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winter starts on stored cars?

C

chitownmikemc

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I just wanted to get a consensus on starting your stored cars over the winter. Many different ways to go, not starting them at all with or without a trickle charger on the battery. Not starting them at all and taking the battery out of the car and storing the battery in a warm location. Starting and letting them warm to operating temperature with the heat on to circulate the coolant. Starting them and getting them up to operating temperature and then taking the car for a drive.
What methods have you used, and what do you feel is the best way to go?
Thanks!
Chitownmikemc
 
Personally on my two classics I purchased a trickle charger with two connections. Leave the battery in the car and do not start it till spring time. I inflate the tires to 40 psi and check them once a month. I take a gas container and fill the tank all the way up to the point of almost overflow to minimize air in the tank. I also put multiple mouse traps throughout the garage baited with peanut butter and use an organic pine scented repellant inside the cars. Unless you are in some unique position where you can start the car and bring it up to full road temperature, and drive it and then fill up the tank again, I feel it is the best way.
 
^^^what he said.

Or if you have a car with a nice high performance engine and want to hear the music, by all means start 'er up once every couple weeks ago and keep counting down until Spring!

Trickle chargers are a nice way to keep the battery in good shape. No need to take the battery out of the car, but you can disconnect it.

What type of car are you storing?
 
I don't worry about it, I just drive mine all year 'round. One of the benefits of living on the Central Coast of California.




..... sorry, couldn't help myself..... just had to rub it in...
:D
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winter starts

I started my 1998 Firebird V6 3800 convertible for the first time on Saturday since November approx. four months. It fired right up with no problems. I backed the cat out of the garage so I wouldn't get carbon monoxide poisoned. I let it run for about twenty-five minutes until the heat was blowing nice and warm and I didn't see any condensation dripping from the tail pipe. I had put down vapor block on the garage floor before I pulled the car in and there was a few spots of oil on the plastic sheeting. Being on plastic the oil cleaned up nice and easy.
Hopefully the weather will improve soon so I can actually drive the car. I am waiting for a few good rain storms to wash away all the road salt on the ground here in the Chicago area.
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Same situation here in the Northeast, dirt on the roads and massive pot holes.
 
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