[onebadjon]

I plan to store in the garage my 968 for 5 months, anything I need to do(battery,fuel,etc) so that next April all I have to do start her up and drive?

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[flash]

get a battery tender for sure

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[94SilverCab]

The best way to store any car for the winter is to do the following:

1. Change the oil just prior to storage. Oil absorbs moisture (a natural byproduct of combustion) and if old oil is left in the motor, moisture will evaporate out of the oil and condense on the engine internals causing corrosion. Also, oil becomes acidic with use and should be changed for this reason also.

Change oil, start engine and run just long enough for the oil to circulate, then shut off for the season to prevent a buildup of moisture. If planning to change the tranny fluid in the coming season, it's also a good idea to do this now for basically the same reason.

2. Loosen the spark plugs and shoot either fogger oil or a squirt of motor oil from a can into the sparkplug holes - about 1 tsp. This will prevent the rings from corroding and seizing to the cylinder walls over the winter. Upon initial startup in spring, oil will burn off in the 1st few minutes.

3. Increase tire pressures to 40PSI. This will prevent flatspotting and leaks. The tire pressure will drop with ambient temp. Some will say to put the car on blocks, but with modern independent suspension, it's not good to leave it 'unsprung' for long periods.

If you want to get really anal, fill the tires with Nitrogen. This is a Dry Gas and will prevent Dry Rot. Nitrogen can be obtained from any welding supply.

4. Store desiccants in the car. These can be purchased and laid on the floor front/back. This prevents mildew from growing and keeps leather from deteriorating due to accumulated moisture.

Also, the 'Car Cacoons' currently being sold are very good for long term storage and use only a couple bucks electricity the entire season, also reduces door dings and the like. Absent this, use a quality car Cover.

5. Wash the car - don't allow pollution, Tree Sap etc. to work on the paint through the winter.

6. Remove battery from the car and put on a maintainer, preferably inside where it's warm. Be sure to allow plenty of ventilation to prevent Hydrogen Gas buildup.

7. Place the car on a sheet of Vinyl laid out on the garage floor. Make sure the vinyl extends 2 feet from any edge of the car. Garage floors seep moisture through the winter which can condense on the underside of the car, suspension, etc. causing corrosion.

8. Fill Gas Tank with Fresh, Premium fuel. A partial tank will corrode from moist air. Plus, it'll probably be cheaper than filling it next season.

9 Check Anti-freeze to be sure sufficient for temps anticipated

http://news.carjunky.com/automotive/winter...ge-cde951.shtml

Regards,

Jay

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[Langley968]

Jay - thanks for that detailed list of actions to take when "storing" a car!
For those of us that live in "colder" climates and do not want to expose our 968's to winter road conditions, this is great advice! [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif[/img]

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[DaveN]

Don't forget if you put fuel in your car you have to put stabilizer in the tank as well!

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[Langley968]

Dave - do you use your car "year round"?

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[DaveN]

No, only 6 months. My trusty (not rusty) 1989 Toyota P/U ferries me through the winter months.

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[Langley968]

I just re-read this thread and now have a question:

Instead of doing the list of actions mentioned above for "winter storage", could I just run the engine on a weekly basis? I do not intend to drive it around, just run the engine for awhile. If that is a possibility, how long should it run for?

That is what I did last winter, but then I only got the car in December and by February I was driving it fairly regularly already.

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[DaveN]

I don't really see a problem with that but there may be a few issues. The alarm system may drain your battery more than a weekly start might recharge. And for some reason, don't know where or why, I have been told that P cars don't like to be idled for lengthy periods; not good for the car.

Maybe that myth can be proven or dispelled here?

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[coloradocab]

I have the guy who stores mine start it up every couple of weeks, and move it around periodically, and it seems to do well being stored for 6 months or so. The last several years, there have been no issues. Yes, I change the oil prior to storing it, and fill it up with gas (and some Stabil). Pump up the tires, and it's all set, at least where I am (where it's very dry).

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[henriklarsen101]

Hi there,



Winter is just around the corner and my plan is to leave my 968 in the garage over the winter but starting it up every weekend or so and letting it run (idle) for 10-15 minutes to make sure that the engine "gets used". My plan is also to to take it around the block whenever I can (on dry days) but that is obviously not in my hands to control and experience from past winters show that there can be weeks/months where it is not possible to leave the garage (without winter tyres) so back to leaving it in the garage and firing it up every weekend or so.



However, DaveN's comment above "I have been told that P cars don't like to be idled for lengthy periods; not good for the car" now gives me cause for concern!!



Coloradocab haven't had any problems doing as I plan to do, but I was wondering if anyone else has a comment on this?

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[Ryan]

If you start your car and let it run for a short amount of time you are not letting it get hot enough to burn off moisture in the oil and exhaust system and in fact adding it.



I would avoid the short start ups and do as Jay said. If you take your car out for a 1/2 hour spirited drive every week, that is different.

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[flash]

i see no reason that a 968 could not idle for extended periods. unlike older 911s, which were prone to fuel puddling, the 968 actually runs very lean (after you reach the 1 minute cold start kickoff point)



now, the oiling system may not like to run at idle for extended periods, and you may find that you get lifter noise after a while of sitting. to cure this you really need to go drive it for a few minutes under load. you may be able to avoid this by running it at 2krpm for a couple of minutes after it has idled to temperature.



i highly recommend a self regulating trickle charger

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[94SilverCab]

While I do not drive my car a lot during the Winter, I do try to pick clear days/clear roads to take the car out. Generally, I can find the right conditions for a drive every 2-3 weeks and I drive approximately 40-50 miles each time. I do not start or idle the car in between drives. I do not like the car to sit for more than 3 weeks. Our Mid-Atlantic winters are mild compared to many of our friends in the North.



YMMV...



Jay

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[Rap]

Are we talking about keeping the car in a heated garage?

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[henriklarsen101]

My car will be kept in a heated garage over winter (I live in an apartment complex) so no problems with frost although Luxembourg winters can sometime be harsh.



I'll combine Jay's and Flash's advise and take it out when I can and when that is not possible for a few weeks, let it get warm on idle and then run it at 2k revs for a couple of minutes. Thanks for the advice.



Being a rookie when it comes to Porsche ownership and mechanical issues in general, what is meant by "lifter noise" and "self regulating trickle charger"?

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[flash]

battery tender (i have 3 of them):

http://www.amazon.com/Yuasa-YUA1200901-S..._sim_auto3



lifter noise is a rattly ticking sound that is at cam speed. it can be rather loud. it happens when the lifters drain out their oil and need time to pump back up. sometimes you get lucky and they pump up quickly, but many times they will need to be actually run under load to get the oil in there sufficiently and them to pump up and quiet down.

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[type968]

Any recommendations for fuel stabilizer, since all that ethanol is corrosive when sitting (attracting moisture too, no?)

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[williamoss]

I live in Oregon so winters are on the mild side. Perhaps a snow storm which will last up to two weeks and then it is completley melted. My garage is also heated maimtaning about 64 degree farenheight. So i fill the tank, put a can of fuel stablilizer in the tank before filling so it gets mixed up. Put some extra pressure in the tires is a good idea. And then on sunny or perhaps raining weather go out for a dive once in a while.

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[ds968]

Don't forget to also run the AC for a minute or two every time, or every other time you take the car out for a brief drive, or when you just let it idle in the garage every so often. ( it keeps the seals in good shape, retains the charge longer, etc..)

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