Winterizing my Spider

[jclarkey]

Well it is starting to look like the Spider hibernating in the garage as the weather is starting to turn cold. Just wondering if you guys have any tips on things I should be considering while winterizing my car? I plan on doing some interior work this winter but nothing to mechanical.

All suggestions welcome.

[rjkoop]

Well it is starting to look like the Spider hibernating in the garage as the weather is starting to turn cold. Just wondering if you guys have any tips on things I should be considering while winterizing my car? I plan on doing some interior work this winter but nothing to mechanical.

All suggestions welcome.

I'll be doing the same soon as well although over the winter (I'm in Ottawa and it's starting to get colder) I plan on doing the suspension and rear brakes. As far as I know there's not much to do. Change the oil, ensure tire pressure is good, fuel stabilizer in the tank, run it for 5 or 10 minutes, take battery inside and hookup to a trickle charger and that's about all I'll do. I think some people mention about fogging the engine but not sure this is necessary. So that I think on my '81 FI car I'd have to remove the spark plugs, spray fogging oil in the cylinders, replace spark plugs and turn over the engine a few times with the ignition wire removed so it doesn't start.

Richard

[spiderdan]

Hey jclarkey
I've had my 68 here in Ottawa for the last 12 years and I drive mine in the fall untill I see my car's worst enemy...the salt truck! I park it in my brother in law's unheated garage. Here's all I do:
- I make sure there is at least 3/4 gas in the tank (used to use stabilizer but seemed like a waste of money),
- I check the air in the tires,
- I disconect the battery (always starts in the spring without a charge),
- I place rags in the muffler (he has seen the odd mouse in the garage, he needs a cat), I do not need to shove one in the air filter intake, since it is directed over the exhaust manifold in the fall and basically mouse proof)
- remove the antenna, so the dust cover fits,
- give my brother in law a bottle of single malt (cheap rental space)
- and then walk away with a tear in my eye knowing I won't be in her for a few months...
So far, this has always worked for me.

[4uall]

This might help

http://wwwe.fiatspider.com/f08/viewtopi ... it=+winter

[majicwrench]

Several winters I have parked my 72 and not starter her all winter, every spring I fight the infamous plugged idle/low speed jet. Spring of 2012 I pulled carb apart after cleaning jet about every week, yup, carb had lots of dried gunk. Last winter I started car three or four times when weather got decent, this spring and summer I have had zero issues with idle jet plugging. It is not good on the mechanical parts of an engine to be started cold, BUT the tradeoff is worth it---mine will be put away soon, and I will be starting it a few times this winter.
If a guy had an electric pump you could simply flip that on and fill the system with fresh fuel.
Keith

[Tobi]

20 Years of storing my fuel injected cars over the winter. I filled the tank all the way (no stabilizer) and never had a problem.

I was planing on replacing my tires in spring and I was lazy so last winter I just had the car sit (no blocks) and found my tires square in spring so always put it up on blocks.

The last couple of years my leather steering wheel got moldy so I have to find a treatment for that this fall or just take it insight. I could keep it next to my bed and act like I take the Spider for a ride before I turn the light of at night. Maybe have the wheels sit next to my bedposts and keep dreaming of spring vroom vroom