Simply, fill tank with gas and stabilizer, change oil/filter, pump up the tires, put a plastic bag over the exhaust outlet, put battery on trickle charger, wash/wax and put a venting cover on it. Most important is not to run the engine until you are taking it out of storage. Running just introduces moisture / condensation to the engine innards. If you are finding water in the oil, its likely due to you running it once a month.
![Oh noes](https://maxima.org/forums/images/smilies/ohnoes.gif)
#17
Trickle charger & gas stabilizer are the way to go. Don't underestimate the damage the rodents can do. If you can, put some moth ***** in the wheel wells & engine compartment. My buddy returned after an extended trip to find a huge population of mice were enjoying his engine compartment!
#18
Originally Posted by Red96MaxSE
Trickle charger & gas stabilizer are the way to go. Don't underestimate the damage the rodents can do. If you can, put some moth ***** in the wheel wells & engine compartment. My buddy returned after an extended trip to find a huge population of mice were enjoying his engine compartment!
![Ugh](https://maxima.org/forums/images/smilies/ugh.gif)
#19
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in addition to the aforementioned fuel system prep, you may want to put a few squirts of LC20 (or just plain synthetic oil) down each spark plug hole and turn the crank a couple times before leaving it. this will prevent any CC corrosion while the car sits.
and don't just fill up your radiator and leave it - you MUST purge the entire system of air before letting it sit or you will have cooling system issues.
and don't just fill up your radiator and leave it - you MUST purge the entire system of air before letting it sit or you will have cooling system issues.
#20
Originally Posted by 00MaxSE
I just put little carpet squares under the tires. I did this last winter with no problems.
If you're really worried about flatspotting, I suggest filling the tires to max pressure allowed by the tire, or just lifting it on jackstands.
But I don't think flatspotting is worth worrying about in any case where the car is parked for less than a year.
Dave
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