I took my car out of the storage today after the 4-month hibernation. The car started right up without ANY hesitation at all and everything ran so smoothly as if it had never been stored before. I was very surprised and pleased with the result of my meticulous preparation for the storage.
For those of you plan on storing your car for the winter, here I list some steps you can take to minimize the damage during the storage. I have been thinking of doing this “write-up� long time ago but I was not much inspired plus I was lazy. Please note that these basic preparation guidelines are for short-term storage (about 3-6 months) and for your reference only. There are some other steps you will have to take if the car is to be stored for a longer period of time but I will not cover them here.
EXTERIOR
Wash and wax your car. But do not put the car away wet. The car must be completely dried before storage. Dry the car as you normally would and take the car out for a spin to get rid of the water in the hidden areas. Driving will also remove the rust formation on the brake rotors during washing. After driving, use a damp cloth to wipe off the brake dust left on the alloy wheels. Be careful not to touch the brake rotors or rust can form. It’s also a good idea to apply a coat of wax to protect the paint finish. You may wish to do this a month before the winter actually comes since you would have a hard time to get a good waxing when the ambient temperature goes below 60ºF. Use a breathable car cover if the car is stored outdoors. Don’t use any kind of plastic covers since they will trap moisture.
INTERIOR
All the upholstery and carpeting should be thoroughly cleaned prior to storage. Keep the interior as dry as possible. My car was stored indoors and there was not much of a problem. If you store the car outdoors you may want to place some moisture-absorbing materials like baking soda or newspaper inside the car to cut down on the moisture. If you have leather upholstery give it a good conditioning. I switched the mode control to “floor� position and closed all the vents on the dash.
ENGINE
It’s very important to change the oil and filter before the storage. Never leave the used oil in the engine unattended for extended period of time. The contaminants in the used oil can cause corrosion inside your engine. After the oil change, take the car for a one last highway drive before putting it away. This will circulate the fresh oil throughout the engine and get rid of any moisture in the engine and exhaust components. A highway driving will also help ensure that your battery be fully charged prior to storage.
If your radiator coolant, transmission fluid, or brake fluid has not been changed for a long time, this is a good timing to have these fluid flushed and/or replaced. You can top off (to the highest as possible) the brake fluid reservoir so it has less space for the condensation to form.
GASOLINE
Prepare to fill the gas tank with as much fresh gasoline as possible. This means that to use as much old gasoline in the tank as possible before the last fill-up. Definitely use some fuel stabilizer (STP or STA-BIL). Add an appropriate dose in the tank before fill-up and drive the car for a while to ensure full distribution in the entire fuel system. I fill the gas as full as possible (up to the neck of the gas filler opening) to, again, provide less space for the condensation to form inside the tank.
Emptying the gas tank completely is also an alternative. You will need to drain the gas and continue to run the engine until it stalls. You will also have to make sure there is no gas in the gas lines, fuel pump, vacuum, etc. I am not going to go through all the details here since for just 3-4 months of storage this would be overkill. I find that topping of the gas tank does just fine and there are much less troubles involved.
BATTERY
The best way to preserve the battery is to remove it from the car and store in a dry cool (room temperature) place, especially if you are going to store the car outdoors. Put the battery on a block of wood (away from concrete surfaces) and trickle charge it if some degrees of discharging is observed. If you are lazy, make sure you at least disconnect the battery to avoid drainage. I was lazy and I just simply disconnected the negative cable from the battery. I checked the voltage of my battery at the end of the 3-month storage and it showed no signs of discharging. It still had its original full 12.8 volts!
TIRES
I do not put the car on the blocks for storage simply to avoid the chances of bending the frame. My logic is that it costs less and there will be less hassle to replace tires than to straighten the body. To save the tires from developing flat spots, I just over-inflate the tires by 6-8 psi and roll the car back and forth once every other week. Pick a wheel and record its valve stem position so you don’t move the car to the same spot again and again. Today’s radial tires are of very good quality and flat spots are rarely a problem. I have once left my 1995 Prelude in the garage unattended for almost two months and I observed no flat spots on its stock Michelins.
If you feel more comfortable having your four corners off the ground, I would recommend that you put the jack stands or blocks under the suspension parts such as control arms instead of the frame. This way a proper loading on the springs and shocks can also be maintained. Putting the car on its frame and letting the suspension dangling at its full extension is not a good idea, at least to me. I know that’s definitely not the way the car is designed, and I don’t want my shock’s piston to rust. If you are afraid that the suspension might sag when sitting still for months, you worry too much.
RUBBER SEALS
You should apply a light coat of silicone lubricant on the weatherstripping/ rubber seal parts to keep them from drying and cracking. These lubricants can be purchased at Wal-Mart, AutoZone or any hardware stores for less than two bucks. Spray liberally onto a clean cloth and apply on the rubber parts around the doors, windows, moonroof, trunk, and in the engine compartment (rubber strips).
STORAGE LOCATION
If you store the car outdoors, there is not much you can do to fight against the extreme temperatures, moisture, animals, etc. However, I would still suggest using a car cover. This can at least protect the car from sunlight, dirt/dust, snow, soot, bird droppings, etc.
A heated garaged is the most ideal for storage but not all of us can afford the operating cost. My garage does not have a humidity control. I simply put a 12’ x 20’ tarp ($19.99 from K-mart) on my garage floor and drive my Prelude on top of it. The tarp serves as a barrier to the moisture that comes from the concrete floor, and keeps the moisture away from the car. You can also just tape together some used shower curtains as a substitute. That saves you some money and should work well too.
If your storage area has pest problems, get some pest control devices. I am an animal lover so please try to use non-poisonous, repellant type of devices like mothballs. We only want them to stay away from our cars…
TO START OR NOT TO START?
I do not start the engine during the storage period if I do not intend to drive the car. For two good reasons:[list=1][*]Starting the car at extremely low temperature puts more stress on the engine. You would do more damages than you could have saved.[*]Simply start the engine and let it idle will not get the oil up to the operating temperatures to evaporate the moisture/fuel vapor/acid/condensation buildups inside the engine and exhaust pipes. This would result in sludge formation and more moisture in the engine.[/List=1]If the weather is clear and you can take the car out for a good spin, then exercise it. Just remember to follow some of the preparation procedures when you put it back in the garage for storage again.
OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER:[list=1][*]Do not apply e-brake. Block the wheels or leave the transmission in gear.[*]Seal the exhaust pipes and intake opening (with aluminum foil) to avoid moisture and animals/insects.[*]Support the wiper arms with folded towels to keep the wiper blades off the windshield.[*]I recommend that you write down whatever procedures you do on a piece of paper, so that when you put the car back in service in the spring you will not forget to reconnect a pipe or drain out some over-filled fluids.[/List=1]
Hope you find this information useful especially for those of you plan on putting your car away for the winter. If you have any better ideas regarding the preparation of the vehicle for storage please share your opinion.
By the way, if you read the post carefully I would expect that you guys be able to correctly answer the pop quiz I give you below…
Q: WHAT IS THE BIGGEST ENEMY TO YOUR CAR DURING THE WINTER STORAGE?
to cover the exhaust , and front of the car. 
Linear Mode
