What do you do for winterization?

[RickM]

-Wash car
-Close heater vents
-Place traps into the cabin and trunk and under/around the car
-Place "Moth ball" disk in cabin and trunk (Lavender scent )
-Utilize Battery disconnect and Battery Tender
-Full tank with stabil (Run through system)
-Place thick coat of Wheel Wax on polished and/or cleared wheels. DO NOT buff off
-Overinflate tires
-Cover car with Tyvek car cover (THE best cover for indoor protection)

[fredmeister]

I also like the tips that CHRISP listed except for the dog food.
- I also would recommend storing the battery inside the house and charging it once a month.Cold weather and a slow voltage drain like the radio , alarm, or clock kills the battery
- Park the tires on top of some old carpeting. You want to keep them off the concrete floor as it tends to dry rot the rubber. Rolling the car around every once in a while will keep from flat spotting them and the bearings in good shape too.
- Keep the windows open a crack to let air circulate inside the car. I use an old bedhsheet to cover the car, to keep dust off. A full car cover will not breathe enuff.

[Jayt]

I'm in Connecticut and put my 911 up every year on December 1, and bring it out on April 1. I do the following:

1. Cancel Comprhensive insurance coverage. Keep the rest in place for coverage in case of fire, or a tree falls on the garage, etc.
2. Mice are a big problem during storage. They love to set-up house, raise familys, bring in all manner of acorns and organic foodstuff, dine on wire insulation/car components and poop everwhere. As prevention, I put tins of moth balls in the front boot and the engine compartment. I also use lots of traps and check frequently. Take no prisoners because they will come back immediately! I also cover the openings on the exhaust pipe and the air intake with a screen "chicken wire" mesh, held on with rubber bands. This keeps the little buggers out of the engine internals.
3. Oil change
4. Use a "smart" charger on the battery.
5. Start and run very 3-4 weeks 'till the oil is warm, this keeps the oil from slowly seeping down into the engine and filling it up. Otherwise, plan on a very hard start in the spring! When the car is running, its a good idea to remove the moth balls from the engine compartment so there is no spillage. Don't ask me how I know this.
6. Cover car
7. Put rollers under each wheel....when garage space is tight, it is a cheap way to get the most out of your garage while keeping it easy to move the car around to get at stuff.....like snow blowers, etc.

8. Don't drive the car in the spring until your area has had at least one really good soaking rain to wash all salt residues off the road surface. The salt residues can be in a powder that is easily kicked up in wheel wells, etc. Salt is nasty on everything Porsche related.

Also in the spring, remember to go back to full insurance coverage, and get the moth balls out.

That's been my routine every winter.

[MovOvr1]

I have also heard that you should not put a car up in the air for long periods of time due to the improper extension of the suspension. Granted the tires will not be flat spotted but your suspension might be screwed.

I like the idea of plugging the intake and exhaust. What do you use to do this?

Brian

[Hugh R]

Originally posted by 89911
Mice are definetly a problem, but I would have to go against the dried dog food approach in that you may be actually inviting them in. I use a similar approach, but I use D-Con in little trays that I can tell if it is being eaten. If they snack on this, they ain't coming back

Then they crawl in your walls an die. Use traps instead. I especially like the sticky ones so that when they get stuck they can look up at you and think WTF as you bring the shovel down on their cute little heads.

[RickM]

Originally posted by fredmeister
I use an old bedhsheet to cover the car, to keep dust off. A full car cover will not breathe enuff.

I disagree. Many are designed to do just that. Tyvek, for instance, allows mositure to pass thru yet protect it from infiltrating from th outside...a wet car will dry under it. A bed sheet will absorb condensation/humidity and keep it there for quite a while. Also, cotton covers typically leave their own dust/lint when removed. A black car tells all.

[Jayt]

Use fine mesh Chicken wire sold at any local hardware store. They can't squeeze or chew through this stuff. You can buy it in relatively short lengths.

[CBRacerX]

Mice control is indeed crucial!!!!

I share the garage space with two big shephards. They have full food bowls all the time. Last winter a very industrious mouse poached the food at night and filled up:

Three different toolbox drawers
The Heating System of a 993, which included packing the heater boxes
The Cooling System of a 993 _behind_ the engine fan!
The shifter tunnel of a 993

Major cleanup work resulted, including taking off the engine fan and using a shp vac and "pick up tool" on one piece of food at a time, and the removal of the heater boxes (I didn't have a car turntable...)

This year - sticky traps!!!!!!

Chris

[alan911sc]

Don't cancel the comprehensive insurance coverage as that I believe covers any mishaps due to fire,theft, or vandalism. It also includes your glass coverage. You would want to cancel your liabilty and collision coverages as you are not driving. I overinflate the tires, change oil, wash, and store in garage with windows cracked open, then cover with a breathable car cover. Battery is also removed and charged occasionally with a trickle charger. Been doing this way for years without issue. Oh yes, I forgot- full tank of gas to prevent condensation.

[mede8er]

[Jayt]

"Don't cancel the comprehensive insurance coverage as that I believe covers any mishaps due to fire,theft, or vandalism."

You are right....I should have typed cancel all but Comprehensive. Sorry for the typo.

[Gunter]

WINTER STORAGE IN UNHEATED GARAGE

Here is what I do:

One last long run with injection cleaner in the tank, use up full tank.
Change oil
Fill tank (Add Stabil)
Wash car top and bottom (Including the wheel wells)
Dry car thoroughly, drive a few miles to dry out brakes and bottom
Leave oil cap off during engine cooling to expel hot air
Spread poly sheet on bare concrete, park on poly
Place an open box of baking soda in the car to keep it fresh smelling
Treat leather seats with conditioner
Trickle charger on the battery, or remove battery
Transmission in neutral and emergency brake off
Extra 5 lbs. pressure in tires, roll the car a little every week to avoid flat spots and prevent the brake pads to make a rust spot on the rotors
Put a little Vaseline on the Fuchs wheels
Polish chrome on sunroof assembly
Close heater valves (Rodents!)
Set up mouse traps or bait
Do not use a tarp or poly over the car; it traps moisture!
Put 3-4 old comforters over the car with a 150W light bulb inside secure on a little stand and a 60W light bulb resting in a metal hub cap inside the trunk close to the fuse panel (Fuse box lid removed) It prevents oxidation.
The two bulbs keep things dry at about 50 deg Fahrenheit (10 deg Celsius)
I do not start the engine during winter but crank it every two weeks with the coil, and fuel pump, disconnected to circulate the oil
An old radio plays 911-music while the snow flies

[kqw]

When you plan on driving during winter.....

Change oil to a lower weight.

I don't turn on the defroster until the car interior is warm. This prevents potential dash cracking.

Run the A/C once a week.

Top up windshield washer fluid.

If your garage is not climate controlled, park the car with the engine away from the garage door.

Lay a blanket down in the trunk.

Lubricate all exposed hinges, cables, heater box controls, throttle assm. etc. Protectant on all exposed rubber insulation.

Lubricate the windshield wiper mechanism by removing the arms, turn on the wipers while dropping in 3 in 1 oil.

Purchase the clear plastic floor mats. (quality thick ones)

Anti sieze on lug nuts.

Lexol the leather seats and put the sheeps skins on.

Check the taughtness of fan/A?C belts.

Time for new hood shocks. (once a year replacement)

More later.....

[scottb]

Originally posted by 89911
I use D-Con in little trays that I can tell if it is being eaten. If they snack on this, they ain't coming back

Just hope they don't go off and die in some nook and cranny of the car or your garage. If they do, the smell well haunt you for a very long time.

[89911]

Do you guys in Cal encounter field mice often? Sparing the gruesome details, the mice die from a variety of conditions, one of which is severe dehydration, forcing them to seek water and generally go outdoors unless you leave a watering dish out for them. I live on 4 wooded acres with a barn and keep all my lawn equipment, trailer, and tool in it. It is not uncommon to have 3 or 4 jump out when I cut my grass for the first time in spring. That is why I won't keep my car in it. I frequent use the D-con when things get out of hand. Never found any dead ones in my stuff. Only live ones.

[chrisp]

Regarding the dog food.... I have exactly three pieces of dog food ona small dish under the engine. This is in a 1200 square foot garage. It doesn't invite them but I quickly know when they are there. A constant source would invite them, you're right. And if they do get the feeling I am inviting them to dinner .... they only get that feeling once because then it's a trap for them. I caught three in mid-November and nothing since then.

I don't like the idea of poison and then going somewhere else to die. That somewhere else could be in the engine bay. Also if kids or pets are around the poison is a really bad idea.

A lot of good ideas here.

[randywebb]

No, A constant smell source would invite them, and you have one....

Use snap traps -- or live traps if your heart is pure.

Dcon will kill your dogs & kids, if they eat it.

Mice do not need extraneous water sources. I'm not sure exactly what you are seeing - maybe your area is very dry or hot & dry. But trust me on this - I used to give people PhD's in this area. Humans are at one extreme for the amount of water they need. Few mammals. birds, or reptiles need to drink like we do. (You can use that quote for free with your local bartender).

[GMR911]

Winter storage in unheated garage in upstate NY( > than 10 ft of snow/yr)
1) Take for one last fun ride in November- run engine warm and hard to clean plugs
2) Fill take with Sunoco 93 Octane and add fuel stabilizer
3) Fill tires to 60 lbs
4) Wash car, dry and treat leather interior and Targa top
5) Take battery out and put in basement on wood
6) Put large box of baking soda inside cab
7) Put plastic freezer bags with self closures over intake and exhaust
8) Cover with cotton car cover
9) Take off liability and collision insurance, keep comprehensive insur. on
10) Don't put back on road untill the salt is well washed off the roads in spring
11) Pray all winter that the garage don't cave in due to snow load!

[funy1guy]

1989 Speedster. Sun Valley Idaho: Change the oil, inflate tires to 48 psi, start once a week, when weather permits (roads clear) back out of garage and if possible drive around block few times. For varmits (had one last year who made a nice nest out of part of my Colgin bra) mouse traps in between front wheels and in truck of car , check daily. Had 40 head of elk last winter (seriously) standing on the other side of my fence looking at the car probably wishing they could drive.

[Noel]

One thing I don't understand that many have stated, is the issue of flat spotted tires. I've been storing my 911 and my old 300ZX before that, for the last 15 winters. Sure the tires will slightly flat spot, but they always workout in a couple miles. What is the big deal? If you really want to feel flat spots, try parking for a couple weeks on DOT R race tires that were hot when you parked. But these too worked out in a couple miles.

I also do most of what is stated above (Full tank of fuel, fresh oil, disconnect battery, Fuel stabilizer and car cover), but I do take my car out and drive it for an hour on nice sunny days when a lot of the salt has been washed off of the roads. This usually works out to be about once a month.