How long can a car sit in storage before I should start it?

Question

I took the battery out. What should I do to store the car for years? What will happen if I just leave it sit?

Answer 1

I would start it every coup[le of months to keep the seals from rotting and cracking. If it just sits, it my lock up due to moisture in the air.

Answer 2

If you absolutely HAVE to store it, there are ways you can preserve the car's engine almost indefinitely. The easiest sounds like a complicated process, but it's not...the Old Timers call it "pickling" the engine.

first, drain all the fluids from the vehicle. Take the oil and coolant to a recycling center, either give the gas to someone for their mowers, or sell it...of course you could always run it in whatever other car you're driving.

Crankcase Oil - Oil, even if it's only been run for a few miles, has deposits/contaminants in it, anywhere it's trapped it can eventually cause oxidation of parts, seems like I had a fellow mechanic tell me it can actually turn acidic after a while...he's an old guy, and I trust him. Get it out of there.

Fuel - Fuel companies keep changing the formulas of their products, a tankful of gas even as short as 5 years ago had a shelf life longer than today's fuels. The varnish and gum that forms will clog your tank, requiring replacement eventually. You'd be lucky to have a tankful last more than a year...even with the "stabilizers" you buy over the counter (which react with today's fuels differently than they did a few years ago, ask any service tech who takes a set of plugs out after a couple tanks full have been run through an engine with new plugs...the tell-tale red streaks give away that additives have been run through the engine, and in some cases void warranty, regardless of what the container says on it.)

Coolant - There's different opinions here, but I'd rather have the system totally empty if it's going to be sitting for more than a year or so. If you DO leave it full, make sure it's a 50/50 ratio of water to coolant, unless your climate is such that you have a LOT of sub-zero weather, in that case, either leave it empty, or fill it to a ratio that offers the protection the lowest possible temperature would require.

Okay, now that you've done all that (this is the expensive part), you need to OVERFILL the entire crankcase with Kerosene, until you cannot fit anymore in there. This will take up the space that air would occupy, and prevent rust/corrosion from happening. Place a label prominently on the vehicle that the crankcase is full of Kerosene, and advise that it be drained before attempting to start.

place another label stating what you did to the cooling system...the fuel system...well, fuel leaves deposits and likes to form varnish/gum...you'd be well off to fill that with the same precious substance that's in the crankcase, again, placing a label very conspicuously that you've filled the tank with kerosene and DO NOT START.

What happens if you just let it sit...well, the metal will oxidize, the cloth in the interior will rot away, rodents will invade the car and devour the insulation from the wires (I failed to mention this earlier, it would be a good idea to place SOME kind of rodent/insect deterrent in the vehicle, and around it where it's stored...hopefully indoors...).

It may sound counter-productive, but the best way to preserve a car...is to have it driven occasionally...start up, run it down the street enough to go through all the gears, then park it...have someone take care of it for you, change the oil every three months, keep an eye on the coolant level and change it once every year...it would cost little more than the "pickling" option, and it would be ready to drive when you're ready for it.

Answer 3

If it's a really nice car, you should give it to me so it doesn't have to sit!
But if you insist on long term (over 1 year)storage, flush ALL fluids and replace with new, remove the spark plugs and use fogging oil in the cylinders, and re-install the plugs, support the vehicle by it's suspension so the tires are off of the ground, spray a silicone lubricant on the brake rotors (inside and outside!),and cover the car with a breathable cover. When removing it from storage, repeat the procedure, (changing the fluids,installing new plugs, cleaning the rotors).
If it has been stored more than 2 years, expect to change the belts, hoses, and thermostat.
Short term storage, I would still fog the cylinders and change the engine oil and keep it raised and covered. The best way, though is to start it at least once a month.
A few mothballs will help keep the critters out of it, but it's tough to get the smell out later, unless anyone has a better idea for that.
Oh, and you could let me know where it is so I can take it out and drive it once in a while

Answer 4

As long as the battery is out of it or disconnected you can let it sit indefinitely. Check your tire pressure twice a year. The fuel will settle but not go bad or stop the engine from starting. I usually put a bottle of STP fuel treatment in my tank before I park my truck over Summer or park the car over Winter. This seems to help the gasoline stay more volatile and it fires quicker not to mention the added cleaners keep the caburetor bowl from getting any residues from building up in it while it sits.

You might get a gallon of gasoline in a can and add some STP to it before you decide to crank it up in a few months or years. This will stir up the fuel in the tank before the pump starts pumping when you crank it the first time.

The seals will be just fine and as long as the main bearings are not worn too bad, the crankshaft will not settle and stay centered and not pull on the front and rear main seals.

Good Luck!

Answer 5

If yo just leave it sit all rubber and seals will dry rot and you will have to replace them all you need to run the car once a week or drain al fluids and remove battery good for about a year. But why do you want to do this?

Answer 6

Start it frequently, or run oil through it frequently. Otherwise, your gaskets and engine seals will crack, and you'll need a rebuild. Also, put it up on jack stands. That way, you don't flatten out your tires on the side that's touching the ground. Put moth balls under the car to avoid bugs from nesting in it. Expect to have to replace some hoses and parts when you bring it back to life. And don't expect it to start imediatly, even with all that. Use as much fuel as you can, because fuel sitting in the tank will go bad and turn to a gel, and clog up your fuel system.

Answer 7

I would start and run the car once a week for about 10 min. to keep vital parts from rusting out inside the engine. I'm no expert mechanic, but that's what I would do.

Answer 8

i've got seen individuals disconnect the HT leads so as that they could turn over the engine some cases to pump the oil by using earlier going to an entire start up. in case you place oil interior the plug holes you're in all probability just to foul the plugs and not get a start up. If the oil grew to become into in undesirable condition earlier the automobile grew to become into saved you will get issues from sludge strengthen interior the sump. according to possibility a wee squirt of WD 40 down the plugholes could be ok and the spray could desire to coat the cylinder partitions. I used to bypass away my automobile for various months at a time (working distant places). I merely disconnected the battery earlier leaving, and re-linked it on return and it started out first time every time. It grew to become into constantly properly serviced and oil grew to become into clean whilst it grew to become into parked up. you additionally can desire to get the tires checked as though its been sitting an prolonged time on the comparable place you are able to finally end up with flat spots on the tyres, fantastically if tyre stress grew to become into low. incredibly i could propose start up it up, do no longer push the revs to intense, power it right down to a provider place and get a rapid lube (Oil&clear out exchange) or an entire provider. additionally verify the brakes as quickly as you're shifting. If it grew to become into left with the handbrake on the brakes or cable could have seized. in the event that they have then usually a pair of whacks with a hammer on the drums will loose the shoes, or try opposite then forward. The cable is so lots extra hardship. solid success

Answer 9

It will rust tight, so tight that you would not be able to use it ever again. You must drive it at least once a month and change the oil at least once in 6 months.

Answer 10

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