My 944 does not get driven much...

binky · binky's Garage

For some reason I simply don't drive it much, it's a garage car, but I'm sure it HATES the garage.

Since I only drive it about once a month, any suggestions for maintenance. Don't worry about it? Just fix it when it breaks theory? I change fluids as needed and have the battery on a trickle charger 24/7.

Thanks!

Eldorado · 12-07-2005, 10:28 AM

I wouldn't keep a full tank of gas in there... keep as little as you can in there as you store it..

belt maintenance is also not to be overlooked... change 'em every couple years regardless of how much you drive it.

after that... umm... i would suggest starting it every couple of weeks and just letting it run for 10-15 mins or so.... maybe roll it a few feet to change the pressure points on the tires so you dont develop a warp....

binky · binky's Garage

Good ideas Eldorado, I do start it more than once a month and let it get to full temp. The tire movement is a good point as well as the belt changes.

I should sell the car, but I keep thinking one day I will start driving it often and don't want to regret letting it go.

Eldorado · 12-07-2005, 10:35 AM

if I were you, I'd sell it....
put the money into an account somewhere.. earn some interest on it... then if you get that itch like so many of us have got........ go hunting for a new baby.

binky · binky's Garage

The "wife" knows how much I regretted selling my last baby, so she is not wanting to see me cry daily again. That's why it might be kept.

But, if I offered her a gift card to a shoe store, she might not care...

Capri22racer · 12-07-2005, 11:19 AM

Don't ever store a car with an empty gas tank, unless you want to replace it, or lots of fliters later due to rust.

Fill the gas tank (or and least 3/4 full) and add a fuel-stabilizing additive to prevent the gas from oxidizing and deteriorating. An empty or low gas tank will rust internally as moisture may accumulate inside the tank.

I know storage places don't like when you do this, but hey. rust is rust. They and you are insured for any chance of fire.

Eldorado · 12-07-2005, 12:12 PM

hey capri, your suggestions are sound advice.. and that's what the PO did on my car for 6 months when he didn't drive it..

I didn't even think about fuel additives, and I should have... My main concern was being stuck with old gas in the tank (no chance he'd go through a tank in one trip... at least that was my assumption)..

Moneyguy1 · 12-07-2005, 12:45 PM

Mine is in limbo too. Hard to find anyone willing to help on belt install. (I am at an age where constant "bending over" gets painful...The spirit is willing but the joints are weak)

pokey · 12-07-2005, 02:59 PM

If you were a little closer, Bob, I'd happilly help.
Binky, keep your tank full. use a gas stabilizer additive. Otherwise you will get condensation in your tank. Not good. Otherwise, you've got it down. Maybe put it on stands to prevent flat spots on the tires.

speedracing944 · speedracing944's Garage

I think you need to explore why you don't drive the car. Just give your wife the keys to the other car as if she was going to be your designated driver so you will be forced to fire up that wonderful 2.5 Liter.

Or you could see the local shrink. "I don't know Doc.... I am just don't feel the urge anymore like when I was younger, can you help me?"

Gosh darn it just get in and drive!

Speedy

binky · binky's Garage

Thanks gang for the advice and motivation! Believe it or not, I get plenty of satisfaction driving my Mazda 626 (AH! hate mail coming!), it's an awesome driving car with the V6, plus cold a/c, my 944 is blowing not so cold.

I recently had the Mazda painted due to Hurricane Rita, so I thought when it was in the body shop, I would drive the 944, but naturally I rented a car...doh.

I'll get the fuel stabilizer and consider putting it on jack stands to save the tires.

Panzer909 · Panzer909's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by Capri22racer
Don't ever store a car with an empty gas tank, unless you want to replace it, or lots of fliters later due to rust.

Fill the gas tank (or and least 3/4 full) and add a fuel-stabilizing additive to prevent the gas from oxidizing and deteriorating. An empty or low gas tank will rust internally as moisture may accumulate inside the tank......

Can't stress this enough. If you're really that worried about old gas, siphon it later. But this really is not an issue unless you let it sit for a year or something.

I let my Triumph sit for for a long time with hardly any gas and it came back to haunt me later..........

Moneyguy1 · 12-08-2005, 08:11 AM

pokey..Thank you.

speed..The day will come when you have "bone freeze". Once that happens, it ain't so much fun as the old song says "getting out and getting under"!!! I would LOVE to just get in and drive but not without new belts!!

binky · binky's Garage

Most of it IS due to age and laziness. Moving cars to get the 944 out, taking the car cover off, moving crap around the 944, etc.

I also get paranoid when the Hummers/Soccer Moms get right on my bumper and as high as they are, at night, the headlights are blinding!!!

WaA420 · 12-08-2005, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Capri22racer
Don't ever store a car with an empty gas tank, unless you want to replace it, or lots of fliters later due to rust.

Fill the gas tank (or and least 3/4 full) and add a fuel-stabilizing additive to prevent the gas from oxidizing and deteriorating. An empty or low gas tank will rust internally as moisture may accumulate inside the tank.

I know storage places don't like when you do this, but hey. rust is rust. They and you are insured for any chance of fire.

No worries because the '85.5 up 944's have a plastic tank.

You can let these cars sit for several years and they will fire right up, most of the time.

Capri22racer · 10:13 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by WaA420
No worries because the '85.5 up 944's have a plastic tank.

You can let these cars sit for several years and they will fire right up, most of the time.

True. But you should still use a fuel stabilizing to keep the fuel from turning into varnish, varnish dosn't go well with fuel injectors, filters, pumps. Ask anyone who has let fuel sit too long in a carb, you gotta clean it out.

speedracing944 · speedracing944's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by Moneyguy1
pokey..Thank you.

speed..The day will come when you have "bone freeze". Once that happens, it ain't so much fun as the old song says "getting out and getting under"!!! I would LOVE to just get in and drive but not without new belts!!

That is the reason the PO of my car sold it. He was in his late 70's and had a hard time getting in or out again because of a bad hip. When I went to go look at the car, he took me for a ride in it first to make sure everything was working. That old man pulled out of his driveway selected first gear, let the clutch out and nailed the gas hard. The car shot off until redline, at which time he shifted and nailed the gas again and through it into a corner hard. From the outside of the car you would of never thought the driver was almost 80 years old.

Speedy

..P · 12-08-2005, 05:46 PM

Hi guy,

Probably the best maintenance you can do for the car is to simply drive it more often. They love to be driven, they hate to sit around and corrode.

Rather than spending time on maintenance, why not fire it up, drive it down the street to the local market, let it get hot enough to kick in the fans, and then let it cool down in the garage. It will love it. Oil will circulate everywhere it should, the belt will get flexed and heated, rather than conforming to a pully shape. The valves will be lubed up, the injectors will clean themselves of varnish, and the car will be in better shape.

You can't find something in a can to do all that for you.

regards, P

binky · binky's Garage

We are planning to move soon and I hope to get a double car driveway, mine now is a single, feeding to a 2 car garage behind the house, kind of a pain. Would make it easier to get the car out more often. We'll see how this motivates me!

AaronM · 12-09-2005, 09:09 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Eldorado
I wouldn't keep a full tank of gas in there... keep as little as you can in there as you store it..

Always, always, always keep a FULL tank of gasoline in a car being stored unless you are storing it for more than a year, in which case you should purge the fuel system entirely. Otherwise condensation forms in the tank and you have problems from water in the gas. Today's name-brand gasolines are formulated to be stable for 1 year without adding other fuel stabilizers. 6 month old gasoline won't hurt anything, but even a month's worth of condensation in the tank will start to cause issues.