Winter storage

[gardnerl]

Living in the Northeast my season is coming to an end. I am looking to hear how many of you prepare your car for the winter storage. I usually pull radiator and drain entire system but I know I should be doing other things as well. Would like to hear what items I am missing. Car is stored in a garage but it is not heated and can freeze if temps drop for an extended period.

Thanks for the advice !

[jabro1000]

Funny, I started to post this same question yesterday in the FC section (car is a Pinto powered Reynard) before I got distracted and pulled the ripcord on the whole operation. It doesn't get quite as cold in the winter here in the Northwest as it does back East (we usually have one brief snap of mid twenties weather and the occasional evening of below freezing temperatures), and I was thinking just running some antifreeze through the system would be sufficient for winter storage so long as the engine was flushed and refilled with H20 come spring. Is this a bad idea for some reason of which I am unaware? You actually pull the radiators and drain the coolant huh; is there any reason to be concerned about the possibility of not quite getting all of the water out, ie. some errant pocket left behind somewhere in the block which didn't fully drain or get sucked out? I have heard it stated that FF's and FC's should be started weekly by first cold cranking to build oil pressure. Should this procedure still be followed even in colder weather, and if so, more or less often?

[Brian]

I like to have antifreeze in the cooling system, particularly if there is anything aluminium in the system since antifreeze has significant anti-corrosion features. Fresh oil is good, as is a few drops in the combustion chambers and crank over with plugs out to coat rings etc. Tape up all the openings and good to go. Make sure the battery has a fresh charge.

Brian

[Blair Robertshaw]

If you are prone toward using anti - freeze have a look at Mercedes Benz AF. Very costly but without question one of the best if not the best AF made today! 50 / 50 blend. Great cooling of course but the anti corrosion benefits are top shelf. Oil (wd or similar, small amount) in cylinders is a good idea as well.

[TimW]

I also use marine fogging oil on the last shut down of the engine for the season.