Preparing for Hibernation

[Plymouth71]

Up here in the Great White North there comes a time to put the Mopar away, at least for some of us who don't have the space. I am one of those that must let go for about 6month. I have secured a location in a machine shed at my brother in laws farm yard. I plan to put the vehicle on jack stands, and cover it with a dust cover. I've heard that Bounce dryer sheets repel rodents, and the cats at the farm should help with that. I also plan to use some fuel stabilizer. Someone suggested oil in the cylinders and making sure the Coolant is strong enough for our cold winter months.

What do you do to protect your Mopar over the cold winter Months?

 

[HYRDGOON]

I also store my car off site for the winter months typically. This will be the first year it doesn't get stored because of several projects getting done this year (just have to figure out how to pay for it all!)

But when I store mine I do scatter bounce sheets throughout the interior for the rodents, Car gets covered with a dust cover, hook up a trickle charger to save my battery, and I don't like the idea of jack stands and the suspension hanging so a co-worker of mine with an Austin Healey let me in on a secret a few years ago to park the car on thick pieces of Styrofoam... this prevents the flat spots on the tires without having the stress on the suspension. I also use Sta-Bil stored with a full tank

 

[70rr-brian]

I also store my car off site for the winter months typically. This will be the first year it doesn't get stored because of several projects getting done this year (just have to figure out how to pay for it all!)

But when I store mine I do scatter bounce sheets throughout the interior for the rodents, Car gets covered with a dust cover, hook up a trickle charger to save my battery, and I don't like the idea of jack stands and the suspension hanging so a co-worker of mine with an Austin Healey let me in on a secret a few years ago to park the car on thick pieces of Styrofoam... this prevents the flat spots on the tires without having the stress on the suspension. I also use Sta-Bil stored with a full tank

I do pretty much everything Hyrdgoon said...the only other thing I typically do is use a vice grip to clamp off the rubber fuel line before the mechanical pump and let it idle out of gas so no gas is left in the carb. Well that and I just remove the battery for the winter. I don't bother with a trickle charger.

 

[terzmo]

Buffalo NY area.....half tank gas,sunvisors down,decon in the garage....nothing else...from Nov to April...maybe march depending...no problems for over 30 years...

 

[Moparsmitty]

I live where the winter weather can be pretty crappy too but it rarely gets extremely cold. I also wouldn't store a car on jackstands. The car is designed to have it's full weight on the suspension. If it's going to be parked on a concrete floor, I usually park on thick carpet squares just to get the rubber off of the concrete. If at all possible, drive the car about once a month even if it is just a couple of miles. You should at least start the car monthly and let it get completely warmed up. Good luck.

 

[HYRDGOON]

I live where the winter weather can be pretty crappy too but it rarely gets extremely cold. I also wouldn't store a car on jackstands. The car is designed to have it's full weight on the suspension. If it's going to be parked on a concrete floor, I usually park on thick carpet squares just to get the rubber off of the concrete. If at all possible, drive the car about once a month even if it is just a couple of miles. You should at least start the car monthly and let it get completely warmed up. Good luck.

I assume Plymouth71 and I are in the same boat where we don't store the cars for the winter at home so there isn't access through the winter to do occasional starts and they damn sure aren't driving anywhere lol...

Buffalo NY area.....half tank gas,sunvisors down,decon in the garage....nothing else...from Nov to April...maybe march depending...no problems for over 30 years...

What's the purpose of the sunvisors down?


My car sleeps in a barn that about a 5 minute drive from my house that the owner has converted to do large barn dances and throw big parties with his band. It's a pretty cool set up for the winter I just have to time when I get my car in because he stores so many different things that sometimes I have to wait out other peoples campers or boats to access my car in the spring.

 

[NJRR]

I use PRI-G fuel additive instead of Sta-bil. I had gas go bad on me using Sta-bil. I got it from these guys.

http://www.batterystuff.com/fuel-treatments/PRIG32oz.html

 

[64BEL]

I park mine on a thick sheet of plastic (concrete floor), air up the tires, dryer sheets, and a full tank of non-ethanol premium with Stabil. Then I fog it by pouring some ATF down the carb while it's running. I also pull the battery and store it in my basement. It always fires right up after it's 4-5 month nap.

 

[Cletus]

My Satty is going into hiberation too - first snow is just hours away, it seems... going to remove the battery and but a couple of dehumidifiers in the car - one in the back seat, oher in the trunk. My garage is not heated and has a tin roof, so there will be temperature changes, and subsequent condensation. Fuel tank is nearly empty, apart from the Californian soil and pine needles in it... will leave it in for now and replace the tank after I've replaced the trunk floor this coming spring.

My Satellite's winter dwelling. Fuel tank is full of dirt - I've ruined a few filters and a fuel pump - so car's getting clean fuel from a jury-rigged device consisting of boat tank and some fuel hose..

 

[D575]

I'm in California, I'm not going to do anything. :eusa_whistle:

 

[2059]

and I don't like the idea of jack stands and the suspension hanging so a co-worker of mine with an Austin Healey let me in on a secret a few years ago to park the car on thick pieces of Styrofoam... this prevents the flat spots on the tires without having the stress on the suspension.

I really like that idea. I can get the styrofoam all day long from work!!

 

[440+6]

I'm in California, I'm not going to do anything. :eusa_whistle:

That's it, rub it in


All I do is stabill in the tank but I drive it occasionally in the winter on nice days when all the salt is off the roads.
Also have heated garage.

 

[747mopar]

Lots of good info, the tip on dumping oil in while running is exactly what my boat manual recommends "turn gas off, let run until it runs out of gas while pouring oil in the carb". One other thing that you may not be able to do but if possible should is "plug those damn cowl drains", while restoring mine I looked everywhere to find where those critters get in and found the drains are an easy way right into your interior. Mine are now cover with metal mesh but don't know how accessible they are on your. Sounds like you got it covered

 

[Dennis H]

I'm in California, I'm not going to do anything. :eusa_whistle:

Same here.

 

[themechanic]

MoparMuscle Mag has an article on this in the JAN 2014 issue page 36, entitled, "Long Winter Nap"

 

[Plymouth71]

Lots of good info, the tip on dumping oil in while running is exactly what my boat manual recommends "turn gas off, let run until it runs out of gas while pouring oil in the carb". One other thing that you may not be able to do but if possible should is "plug those damn cowl drains", while restoring mine I looked everywhere to find where those critters get in and found the drains are an easy way right into your interior. Mine are now cover with metal mesh but don't know how accessible they are on your. Sounds like you got it covered

Can someone show me what I'm looking for? (Cowl Drains)

 

[kb67mopar]

Last two years I stuck a tarp on it and placed it in the back yard.

It also didn't have an engine, trans, fuel system, hood....etc

This year its going into a family friends shop to be painted during my usual storing time... so nothing this year, maybe some fuel stabilizer in the tank.

 

[moparmarks]

Must suck to do all that work so not to drive your car.
Glad I live in a sunshine state.

 

[kb67mopar]

Must suck to do all that work so not to drive your car.
Glad I live in a sunshine state.

The months you don't drive the car you will with things like ATV's, snowmobiles and other pleasure craft....its just switching it up a bit.

I wouldn't move out of snow country for nothing....Actually we are looking at moving more north where it snows more

 

[moparmarks]

We get a fair amount of snow here in CO. Maybe a foot here in the valley but a 45 min drive up the hill into 10' of the white gold.