Storage & Starting
 

Hey fellas, it's been a while.

I was curious what various club members around here think about periodically starting their 8 every other day during the winter. I know these cars like to be run and redlined, but as a deep Northerner I refuse to drive my 8 during these winter months & I'm moving to the far East Coast for work soon.

That said, a lot of other winter storage threads simply say to disconnect the battery terminals and pump up the tires like you would any other vehicle. My question is ultimately: since I won't be able to drive my 8 until August, and it currently being in very good condition engine wise, should I ensure somebody is starting it at least every other day?

Thanks for the insight fellas.

I don't recommend it. Starting it just to warn it up every other day for 8 months is a lot if time spent running rich and accumulating carbon. Once a month maybe if you want to circulate the fluids, but not more often.

Don't forget gas stabilizer, or your gas will go bad after sitting that long.

It doesn't need any special treatment. Put some Sta-Bil in the gas tank, disconnect the negative battery cable, and put it up on jack stands to keep the tires from flat spotting. It will be fine.

Thanks a lot guys, will just disconnect the battery terminals, pump up the tires, get some jack stands, and then throw a cover on it before I leave.

And a full tank of gas with stabilizer!

I leave my 07 with 34k miles on it with battery disconnected for 3 to 5 months at a time.

Battery should be up fine for 6 months or so.

I end up driving around town for only 20 or 30 miles every few days, but take it to nearby l;onely hwy for a few minutes of full throttle, and drive easy home to cool off before shutdown.

I started filling gas when it needs 8 gallons, and adding my 4 0z of Mobil 2t 2cycle.

That 1/2 0z 2t per gallon seems to be sweet spot of full throttle growl. I first heard that nice full throttle sound right after I put on BHR ign. Before that it was super smooth, but seemed not as much power.

It's the dreaded 6speed auto, but I love the smoothness.

I can cruise at 45 or 50 mph, and get 32mpg at that condition.

Gotcha, thanks friends.

I'm going to throw some stabilizer in there for sure, Loki. One thing I wasn't sure of though is whether or not I should I change the oil before storage as well. My father is sort of old school/superstitious about this stuff and claims if I leave the older oil in there it will turn acidic and possibly foul up the engine. His advice is to change the oil before storage and then again when I start driving it in August. Sounds kinda overkill imho.

IMO that's overkill. If the oil is old and depleted, change it before storage, but then don't change it after. If it's relatively recent, change it when you start driving again. Modern oils are more stable against oxidation - as long as the additives that make it so are still present in the oil.

If storing for a long period of time, I recommend using a fogging oil like Engine Stor inside on the rotors. You can apply it the same way you apply seafoam(lot of other threads on it). Fogging oil will keep your engine corrosion free.

:yelrotflm Deep northerner that's funny!

Disconnect battery (if car is in non-heated garage I'd completely remove battery and keep it stored somewhere warm, battery will have tons of juice when you go to start it in the spring).

Fuel Stabilizer definitely doesn't hurt but I'd say not necessary for storage of anything under 6 months. Top off your fuel to prevent moisture from creeping into the tank regardless.

I don't think the jack stands are necessary, if you want you can fold up some chunks of cardboard and park on them, that will be just fine. I park my car for 5-6 months a year and flat spots have never been an issue (I don't put it on stands or park on cardboard.) If you are parked in a non-heated space I'd check the tire pressure every month or two and top up if necessary. This year I'm lucky enough to have an underground heated parking stall and my tire pressure hasn't dropped whatsoever since being parked in October.

I usually put a ball of steel wool in each tail pipe to stop any mice from thinking it's a great hidey hole.

Car cover goes a loooooong way for keeping the dust off. Mine is parked this year without one and I regret it completely.

I don't recommend it.

Good 2-cycle oil has fuel stabilizer in it as well.

Just let it sit with a trickle charger on it until you're ready to take it out for the summer.