The Prophet

ok guys, this is my first year storing the car and i want to know the tips to storing the car...

any help would be great

nraf

have all your fluids changed, i know that is one
dont have to much gas in it, gas gos to ****,
take of rims and tires, lower air PSI, start car once a week

i know all that are some great tips

bbarbulo

iTrader: (2)

^^^ except the fluids changed part, those are ALL WRONG

#1 having a little bit of gas in the tank can cause water vapour buildup and can cause your gas tank to rust from the inside, and your fuel could also freeze. you're supposed to fill the tank completely and add STP Fuel Stabilizer.

you're supposed to increase PSI if you are keeping the car on any kinda tire, even put folded up blankets under the tires to prevent the tire from going out of round. But the car should be placed on jack stands and the wheels removed and stored at room temp.

you're NOT supposed to start and idle the car, that's more damage than you could cause by driving it all winter. You are supposed to relieve the fuel system of pressure, inject some oil into the spark plug wells, and put the plugs back in, put mothballs around your car and your engine to prevent rodents and whatnot from making homes in your engine and wiring.

also wash and wax the car, use a car cover over winter, wax your door jambs, and also plug your exhaust (again to prevent animals from getting up there)

remove the battery and keep in on a trickle charger.

also, I wrote a detailed one last year so search for it... plus it's all in your Honda Owners Manual.

cibs

ya i was just gonna say... way to use the search! hahaha lol j/k,

helps me out too cuz i wanted to know this info but was too lazy to search myself.... how about you post a link to the old one when u find it brad?


bruno - by relieving the fuel system of pressure what do you mean?

bbarbulo

iTrader: (2)

well, you can just let the system bleed down naturally (and then just LEAVE the car - ie. not prime the pump), or you can disconnect the line at the rail... cuz fuel vapours create varnish deposits on your fuel injectors, so they would spray like crap... but you can just run some seafoam green through your next tank of gas and all would be good again!

bbarbulo

iTrader: (2)

http://torontocivics.com/tccforums/s...winter+storage

The Prophet

thanks bruno

bbarbulo

iTrader: (2)

no prob Brad always like to see Civics get put away

imported_viper_2_4

bbarbulo, I agree with most of what you said, but am unsure why starting the car would be worse than driving it all winter, besides that fact that you would have to do a lot of your storage stuff again (fogging oil in the cylinders, let out fuel presure, ect)..??

The Prophet

it says that in the Honda owners manual so there must be some logic behind it

think of it as hibernation.... once you put all the precautions into the car it hibernates


like a bear who eats tons and then sleeps for months... you dont see him getting up and going for a quick jog and going back to sleep


lol
i dunno if that made any sense but oh well

bbarbulo

iTrader: (2)

because idling is hard on the car... first of all. then there is the dry starts... after a week of sitting, ALL the oil is in the pan, whereas a car that's used daily, and hence started up two or three times a day, the oil stays in the passages pretty well. After a week, it's bone dry. Then there is cylinder wall washdown from idling, gas seeps past the rings and contaminates the oil, further thinning it out. Then there is the condensation, a hot engine that was burning gasoline (and a byproduct of combustion happens to be water vapour as well) will have a nice content of moisture in the exahust. Hence, you're creating wicked conditions for corrosion for the body, and also as the car cools you'll get condensation in the exhaust. You guys ever seen cars spill water out of the tailpipe?? that's exhaust vapour that's condensed. You do not want that sitting in your exhaust for 6 months. Then there is the uneven heating, only the engine is warming up, there is nothing else like the tranny and whatnot that's being used, so it's not gonna reach operating temps. that's also not good.

So basically, leave it till April, then come back and de-winterize it. Forget you even own it.

imported_Dawson

dry cold starts in the winter are the worst for cars id put gas in and fuel stabilizer change the fluids releive the pressure in the fuel system and take your rims and tires off cause you dont want flat spots in the tires from prolonged sitting in one spot

QuiCK_TiME

wut if i have to store my car outdoors???

bbarbulo

iTrader: (2)

wax it well now... and it would be good to use a HIGH QUALITY outdoor car cover from California Car Cover company. They have excellent car covers. But no cover is better than a ****ty car cover, cuz the car is still allowed to breathe. It'll be fine outside as long as you have waxed it and there isn't bird poop on the car.