I wanted to know what everyone considers to be the best practice when it comes to winterizing your truck. Mine will be parked all winter, with the cam it has in it, she's a fair weather lady.

 

If it is really going to be parked all winter maybe unhook battery(unless you plan to crank it and let it run occassionally, which I recommend.) Stabil in the fuel tank, full tank of gas, run it to circulate it through carb. Check and top off antifreeze. Maybe also be a good idea to jack it up and put it on blocks or jackstands(less stress on bearings, and don't have to worry about a tire going flat and gettin a crease in it from sitting flat.) Something inside to keep mice away.

 

To keep the mice and other vermin away just take a old Cool Whip bowl and put some moth ***** in it and put it inside the cab...in the spring take it out and let the cab air out it will take a couple days to a week for the smell to go away. I stored my 63 F-100 this way for several years and nevr had a problem with mice. I stored it on a farm and even the cats and dogs left it alone. They don't like the smell of it either I guess! Take the battery out if possible and put it in a warm place and put a trickle charger on it at least once a month, never set the battery on a concrete floor as it will drain the battery, at the least set it on some wood blocks to prevent battery drain.I have been parking cars and trucks for years and never had a problem I used to live in Wisconsin and if you valued a vehicle you parked it till the spring rain washed the salt off the road. stabil is a good idea although I never had it when I first started parking them just make sure you have the tank full.

 

I've heard that dryer sheets will keep mice away as well and they don't stink like mothballs. Don't quote me but that's what I've heard.

 

Hmm winterizing procedure... snow tires, plow, sandbags in back, rotating roof lamp, 190-deg. thermostat....

No seriously. In addition to everyone else's tips, when you're done running it for good, park it where you want it and leave it running, knock off the air cleaner, hold it at 2,000rpm, and pour SAE-30 down its throat (primary side of the carb) until it loads up and dies. Now you have a nice coating of oil in the cylinders and around the valves so nothing rusts up and sticks come spring when you fire it up.

 

already have some good ideas but one thought taken from the boating world. park it where you want it to be, start it and warm up to operating temp, then I use marvel mystery oil but they make misting oil or I have used ATF but poor oil down the carb (keep the rpms around 1500-1800) poor approx a pint down the carb then poor fast enough to kill the motor. (do NOT poor it instantly you aren't wanting to hydrostatic lock it, just kill it) I also pull hte spark plugs and put just a little into each cylinder and turn the motor over with the plugs out a couple times to coat the entire cylinder.

you mentioned the cam, especially if it's a pretty high lift cam or has fairly stout springs but something I do every winter with my race engines is to back off the valves. This takes the pressure of the springs so they don't set and end up needing replaced.

And make sure before you park it to FILL the fuel tank and put in the stabil. You want that stabil treated gas to reach the carb and all the lines.

 

I was going to suggest the springs but monsterbaby beat me to it. I just backed mine off in the race car last weekend. Also I use bounce dryer sheets in the cars when I park them for the winter. They work to keep mice out

 

Yeah I got that idea from my dad. He used to winterize the 427 S.O. in his boat like that.

 

Pull the battery cables

If parked for over 1 year, pull the plugs, squirt about 1oz oil in each cylinder and spin (not start) the engine over a few time to coat the cylinder walls. Would definitely not recommend spraying oil down the throtle body because of possibly contaminating the sensors down stream.

Add Marvel mystery oil to fuel, fill tank completely drive home and park. Fuel begins to degrade in 6 months and creates a varnish like substance in the tank. Air space in the fuel tank allows moisture to create in the fuel tank which promotes varnish- this combates both.

Radiator- Top off to the top in the overflow- to help prevent condensation. Install a radiator anode in the overflow- can be ordered from JC Whitney for about $8- it neutralizes the ph of the fluid, and acts as a sacrafical lamb via electrolysis.

Tires over inflate by 10 psi- this will help prevent flat spots (though the new tire designs in the last 10 years prevent most of this potential)

Wheels- to protect cover with 33 gallon hd trash bags- cut 1 slit on the back side of the bag about 1/2 way and place over the wheel from the top, use a piece of duct tape to secure the bottom together at the backside (if parked outside or have pet issues)

Chrome & Uncoated aluminum- apply a hyper-thin coating of vasoline- protects against oxidation/rust and washes off easily with automotive soap & hot water.

Air intake- place a plastic bag over the air filter (you wouldn't believe how dusty they can get). The rest of the system is fine.

Apply wd 40 to all locks/key switch & then apply powder graphite - this removes any water/moisture, cleans the assembly and the graphite is dry and ensures operation without attracting dust/dirt.

Apply dry type (lithium) grease to all hinges & hydraulic struts.

Brakes- do not apply emergency brake- it mught get stuck in the locked position

chock the wheels

If stored indoors, crack 1 window to allow air movement (1/16" is all that is needed) to minimize any moisture/condensation buildup.

If stored outside, place a good quality sun shield in window- keeps temps down & more stabil.

Wax the paint.

Whether its inside or out, cover the vehicle. If inside, I like to use cotton bed sheets- inexpensive, washable. On top of the sheets, cover the with a lightweight, disposible (very thin mil) disposible plastic paint tarp (about $3). The cotton sheets protect the paint from abuses such as a cor cover would for indoor purposes, the plastic sheet makes in almost dust free. Secure the edges with magnets avaiable from any hardware store- the bedsheets/plastic are thick enough to protect against scratching and strong enough to keep the edges from blowing up from wind/breezes.

Door protection- whether parked inside or out, either purchase or make a padded door protector (dings) & place under the car cover.

Our family has several toys that we have had for decades (50+ years in some cases) that are stored for a variety of durations (a few months to several years)- this is pretty much what we do to prepare them for storage each time and with few exceptions have very little issues when "pulling them out". In short, it's always worked for us.

 

Winterizing - you poor fools! My trucks get driven year round. We don't even get much rain here - so there's nothing that will beat them up like the snow and salted roads you guys face.

Oh well - you have to deal with winter and we get the crazy, eco hippy democrap types. Every place has its downfalls I guess

 

Heck, winter started up here a week ago which really sucks. I was expecting to be able to drive my truck at least through October. I'd drive in the cold, just not the all the damn salt they use up here.

You could just start her up every once in a while too. Also, I've used Bounce dryer sheets in my pop up camper for about 4 years now and I've never had a mice problem, not even a turd. Now watch, this year I'll have a bunch now that I've said that. Plus, it makes the truck smell purdy.

 

[QUOTE=ford4604bbl;8036171] never set the battery on a concrete floor as it will drain the battery, at the least set it on some wood blocks to prevent battery drain.

I have to question this small portion of your post. I cannot disagree with anything in your post but this. As an (X) NIASE\ASE master mechanic, now Enginering tech kinda person, how is this possible? I've been taught the same as you, do not put a battery on concrete. I say, BS. Trons do not flow through plastic via a rock substanance to ground. If so, why not use rubber instead of wood as an insulator? This has to be an ole wives tale passed down from the past.

Not picking on ya here, but this tale has been around since Hecter was a pup...

 

When I lived Alaska a couple years ago, I installed an oil pan heater and called it good. You plug it in to a normal 120v house plug. Its basically an electric blanket for your oil pan/block.

Wake up, unplug the "block heater" and pump the gas 3x, then let her rip. then you sit and wait till the exhaust quits smokin. Once it quits "smokin" you know shes warmed up. Like when you breathe out on a snow day and you see your breath. Same concept, your truck is warm once you stop seeing the "smoke"

 

Hey Riderman I know you are questioning my part about the draining of a battery. Did you know that with a simple voltmeter you can test to see if one cell in a battery is dead? Put the ground (black) lead on the NEG terminal of your battery then take the postive (red) lead and touch it to the outer casing of the battery, there are six cells inside your battery that all produce 2 plus volts and it will read that voltage through the plastic casing if you find one cell that doesn't have at least two volts you have found the bad cell. So somehow the free electrons are able to travel through the plastic casing and will drain it if placed on concrete which happens to absorb moisture and makes for a good conductor. I know it sounded like a wives tale to me too but I do know that they do drain out if left on concrete alone and not at the least set on wood or something else. I found out the hard way when I didn't listen to my Father about it and later found the battery drained.

 

not only will it drain the battery but it will KILL the battery (won't take a charge if you leave them on concrete all winter)