Preparing Car for Winter Nap

Any suggestions on what steps to take in getting car ready for winter storage?

Garage is not heated so drain cooling system or replace with 50/50 mix?

Car up on Jack stands?

Trailer up on Jack stands?


Bruce

Yep, and don't forget the fuel system.

I like to back all the valves off too.

Bsherry wrote:Any suggestions on what steps to take in getting car ready for winter storage?

Garage is not heated so drain cooling system or replace with 50/50 mix?

Car up on Jack stands?

Trailer up on Jack stands?


Bruce

Just to add in:

I use a marine fogging oil down the intake and a little squirt in each cyl before I back the springs off. Supposed to keep the cyl walls from rusting.

When putting my car on jack stands I put 4 stands at the corners under the chassis. I also put a set of small ones under the rear end housing. I don't want the rear end hanging from the high dollar shocks all winter and at the same time I don't want to support the entire rear half of the car on the springs with the rear set only under the housing. Just raise the rear slightly and and put the small stands under it.

As far as putting the trailer on stands: If you have LT truck tires it might help you get a little longer from them. If they are ST trailer tires I wouldn't bother. After 4 years they turn into May Pop's on an enclosed trailer just from the abuse of turning, high temps when towing. Doesn't seem to matter about the miles, just the age.

A fifty fifty mix seems a bit weak for winter hybernation. I would recomend about a 90/10 mix. With the10 % being a couple of slugs of ice. It will make the witer time go by faster lol

Not knowing how cold it gets where you are located, I listed below the freezing point of distilled water and anti-freeze. Here in North Dakota, we get an occasional -40 degree F temperature in the winter and I use a 50/50 mixture and have never had a problem. I would NOT use a 90/10 mixture, you do not need that amount of anti-freeze, it would be a waste of money IMO.

Percent of            Freezing Point (° F)
ethylene glycol       (° F)
   0                       32°
 10%                     25°
 20%                    20°
 30%                     5°
 40%                  -10°
 50%                  -30°
 60%                  -55°
 70%                  -60°
 80%                  -50°
 90%                 -20°
100%                 10°

I was talking about ethanol, not glycol. That mixture was to put the driver down for a long winters nap. lol You can only do this after you have put the race to sleep

dr's wife racing wrote:I was talking about ethanol, not glycol. That mixture was to put the driver down for a long winters nap. lol You can only do this after you have put the race to sleep

Oh no, I wish I read this before I had some Preston on the rocks


Bruce

Going to try mine one more time before I put it sleep for the winter.

Do you drain fuel out or?

Non heated insulated garage, sub -30^ C outside temps, space heater when I am in the garage, a water bottle by the door (open door if water is freezing add antifreeze or warm garage), water and water wetter in the rad, no fuel in carb (pump off-run dry), tires in the air, rear end supported,trickle charger on the batt's, when there is a warm day motor is fired, wheels are rotated at OP temperature, fuel gone before spring etc. It is amazing how many fewer failures I have experienced this way...Fuel pumps like to dry and crack seals/o-rings when sitting dry plus the corrosion from the air, the engine can be turned by hand to change valve spring tension or with the battery (start disconnected). If you have screw in freeze plugs, or don't visit the garage regularly in the winter change to 50/50 antifreeze/water don't chance it. fuel stabilizer if you let it sit for awhile.