For various reasons (expenses being one of them), I'm going to be parking the '88 Grand Marquis for the winter. She'll be stored indoors.

What should I do to prepare her for storage? How much fuel should I leave in the tank. I'll put some Stabil in the fuel tank. Should I unhook the battery? Anything else I should be doing?

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Justin

 

fill it up, less air = less rust...in the fuel tank..put the whole car up the whole car on blocks.....spray some engine fogging oil into the intake while its running...that should be all you need to do...oh yes do un hook the battery.

 

Just curious, but why up on blocks? Is it to keep the tires from setting on one spot?

-----------------
Justin

 

yep....but if your going to start it and run it from time to time, then i would not fog it or put up on blocks......which is much better then letting it sit...be sure to warm it up enough to get the exhaust hot enough to burn up the moister that condences in it....you should be okay with just the fuel stalbizer in it.....

 

We never put the 75 Trans Am up on blocks during the winter, and the tires still look almost new after 15 years. They aren't dry rotting either.

 

Yeah, leaving the car up on jack stands keeps the tires from getting flat spots on them. If you can start the car a couple of times a month, it will keep everything lubed up. My friend used to put a little oil in each cylinder to keep rust from forming in the cylinder. It doesn't take a lot, just a tablespoon or so.

 

i just put it up to keep the weight off the suspension mainly .....and the tires

 

i wouldnt use stabil. put seafoam in the tank youll have less gumming in the carbs just a personal preference had a bad case of stabil gunk in carbs one spring and havent used it since. no probs with seafoam on edit does anyone know of a good mouse deterrent? to keep em outa the cab?

 

Just starting the car a couple of times does more harm than good, since everything doesnt warm up completly, and it will rust out the exhaust. I am convinced from previous experience, that if you fill up the gas tank, and park the car it will run just fine the next spring. I have never put stabil in any of my engine when I store them, nor have I put oil in the cylinder. Just park it and remove the battery. Charge the battery in the spring, and you are good to go.

 

Bounce laundry sheets. Plus it makes the car smell fresh.

Just to note, the car is EFI. Don't know if that makes a difference with Stabil or not.

 

I stored my Pontiac for 4 months, started it up and let it run for about 15-20 minutes at least once a week so it wouldn't form condensation in everything and to keep the fluids flowing. I know that you can keep it stored without starting it up, but it just made it easier for me to start it, run it without driving it, and in the spring, I just put fresh gas in her, and drove it.
I would put Stabil in the tank if your going to store it so water doesn't form in the tank.

 

What about Heet instead of Stabil to control moisture? I use Heet every-now-and-then in the winter, but I don't know if it can be used for vehicles that will set a long time.

 

I haven't used HEET, but I did use Stabil and it works pretty good. After I stored my Pontiac, when it actually got on the road, it did buck and snort a little until I filled the tank with new stuff, but I changed jets on the carb (Edelbrock 1406) a few days later and it was clean with no varnish or residue.

 

Highest octane you can find.

Works wonders.


Is it going to be heated storage or not? If heated, don't worry about the battery. If it is a cold storage, then remove the battery but keep it close & handy. Reason being, what if something happens & you have to move the car or use the car right now?

Don't put it on jack stands, I'm sorry but that is the most rediculous thing that I have ever heard. I have stored many of cars in the winter time & never done or heard of that.

Also if your worried about it being clean, have the car professionally detailed inside & out before putting it in storage. Think about a car cover.

 

I have been storing cars and bikes over the winter for 20 years without problems. From what I have learned;
The “up on blocks issue” -- This seems to be more of an issue with bias-ply tires flat spotting. I never had a radial flat spot during a five month storage. I would worry more about stressing the frame/body with an un-level blocking.
I have always used Stabil with a full tank and run the motor until the Satbil mix gets to the engine. Fresh gas is better.
Change the oil; make sure the anti-freeze is up to the task.
Make sure the car is clean and put a cover on it. Clean all the leaves and crap the collects in the cowl, trunk, and such.
I pull the spark plug and inject a few cc's of motor oil in the cylinders. Then crank the motor over with a wrench.
I place an oily rag in the intake and tail pipe. Spray the engine down with a light coat of WD-40. Place a few mothballs under the hood if critters are a risk.
Remove the battery and store it indoors, put it on a trickle charger once a month (got 10 years from a Miata OEM unit)

Starting up and running isn’t good unless you take the car out for a ride and warm up everything. Long periods of idling are never good.