426HPSS

keep your stored cars tires inflated up to 50psi(flat spots will ruin those fancy Pirellis) and keep a trickle charger on your batteries this winter and fill her up with liquid gold with some fuel stabilizer and leave her in gear on a flat surface without the hand brake on... this winter. Basic stuff.... but I cant tell you how many people I know who just park the car and cover it...

JasonD

Yup, here is my checklist...

• Fill gas tank and then add appropriate amount of Sta-bil.
• Clean exterior thoroughly.
• Remove all interior items that can be removed...floor mats, stuff from the glove box, center armrest. Vacuum and treat leather if necessary.
• Lay down a large plastic sheet purchased at home improvement store.
• Roll car over plastic, on to pieces of scrap carpet to protect the tires.
• Pump tires up to 40-50 psi.
• Place steel wool in zip-loc bags in exhaust tips.
• Install charger (I use this particular Battery Tender, if it is good enough for Ken Lingefelter's collection, it is good enough for me).
• Use leaf blower to clear any last pieces of dust and debris from exterior.
• Put car cover on.
• Take excess from plastic sheet that the car is parked on and wrap it up around the car cover, and use masking tape/binder clips to secure it.
• Close garage, and don't touch it until spring. No starting it, no sitting in it, nothing.

I just recently released a video reviewing the Battery Tender Waterproof 800 and installing it on a 5th gen Camaro. It will be on the main page of this site in a day or two, but you can check it out early...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87K0NJ2bL20

km9v

I've never heard of inflating the tires to 40-50 PSI before. Then again, I'm on the gulf coast. I don't store my car for the winter. Inflating the tires that much doesn't damage the tire?

JasonD

Peace of mind, and preventing flat spots...but I hear there is little chance of flat spots with modern tires if being stored for 6 months or less.

10SS

not to change the subject but does your dealer use air or nitrogen to fill your tires? my valve stem caps are green. when asking my dealer he explained that nitrogen is more stable then air resulting in a smoother ride and not having to top off the tire pressure near as much. anybody else have green valve stem caps?

Angelis83LT

just to ask. What is the ratio of Nitrogen/O2 in the nitrogen fills?

Standard Air is 79% nitrogen already.

10SS

I think 100%

Angelis83LT

Found a little information on that. it is anywhere from 85% to 95%.

Not sure how relevant this is But it makes a bit of sense, considering what is claimed with nitrogen.

http://www.improve-gas-mileage-guide...-in-tires.html


Great way for places to make money is what it ultimately comes down to.

JasonD

Here is what GM says about nitrogen in tires..

http://www.gmfleet.com/pdf/TechTip_0...itrogenGas.pdf

cohopefull

Never use a gas leaf blower on your car! Electric only. The exhaust fumes will adhere to your paint.

JasonD

Nice tip!

bossco

Your tire is branded with the maximum cold inflation pressure, you can certainly fill it to that point for storage and not suffer any problems. I'm sure it can take alot more pressure than the branded amount (I've seen standard high-performance tires using upwards of 120 psi to seat them in an inflation cage) but why risk it.

Besides as the car sits and the temperature varies so will the pressure (about +/- 1 psi for every 10 degree difference from the temperature of the inflation gas going in the tire at the time).

VladimirSteel

Im curious what this is for?

Also, I thought most people stored cars on jackstands to prevent flat spots. If you have the means to do so is that ok/better to do? And your supposed to leave the suspension compressed correct? or uncompressed?

JasonD

To keep the small critters from climbing inside your exhaust system and making nests in it. They cannot chew through it.

I have hard both ways, I am unsure which is accurate.