So, I'm going on a nationwide tour with my friend's band for about seven weeks ... the Integra will be sitting at my dad's house for the duration of the trip ... Other than adding fuel stabilizer & removing battery, what else should be done ??? TIA !!!

 

When you remove the battery, keep it off concrete otherwise it will drain. also make sure to hook it up to a slow trickle charger.

In fact, I would leave the battery in, and hook it up to slow trickle charge on an automatic charger.

Fuel Stabalizer for less than 2 months of storage is not necessary. You could however make sure everything is closed up nicely and under a cheap car cover to avoid dust if you'd like.

I've stored my car 6 months with no fuel stabalizer (however I use it now) and I've had no problems starting although I was paranoid about it initially.

-Shane

 

First and foremost.

Put it in a garage. You don't want your teg to make another "Stolen Integra" thread.

Do whatever you can to keep it out of harms way. Car cover would work well too.

 

thanks for the prompt replies !!! No go on the garage action, gotta leave her in the driveway with a car cover/tarp ... Was also wondering about the oil, should I change it before storing her, or just leave the dirty oil in there so the deposits settle in the pan & change it out when I get back ?

 

My $.02 here, take it or leave it.

I'd go buck nutty making sure it doesn't get stolen.

Take off the wheels and stick it on blocks. Or get a set of cheap stock steelies and deflate the tires.
Take out the battery.
Install a fuel cutoff switch.

They aren't going to bring a set of wheels to bolt onto the car to steal it.
They won't bring a spare battery to stick in it before starting it up.
And even if they do go to the trouble, they won't find the fuel cutoff because you hid it is a not so obvious location, like underneath the rear seats or with the spare tire. Yeah, that's an annoying place, but if it's just for storage.. Or maybe just cut the fuel pumps power completely. Theives are definetely not going to bring a soldering iron and some solder or butt-connectors to wire the fuel pump back together.

Seven weeks is nothing to worry about with the fuel and battery and whatnot.

 

or he can just take out his ecu

 

an important note to fuel....

no need to add sta-bil or anything.. just make sure the tank is full to avoid condensation.

no need to pull the pump, just pull the injector ground plug. Or starter relay wire.. etc.. you get the point...

The more layers the better.

As for the rest of the issues, no need to really worry about the mechanical stuff going bad in only 7 weeks. I would just concentrate on anti theft.

 

this is just what i was looking for. im leaving my car at my grandpa's farm for college, would i need to drain all the fluids or anything like that. this is for about a year.

 

OT:i always forget to check the email box. sorry

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by nickgmiller04 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">this is just what i was looking for. im leaving my car at my grandpa's farm for college, would i need to drain all the fluids or anything like that. this is for about a year.</TD></TR></TABLE>

the LAST thiing you want to do is drain the fluids.. No oil in the motor=CORROSION.

Keep it full of gas, fresh oil, resting ON the suspension (or on jackstands and NO WHEELS). I would also loook into a relative actually starting it up and running it for 20 min every month or so.

 

thats the smartest thing i saw anyone write. have someone start it up weekly for about 20 - 30 mins to keep everything lubricated. a couple of weeks wont really harm it. the most damage is done over time when rubber internal engine parts become dry rotted and dont do their job. also make sure what other people said, that it cant get stolen.

 

Good stuff guys, appreciate the replies !!!

 

thanx a lot. i learned something. somthing im still slightly confused about.

i will need to keep the suspension compressed?? so keep wheels on and leave the car on the ground??

or would it be better to put it on jackstands and take off the wheels. there will be absolutely NO chance of it getting stolen. its at my grandpas farm in a his garage.
this has been helpful

 

Keep the mice out of it. They'll shred the air filter & make a nest in there, & chew up the insulation on all the wires. But I imagine if it's on your grandpa's farm there's probably some cats around...

Better to change the oil so it's fresh & clean for storage. Fill the gas tank all the way, so there no room for moisture condensation. Overinflate the tires so they don't get flat spots.

I don't really agree with just running the engine. If you want to run it, just do that every 4 weeks or so. But have someone check the tire pressures, then actually drive it around. That way the shocks & wheel bearings & steering get some exercise. Then fill the gas all the way & overpressure the tires again.

 

7 weeks aint really much . i let my teg sit for close to a year and no probs with the gas in it . i would just take off one of the battery cables and be done with it .

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by xplanetearth420x &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">or he can just take out his ecu</TD></TR></TABLE>

I didn't think of this. This would probably be a good idea to do anyway since P72 ECU's are a hot commodity.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by IVI &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">thats the smartest thing i saw anyone write. have someone start it up weekly for about 20 - 30 mins to keep everything lubricated. a couple of weeks wont really harm it. the most damage is done over time when rubber internal engine parts become dry rotted and dont do their job.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

Starting it up for 20 minutes every week is not a good idea because you will be causing more condensation. idling it for 20 minutes is not long enough to burn it off either.

Take it from the motorcycle folks, who routinely put their bikes in storage for 3 months every single year (those of us in the north anyway). Disconnect the battery, add Sta-bil to the tank (and run it for 10 minutes), change the oil, don't start it until spring.

 

realistically, unless your battery is on the verge of dying and can't hold much charge, i don't think you need to do much at all.

i was gone for 3 months overseas and only had sta-bil in the gas tank, kept it in a garage (for safety), and had someone start it up once a month and rock it back and forth a bit (to prevent any flat spots on the tires).

have a good trip.

 

Thank you sir !!! (Now i have to find my stupid passport so I can join the rest of the band for 3 dates in Canada,lol!!!)

 

If you have local police enforcement that you know well like myself, ask them to do routine checks on your house when possible. Let them know you have a highly theft rated- car that you truly feel insecure about and they should go ahead with it. This of course is assuming that you do feel insecure about it, have a local police force, and they will actually do it. Worth a shot.....