I need some tips on storing my 2003.

I assume some stabile in the gas and placing the car on stands (front).

Anything else should I do? I don't intend to start it for at least 6 months.

tia

 

Check and top off all fluids. I would put the car up on four stands at a minimum. Tires should be stored laying on their side, if there is enough room don't stack them and place cardboard beneath each one. Place the battery on a battery tender and last but not least add fuel stabilizer to a full tank of gas and follow the instructions for long term storage. Also, after a good wash and wax, place a nice breathable car cover on top of it. When you pick her up, it should take less than 45 minutes to put her back together and jump on the road for a spirited drive.

 

If possible, I would fill the tank with ethanol free gas, and disconnect the battery if you are not going to use a battery maintenance charger. Be aware that every spring there are a number of posts about fuel pump failure after storage.

 

Putting it up on jack stands is bad for the suspension joints. Better to set it on concrete blocks positioned under the suspension so that the axles are at their normal ride height. The wheels can the be left in place.

 

+1. Never let the suspension just 'hang', very hard on the bushings.

 

I wouldn't put it up in the ir but would rather put 40 psi or so in the tires (assuming they don't leak and would change the oil as oil deposits or water in the oil for an extended sit isn't good either). Make sure you drive around enough after the stable to get it all the way up to the injectors. Depending on where your parking it I'd also consider taking some anti mice steps.

 

It's quite possible to use jackstands under the suspension arms.

Concrete blocks are brittle and shatter under stress. Ask any bricklayer.

 

Mice (as mentioned above) can be a problem -- I've had them nest in the engine compartment and you don't know until you've driven far enough to heat them up and then...well, you know!

I store a car in Wisconsin all the time -- I'm up there every three to six months, so the car doesn't sit any longer than that, but this is what I do:

Stabil in the gas with a fresh fill up. I try to drive the car to as close to empty as I can, often only to about ½ or 1/4 tank. After the fill up with the stabil, I drive around for 10 minutes to make sure it gets fully introduced.

Battery tender -- I have a $4.99 tender that I got at Harbor Freight that seems to work fine. I disconnect the battery and hook up the tender. When I come back, I (of course) disconnect the tender and hook up the battery and it fires right up.

I leave the car sitting on the tires because I feel that it's better to have a little flat spot on the tires that to put the stress of hanging the suspension by putting it on jack stands. The flat spots round out quite quickly, so it's never been a problem.

Interior of the car -- I make sure I have NO LOOSE PAPERS or tissues in the car. Mice love paper! It's extremely important to not have FOOD in the car, either. A clean car is the only way you can ward against rodents, they WILL get in so don't leave anything they'd want to eat or use for nesting, including napkins in the glove box.

I also make sure the car has oil to the full mark. I will change the oil every so often even though I don't drive the car all that much. I like to keep it in good shape, so a little oil changing isn't a bad idea! I also check the other fluids and top off if needed.

Before I take it out of storage, I check under the hood for mice (don't ask me why!) and under the car for leaks (although a leak might not produce a puddle, but it's not a bad idea to look!), and I check the tires to make sure they're holding up - I don't take air out of the tires like some people recommend. I then disconnect the battery tender, hook up the battery, start the car, pull it out of the garage and let it idle for about 10 minutes while I sweep out the garage, etc. I listen for odd sounds from the engine, like squeaks or rattles or ticking and tend to those things if necessary.

I've been doing this with my 1995 Mazda Miata (ok, I kept that a secret until now because I believe that our Cats are really just "cars" and need to be treated like our other pets!) for 6 or 7 years and have never had a problem. The car is in a garage in Wisconsin where the weather goes from hot and humid to well below zero.

I am thinking about swapping out the Miata with my 2003 S-Type, and plan to follow the same procedure.

 

All,

Thanks for the tips!! Appreciated!!!

 

All of the above is great advice, though I have to agree on putting the car on
jackstands if it's sitting longer than a few weeks. Though you may not see it even when pulling the car out, airing up the tires, and driving.....the tires are much more likely to be flat-spotted and if they're more than around 3 years old, it's highly possible that you will wind up with pretty significant dry-rot cracks on the bottom portion of the tire that is bearing the load.

We see it all the time with Motor Homes and Coaches at my shop, though I strictly work on the Retail stuff; we've got Fleet guys & managers that are much more versed in commercial applications than myself.

The possibility of dry-rot is even more significant if your garage/storage area is not humidity and temperature-controlled. Also for vehicles being stored outside, the sunlight (UV rays) break down the tires over time and cause premature dry rot and/or failure.

I've been in the automotive industry around ten years and spent many years changing tires, doing wheel alignments, as well as being a technician.... If at all possible, lift the car up as mentioned and let it sit in the air with the suspension components still loaded.

Also, random fact...if you use a pressure washer to clean your car or the wheels, never *ever* use it to clean off or spray the tires. Seen this several times before and the pressure that the water is pushed out at is enough to penetrate the porous sidewall of a tire and cause rapidly accelerated dry rotting.