Going to visit my car in storage, couple questions!

[joehahn]

Hi Everybody,
In the next day or so I am going to visit my friend who has been in storage in an old lady's semi-warm garage since Nov. 14th. When I parked her (the car not the woman) I had visions of coming back and visiting, perhaps taking her out on a mild day etc., but the weather has been atrocious. Against everyones' advice I pulled her into the garage and threw a cover on her and that was it! No mothballing whatsoever.

I was wondering... is there anything I can/shouuld do at this late stage? I don't plan on being able to drive safely without salt on the roads until about April 15. I really am a novice and can only think of a couple things; perhaps take battery home and keep charged? Move it a little so the tires aren't flattened? Should I start it? Should I do nothing? Please let me know!

Joe

Still looking for a cool steering wheel by the way.

[Ian_G]

Having just read the Nov Car and Driver there was an article on oils for seldome used cars. They got an Exxon petrolium chemist to explain oils and what you might want to use. The gist is that they forumlate oils with differing properties, like friction reducers, detergents, and agents to stop corrosion.

The discussion went all over but for seldom used engines the main factor is corrosion in the engine. For this a deisle oil is best. Basically deisle fuels carry alot of sulfer and what not and really need anti-corrosion agents. Otherwise they are standard oils.

The concern is that older natural rubber seals may swell and leak if used with deisle oils. I know that this would be a problem with british cars, my Triumph used all natural rubbers viva the emipire. However I've a Chem degree and the Germans were leaders in plastics dues to lack of colonys to exploit. So I'd doubt that any german plastics are natural.

I'd put in a deisle oil if I were storing my 914.

Ian

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

Last I checked, most decent motor oils were rated for both Spark-ignited and Diesel engines. (Check the rating in that little double circle. I think the last case I bought said "SH/CE". For spark-ignited engines, it meets the new "H" specification, for Diesel engines it meets the new "E" specification.)

If you wrapped it up in a tarp (as in, plastic) the water will not have had a chance to get out of the car. You should at the minimum leave some of the car open to the air. The bottom is the obvious place, just don't "tuck the car in" with the tarp.

That has its own problems, though. One of the biggest is: Critters. For some reason, mice and possums and other critters really love the nooks and crannies in a 914.

I suggest doing a *very* thorough check for critters. Inside and out, in the engine compartment and underneath (are any of the heater hoses missing?) and in every compartment. If you're worried about moisture having gotten into the cylinders, you can remove the spark plugs and spray a little light oil inside. Change the oil, flush the brake fluid if it's been much more than a year. While it is evidently possible for the gas to go bad sitting for 3 months, I wouldn't worry about it. Mine sat for 6 months without any problems.

After you start it, but before driving it around, I would do the Maintenance Thing if it's near time for it. (Valve adjust, dwell and timing, spark plugs and so forth, compression check, etc.)

But, heck. My car started up after a little dinking around with it, after it had been sitting for six months! This was after replacing the cylinder heads, so I did the whole maintenance deal while the motor was out anyway.

Good luck!

--DD

[stelan]

there are several things to consider:

* if possible try to replace oil with synthetic mobil 1 or something like that (synth does not absorb moisture like natural or natural derivated oils, the moisture trapped in oils damages the internals of your engine)

* gasoline these days has no additives to make it last as before because pollution issues, so if you live in a place with hi-moisture/humidity, you want to add an additive to the gas and preferably in a full tank (if the tank is full the "ceiling" of the tank wont have problems with all the condensation and start rusting)

* Tires, if you leave your car sitting there for a few months is not a big deal specially if the car is under a roof, but if you let it sit for a long time you might want to jack it up to relieve some of the weight off the tires.

* battery. I would sure remove it, put it in a very low (maintenance charge) and this is specially important if you are covering the car with a plastic tarp like someone said before, condensation raises and sticks to the inside top of the tarp, then it forms like droplets that are going to stay a long time on all metal parts including electrical parts and around the battery, thhese dropplets will then rinse the acid of your battery down and rust all the usual on 914's.

so, the ideal cover is one that will breathe but block the dust from coming in.

Hope this helps

[Germain]

Well, I've lived here in MI my entire life (yea, all 24 years of it woohoo I've been storeing cars over winter on my own, and watch'n my dad do it forever. There are a few things I learned. Please keep in mind I am tring to add on to the others comments, everyone has their own process and ideas. First, tries will get out of round (after a LONG time) one winter wont really affect anything, but it never hurts to jack it up like Stelan said. Now for the oil bit, no matter what you do, your gonna develop some type of "rust" inside the engine (please Im using rust loosly), what I always do is replace the oil before storing it, and the again before driving it the first time in summer. Gas... Hay, theres a product called Stable, works well, but then again I've never noticed anything wrong with my motercycles when I dont use the Stable product in them. And as for the battery, I just admit to my self that I'll need to recharge the battery come summer, so I dont bother chrageing it all winter long, seams like a waste to me, just chrage it for 24 hours (whatever manufacturer of charger says) before going to drive it. As for covering the car, I dont know about everyone else, but I've found that it really does nothing. Now keep in mind I keep a VERY clean garage. Come time to take the car out, I get a very small amount of dust on the car. The year I covered it, I had that same dust on it... You be the judge.