Out of storage

[Italchic]

I'll be taking my Spider out of winter storage in four weeks. What will I want to do to get it road worthy. I want to start planning now so I'll be ready.

[courtenay]

Hopefully you put gasoline stabilizer in it when you put it into storage. Make sure the battery is charged, the oil is up, check the tires, put the key in the ignition, turn it on - and go for a drive. If the car was running well when you took it off the road, it should be just fine now.

[4uall]

Drain and properly dispose of any gas in the tank, in the carburetor float bowls and also flush the fuel lines. I know this may seem like a terrible waste, but bad gas gives you nothing but trouble! (just as your mother!). If for some reason the car doesn't start, the more potential causes you have eliminated ahead of time, the faster you'll be able to find the problem and get on the road!


Drain, flush and replace the coolant. I know you only put it in three months ago, but many of the newer 'coolants' have corrosion inhibitors to help protect your cooling system. These corrosion inhibitors have been eating away at the rust inside your cooling system for the past 90 days, so flushing things through could prevent a blockage and subsequent overheating the next time the mercury soars. Replace with fresh coolant. A 50/50 anti-freeze/water mix is fine.


Change the engine oil. Oil that has been sitting in an engine for three months is likely to be contaminated with water and possibly acids that can cause premature bearing failure and rust inside the engine. While you are at it, now is a good time to change the oil filter too.


Charge the battery, and keep it warm until you are ready to use it.


If the car has been left for a very long period of time unattended (more than 90 days), remove the sparkplugs and squirt some form of 'upper-cylinder lubricant' into the cylinders. This will help free any piston rings that may have become stuck.


Bleed the brakes and check the operation at the wheel cylinders. Make sure the Brake and Clutch master cylinders are full of brake fluid. Brake fluid can absorb water very quickly so make absolutely sure your brakes are working before tearing off down the street! If the car has sat a long time, it is recommended that you purge the system of old and possibly contaminated brake fluid. Don't forget to check the operation of the 'hand' or 'emergency' brake too!


Install the warmed and fully charged battery in the car. With the spark plugs removed, turn the engine over with the key several times. The aim here is to let that oil you put into the cylinders lubricate the cylinder walls, so you don't scratch things up, and also to 'prime' the oil and fuel pumps ready for ignition. You want to continue cranking the engine until the oil pressure gauge needle moves up, or your oil pressure 'idiot' light goes out.


Replace the spark plugs, ensuring to reattach the leads correctly. Now remove the air filter cover and liberally spray some 'engine starter fluid' like "Ez-Start" or similar, into the mouth of the carburetors.This will greatly increase the likely hood that your car will start first time and you want your engine to have the best possible chance for 'first time' ignition as you can give it. Leave the air filter cover off for now.


Get behind the wheel, make sure the gears are not engaged, depress the clutch, give it a little bit of gas or choke and turn the ignition key! (Hopefully you are cheering at this point to the sound of a running car!)


Don't rev the engine, rather let it 'idle' until it reaches operating temperature. Replace the air filter cover. Check there are no fluids leaking beneath the car, check the brakes work, then staying close to home, take the car on a short 30 minute run. This will loosen everything up evaporate all the moisture in the exhaust and in the engine. Once back home, check again that there are no fluids leaking beneath the car. Wash the entire car and apply a good wax. Don't forget to clean the inside. Do this early in the day to give it plenty of time to thoroughly dry before your run. You are ready for a season of Classic Driving!

[kilrwail]

Jay - I got worn out just reading your guidelines! I like Bruce's technique better. I've been doing it that way forever with no problems. I'll change the oil, plugs, points , etc. in good time. Don't want to scare off the OP or other recent buyers

[4uall]

my apologies I'm a newbie

[DUCeditor]

I do all the 'storage' work before I put my car away. And little of that.

My battery has been out an on a smart charger. Install it.

Stabilizer was added to the fuel system and the motor run long enough for stabilized fuel to reach carbs.

Tires get air.

stainless-steel wool is removed from the exhaust pipe. (It was put there to keep mice out)

Insert key. Pump the accelerator three times to make the mixture super rich. Turn the key to initiate starter.

Zoom!



Been doing it this way for all the 24 years I've owned the car (a `77).

-Don

[Exit98]

LOL Jay, when he's finally finished your list it will be time to put the car to bed again.

I'm with Bruce - oil, tires, go for a ride.

Seriously, your list is great, particularly if you were waking up a car that's been in storage for a real long time. But our Spiders are generally only semi-retired. For a car sitting around for 3-5 months, hopefully in doors, start and go.

Gas stabilizer and disconnect the battery is my winter routine.

[courtenay]

I keep my battery connected, but hooked up to a maintainer, so I don't have to reset my clock. I hate having to do that.

[RRoller123]

I go over to the storage unit and start it up every Sunday afternoon and bring it up to temp. It is up on jacks so I run through the all gears as well. Fuel Stabilizer of course. A few more weeks and it is back to the driveway! Can't wait. Looking forward to a trip over to Plymouth with the wife for a scallop plate.

[4uall]

Hey guys if you were wondering, I have another ball you could all kick in! The irony is that someone on this forum sent that to me when I first joined. I have mine in my attached garage and I too did all my prep prior to storing and have run her at least once a week. This week/end we are looking at 10-15C so she is going for a spin around the neighbourhood for sure. PS I love the ribbing keeps us all grounded unlike our cars

[courtenay]

Hey, Jay. I don't think anyone was "kicking". Many of the things you have on your list make good sense to check on an annual basis anyway as part of a sound overall maintenance routine. And if it makes sense to do them all the day you take your car out of storage - so be it!
My routine is driven largely by the fact that once I get the plates and insurance back on the car and it's a nice top down day, I just want to get in the thing and drive!!

[4uall]

I agree completely. I never take anything personal, so no worries.

PS Thanks for the hug and support (sniff, sniff) LOL

[kilrwail]

Hey Jay - Now that we've all had some fun at your expense, I have a confession to make. Today, because it's going to be so mild, I will do most of the things on your on list on the Porsche. Change oil, filter, transmission fluid, adjust valves, recalibrate O2 sensors, clean and re-gap plugs, compression and leakdown test. I've already cleaned all the jets and air correctors and before driving it I will flush the brake system to replace the DOT 4 I put in for the winter with the Motul 660 I use. It (and the Spider) have both been on Battery Tenders all winter and had Sta-Bil in the full tanks of gas. But it's a track car that spends most of its time at or near red line Hope to see you soon.

[4uall]

HA HA! I knew it. Being that we live in the exact same climate, would you have any insight to using POR15? I would like to apply it asap however, it is my understanding that you need +10*C or more. Any thoughts? Any news on the ICCO?

[Exit98]

Hi Jay,

Don't know if this will help, but I just POR'ed over the last two weeks.

So let's see, +10C is like -50 in USA temp right?

Seriously, are you working in a garage? The temp was around 45 - 50 F. I kept the POR in the house at room temp till I was ready to use it. Have you used it before? If not, let me tell you, it goes a looong way. It is thin and covers real well. Use a little measuring spoon to put a litlle at a time in a plastic container. I gave the whole inside two coats and still have about 1/4 left. As long as it isn't really cold I don't think its that temp sensitive although it will probably take longer to dry. By the way it really stinks at first, ask my wife. But it didn't linger too long.

Stuff drys hard as a rock and because its thin it gets into cracks and seams really well.