Date: Fri Oct  9 13:31:19 1992
Subject: Storing the Z for Winter
To: z-car@dixie.com

 Well, we have frost up here in Canada, and the weather can get damn cold
some days. It won't be long before we start seeing the road freeze at night,
and a few flakes falling from the sky.
 It's about time to start thinking of storing my Z.
 
 Question is: What should I do before storing it, and during it's storage to
make it an enjoyable experiance for my Z?
 
 I plan on putting it out of the way in my yard, and covering it with a tarp.
On the nicer days, I plan on moving it a little bit, so the tires do not
stay in the same location for 6 months, and develop a bulge. (Was also thinking
of putting it on blocks, but we live on a lake, and get some STRONG gusts of
wind during winter.. almost enough to knock my jacked up Z down)
 
 I've heard that running the engine once a week, and having good clean oil in
the engine before storage is a must. I'd also imagine it would be a good time
to make sure there is no water in the Brake Lines, or in the fuel lines.
 
 Anything else I should know? Any common myths?

[yeah, running the engine while on blocks is a bad myth.  You won't be
able to run it long enough to fully warm the oil which means corrosive
combustion products will condense and mix with the oil.  You'd be
setting up the same conditions as exist in cars "driven by little old
ladies to the store and back", ie, ideal conditions for sludge to form.
I've stored engines literally for years with no more precautions than
making sure it was good and hot when turned off.  If you're really paranoid,
pull the plugs and hose each cylinder with something like CLP Breakfree
or LPS.  You could even replace the plugs with some of those anti-corrosive
vapor emitters sold out of some catalogs.  I've never done it and don't
see the need.  

Just run the car until thoroughly hot, pull it in the storage area,
kill the engine, drain the carbs if you have 'em, pull the battery
and take it inside, make sure the antifreeze is good and cover 'er up.
I'd also put it on blocks.  Ain't no way any wind that can't tip the
car over is going to blow it off cement blocks.  JGD]

Date: Mon Apr 18 18:47:17 1994   
Subject: Re: Z storage
From: emory!netcom.com!bworley (Bob Worley)

> >I would think that you would want to keep the tank full to reduce
> >condensation and rust.
> 
> I concur.  This is SOP for winterizing boats around here.
> If you are storing for a year or more, then you may want to re-think
> that though.
> 
> 
> I personally would not bother with anything else for 4 months.  You
> might want to put the battery on a trickle charge, overinflate the
> tires, and do something to prevent mildew in the interior.
> 
> ----------
> Posted by: emory!mech.seas.upenn.edu!george (George)
  

This thread now has *me* concerned.  I took my '78 280Z off the road last
July (10 months ago) to do a very thorough body/interior restoration, but
I left the drivetrain intact. I have only driven the car in/out of the 
garage and around the block a few times to keep it lubed. (Hey, no doors,
rear hatch or windscreen - but boy is it light and fast! ;) )  Anyway,
I have a minimum amout of fuel in it - probably almost dry by now. The
only other thing I've done is disconnect the battery when not in use.
Should I be concerned?  It still runs great, btw.

_______________________________________________________________________
Bob Worley                                  Z Club of Texas member #510
bworley@netcom.com                             1978 280Z - Bad BoyZ #15
The Z Club of Texas -                                   IZCC member #88
___________________The *Largest* Z-car Club in Texas!__________________

[Yes.  I've stored my Z several times, once for almost 3 years.  The 
ONLY thing I do is fill the tank, remove the battery and
block the wheels up so the tires won't flat-side.  Over the 3 year storage
term, some of the gas evaporated and the exposed part of the tank rusted
and the rust required me to remove the tank and very extensively flush
it.  A major job.  If I ever had to store the car again, I think
I'd probably fill the tank with either kerosene or diesel fuel which
wouldn't evaporate and with an anti-fungal additive.  All you need
is a couple of cool-hot temperature cycles for air and humidity to enter the
tank and initiate rust.  JGD]

From: John De Armond
Newsgroups: rec.outdoors.rv-travel
Subject: Re: STABIL was changing Onan engine
Date: Wed, 15 Aug 2001 22:14:29 -0400

HHamp5246 wrote:
>
> I wondered about my new mowers.... shouldn't I run them out of gas for the
> winter?

My practice:

4-strokes:

Run the carb dry, fill the gas tank full, add Stabil, cap tightly.

2-strokes:

Empty tank except for a little gas, add Stabil, run long enough to
get the Stabil in the carb, drain all gas, run carb dry, cap tank
tightly.

The difference in practice with 2-strokes is because even Stabil
can't properly preserve the oil/gas mix or prevent carb diaphragm
damage.

My 2nd, backup generator has Stabil'd gas going on 3 years old in
the tank.  It cranks and runs fine each time I test it.  Stabil
works.  But nothing will protect from the sludge/varnish that
results from a tank of gas slowly evaporating out of the carb float
bowl.

From: John De Armond
Newsgroups: rec.outdoors.rv-travel
Subject: Re: filler up? or leave er empty?
Date: Fri, 19 Oct 2001 13:23:08 -0400

Fill it to the top and Sta-Bil it.  If you leave the tank partially
filled, the normal daily heating and cooling cycle will pull
moisture laden air in during conditions of high humidity. This water
will collect on the tank walls, causing rust and will eventually
collect in the bottom of the tank.

Tank condensation is the bane of us old car nuts who tend to store
cars for long periods of time.

Ron Weisskopf wrote:
>
> I will be taking my class A away to the 4H barns for winter storage soon.
> What is the general opinion for fuel tanks in storage (5 months). Fill em up
> and add appropriate amounts of stabilizer or leave them empty as possible?
> Ron