I'm leaving the country for 6 months, so I need to 'put my car to bed'.

What procedure do I need to follow to properly store the car? Is it bad for the car to sit for so long??

My ride is a '95 GS-R with 57K on it.


Thanks for the replies.

 

Get it off the tires.. fill the gas tank FULL... change the oil.

See if you can have someone IDLE it until its at temp, at least twice a month( or better yet...drive it)

 

Gas stabilizer, too. Gas goes bad fast! I agree that if possible someone (you trust ) should drive it. I have my dad take it to work once a week or so while I'm at school. He was able to humble jackass in a Mercedes once so it isn't to hard to get him to do it

 

hmmm . . . .

one problem is, I really don't want my friends to drive it.

another problem - neither does my insurance company.

 

then you will have to live with the other suggestions....

 

Yeah, I'd say the you not wanting it is more important at this point, it only takes a few minutes to warm up and then a short ride around the block. But if there's no one sensible enough to do it, I'd say throw it up on some jack stands

 

i wouldnt worry about the gas, sit the car up on plywood under the tires... disconnect the battery, drain the oil ( stuff grows in there even in the pan), cover the car, let some air out of the tires and fill the coolant wtih pure coolant (so it dont rust from the water)....

when you get back you might have to charge the battery, and you will put oil back in it.. but it should be fine... just unplug the ecu fuse and crank it over till the oil light goes out.. then put fuse back in a fire it up....

or have your parents come by and let it idle for 15 minutes a week.. jsut to keep it lubed up and keep from growing in the gas and oil...

 

why would you fill the tank with gas? just curious, cus if gas goes bad fast, I wouldnt want a whole tank of it sitting n there. I know nothing of this matter so dont take the question the wrong way.

 

Yea dude,have someone close a girlfriend or family member start it 2 3 times per month.I know what you mean,your friends will playin gran turismo with your while your gone.

 

i think it's to prevent the water and gas seperating and having your tank rust (if thats possible on a honda gas tank.. what are they made of?) and to keep the fumes down... if something starts to flame around the car, it will be less prone to blow up if the tank is full... fumes will cause an explosion.. (paranoid perhaps but seems like a logical reason... )

 

Filling it up prevents condensation in the tank...water in gas sucks...

 

BINGO

 

I'm pretty sure that if you disconnect the negative side you will be ok in this department. Unless it's a crappy battery...

 

Jackstands definatly. Full tank of gas, yes. Oil change, yes. Coolant, yes. All other fluids (brake, p.s.), yes... having someone start it once or twice a month while on the jackstands (since you don't trust them to drive it) would be very gooood. That should cover most of it. I wouldn't worry about disconnecting the battery if you are going to run it bi-weekly.

 

The proper way...cause i just did it, for long term storage is as follows:

1) Fresh oil and filter - removes cause stuff settles in old oil

2) fill the gas tank to the first click on the pump - prevents rust

3) add gas stabalizer so the gas will not oxidize

4) support the car on jackstands this will prevent flat spots on tires, some people even remove tires to ease the load on the suspension

5) WASH THE CAR - no salt or anything else should be on the car, wax if you can

6) Hook the battery up to an automatic charger (trickle charges and automatically stops...this keeps the battery fresh

6b) IF you are storing the battery instead of keeping it charged, do NOT let it sit on concrete/garage floor...put it on wood - this prevents the charge from leaking (yes .. it does)

7) Plug up your exhaust hole with like a small sponge or something - prevent animals/rats/bugs .. etc.

8) if your leaving the car in the garage, try to keep a vapour barrier / tarp on the floor to prevent moisture from getting to your underbody and therefore rust(especially if your garage is damp/cold...the concrete does this regardless)

9) if your going REALLY hardcore...like long term storage, you can even cut a peice of wood to the exact length to depress your clutch so that it won't seize together

10) get some white grease, and grease your door hinges, it'll come off later and keep it nice and moist

11) Invest in a good car cover! make sure it's breatheable!

12) Lanolin lotion on any leather, and I'm personally undecided about armour-alling surfaces, have heard conflicting info.

I realize some of this may sound excessive, I'm from toronto, and I did this all for winter storage, minus the clutch release...most of it has taken lots of reasearch on the net so it should be good info (nothing wrong with being preventitive!)

As an extra, I opened a bag of sand and spilled a little + kept the bag in the front corner of the garage, it absorbs moisture + keeps the place smelling fresher...

Hope it helps!

 

0 rage 0

Great advice.

Take OUT the battery and take it inside.

The gas tank will not rust, they are plastic right??

keep a window partially open, otherwise it will stink inside when you get back. just a crack. like the loser smokers here in cleveland when it is 10 degrees and they are shaking in the AM on their way to work

hahahah tobacco hahahaah

 

Ummm, NO! They are not plastic, and the worry is not rust. See my post above.