Well the time has come to store the black widow. Due to my deployment with the Air Force she will be gone for a while. It will most likely be left untouched for 4-6 years. However, it will be in a climate controlled garage. I was wondering if anyone had any tips for me so I can leave it and not worry. What fluids should I drain, etc.
-Matt

[This message has been edited by The Black Widow (edited 10-17-2003).]

http://www.nsxprime.com/FAQ/BuySell/long_term_storage.htm
http://www.buyclassiccars.com/storagetips.asp

try those

I always lift my car up and take off the tires durning the winter time so that all the weight isn't on the same bearing all winter long. This will prevent a flat spot occuring on that bearing. Next I always change the oil and put on about 20 miles on it so all the new oil will be up in the engine. Then I would take all pressure off your calipers so that they wont stick in the postions they are. Wash the car very well and put a coating of what ever you would like on all your weather stripping that will get weathered. Take out your battery and have someone else use it because if you leave it that long it won't be any good by the time you get back. The gas I would run out of your car completely because it will tarnish you injectors and cause problems. The rest should be ok. If I have forgotten anything I am sorry but, off the top of my head this is what I would do.

Good Luck on your storage and god speed on your journey in the Air Force.....

Korey

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"88" 3800 SC Series II V6 Coupe
(soon to be "Intercooled")
"84" 4Cyl coupe parts car
Sponsered by = Car Quest

This is what I would do.... There are many oppinions on this.

Take out the battery... Give it away to someone that can use it. No battery will be good after that long a storage.

Flush the brake/clutch fluid. Then flush it again before driving it. This fluid will draw water out of the air even when parked. Use Valvoline Synpower fluid. It performs more like DOT 4/5.1 and is about the same price as most DOT 3 fluid. (Covered in the brake articles in my cave.)

Put fresh engine oil in and run it a day or three. Before driving, disable the ignition and crank it to get the oil moving. (Pull the module wires or coil input NOT the coil output. Pulling the secondary wire off can fry the ignition.) You probably should change oil again before starting it.

don't worry much about the transmission. If anything, change this fluid after storage. If it is already dirty or old you might want to change it before storage.

Coolant is the tough one. I've always wondered what the car museums do about this one. Draining isn't nesisarily a good thing. That leaves a wet system with air in it. Major corrosion fast if you aren't careful.

Ethylene and Propylene Glycol coolant products are all heavier than water and will settle out. (I've actually seen it happen.) That includes the corrosion inhibiters. There is a really good chance you will need cooling system parts when you go to run it or soon after you start running it.

Water pumps are great for blowing the seal shortly after storage. The main reason is that the pump shaft corrodes at the seal and chews it out. Durring normal operation a very slight amount of coolant gets past the seal far enough to keep that corrosion away from the seal.

Something many people don't know... Traditional coolants have a shelf life. DexCool has a long shelf life. Several years. BUT putting DexCool into an old system may not help any. (This is covered in the coolant fill article in my cave.) Even if you put straight coolant (Traditional or DexCool) in the system, it may not save everything.

Even in a garage... the tires will eventually leak flat. If you don't jack the car I would still put blocks under it to catch it as the tires shrink. Then if you have to jack it later you'll be able to get the jack under it easy.

Fuel is also tough....

It used to be you would fill the tank and add StaBil. The problem, some of the RFG/Oxigenated gas goes sh_tty no matter what you do to it. There is a real chance you could need fuel system work no matter what you do. I think I'd still use a full tank of gas and StaBil just because it will help reduce rust in the gas tank. Run the engine long enough to get the StaBil thru the whole system. If the gas cap is in cruddy shape get a new one. That will help keep moisture out.

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Be alert. The world needs more lerts...

The Ogre's Fiero Cave (It's also at the top of every forum page...)

Just want to add about blocking the car up, I always thought it a good idea, but in event of a building fire, or other such emergency, no one's gonna mess around and try to get it on the ground.

Just something to think about.

Tell you what, instead of doing all that work to store it consider letting a VERY trusted friend borrow it and use it for a weekend driver, sure this will put miles on it, but if hes a good friend he will take care of it like it was his own. It will save you some extra time so it can be spent packing socks and underwear. Not to mention if your friend uses it chances are he will do all the routine work for you. Much cheaper then having problems from a sitting engine.

quote Originally posted by jelly2m8: Just want to add about blocking the car up, I always thought it a good idea, but in event of a building fire, or other such emergency, no one's gonna mess around and try to get it on the ground. Just something to think about.

But in the case of a building fire, nobody will mess with the car anyway, even if the keys were in it and it was ready to drive right then and there.

JazzMan