Storing the VR-4

[Nartanian]

I'm almost done repairing my Celica, so I figured I wanted to garage the vr4 over the winter. The thing is the garage is cluttered so I wanted to leave it in the driveway and put a car cover over it. Has anyone done this before? Any opinion would be much appreciated. I also wanted to know the proper way to bring back the vr4 out of hibernation.

 

[Romanova]

Full tank of gas with some gas stabilizer. Just start it every week or take it around the block. Should be fine.

FYI, Galants prefer to be indoors... certainly in MN... car is going to freeze its balls off. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/uhh.gif

 

[Nartanian]

Well I'll try to clean out the garage. If full of useless crap that my parents just put in there.

 

+1 for the above and if you can not drive it arouind the block just make sure you move it 10-20 feet just to keep things moving and from rusting. If you put it inside or not try to put it up on jack stands..

Love the frezze it's balls off .LOL

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/uhh.gif

 

[Nartanian]

I need to upgrade to a heated garage haha.

 

[iceman69510]

Make your parents get one of those "Pod" things delivered to keep the junk in. Garages are for cars.

 

[Woody]

The garage is the best place to store it, and as said before try and start it at least once a week.

 

[Mark]

For winter months I put it in garage, disconnect battery. Put cover over it.. Start in the spring. Never had any troubles.

 

[Nartanian]

No gas stabilizer?

 

[Mark]

nope ive stored with pump gas, q16, c16 never had issues

 

[conquesttsi]

click

I think this about covers it. Good read.

 

[Nartanian]

Good find. Thanks.

 

[Nartanian]

Is it really necessary to store the car on jack stands? Anyone have any experience with "flatspots" on their tire?

 

[conquesttsi]

Well, not only is it for the sake of the tires but it also reduces the stress on your suspension components. Although some arguments have been made that with today's modern tires you no longer need to deal with flat spots (but I would think dry rot is still an issue) Some types of suspension should not be decompressed, but I am not sure what type.

 

[slugsgomoo]

you don't really want to hang the suspension all the way extended with all the unsprung weight on it IMO. I've never really had a flatspotted tire that wouldn't round out after a couple miles and those were Advan A046's (very soft) that hadn't moved in 8 months for what it's worth. I wouldn't really worry about it that much.

 

[Nartanian]

Ok, sorry for so many questions, but I kinda wanna draw a fine line between what is required and what isn't. Last thing I had in mind was, is it important to buy a car cover if it will be garaged indoors? I planned on skipping that as well...

 

[conquesttsi]

it helps to keep critters out.

 

[Nate]

I've been told that leaving the suspension "hanging" with a car on jackstands is bad for the struts, but I've left the Maroon Car on jackstands for months at the time, and didn't notice any difference; but then again I set that suspension up to be fairly soft from the get-go.

Now, I leave the Maroon Car just parked outside under a cover, for months at a time, and the tires do seem to get flat spots, but they go away after 5-10 miles.

I just try to make sure I park it with a full tank of gas, so that rust doesn't form in the tank.

If you are leaving it outside, putting a little bit of kerosene around the tires on the ground is supposed to deter critters from making a home.

Nate

 

[Nartanian]

Ok, thanks guys. I think I should be ready man. Thanks for all the input.