2G Winter maintenance for a hibernating DSM

[PlanZero]

Just curious what guys do (if anything) to your winter stored DSM. I don't do anything but start her up once in a while and let her run for about 20 mins. If we get an unseasonably warm day and there's no salt on the roads I'll take her for a short drive.

Something I noticed last time I took her out was my dash brake light was on. It went away after a few minutes, but that's usually indicative of alternator problems and my 90 amp alt only has a few hundred miles on it. I also still have a lower heat shield on my s16g. Is it really necessary to disconnect the battery? It's not like I store her indefinitely. I haven't driven her since due to super crappy weather in PA but I'm also not trying to have a dead alt next time I start her. I replaced a failing alt on this car but I know it still tested and worked OK; the brake and battery light started coming on all the time. This time it was just the brake light, but went away above 3k rpms just like before.So testing the alt may not be conclusive. I'm hoping it's just acting squirrley.

 

[EC17PSE]

Brake and battery light means alernator, brake like could mean low fluid in the res or sometimes a sticky cable or switch on the handbrake, if you store it for longer then 1 month always chock the wheels and not use the hand brake and any longer then 2 months jack it up off the wheels,

Mine barely gets used atm but its always on trickle charge.

Another thing is if its been a while pre chsrge the oil system as every drop will be in the pan and nothing has protection for any bearings or turbo from heat, store it will full gas tank to avoid moisture in the air space,

And i dont do this but others i have read do is use a thick lube in the oil to stick to the metal, like STP oil treatment,

Others have their oen tips but thats mine for a good storage over 2 months,

 

[PlanZero]

Car is automatic so E brake isn't the issue since I never use it. I'm fairly certain it was the alternator triggering the light but I haven't restarted her since. Besides sharing tips I'd like to know if the cold weather triggers unusual problems on an infrequently driven car. This car is technically "stored" for winter but I don't go crazy pulling injectors and whatnot. I only have 2 running cars atm so I always keep the Tsi on backup in case my jeep has a problem. It's been brutally cold lately and I am avoiding my unheated garage unless absolutely necessary so on this balmy 30°F day maybe I'll investigate further.

 

[chrysler kid]

Brake and battery is alternator, brake only is ebrake or low brake fluid

So if the fluid is old it's possible the old fluid had some moisture in it and it froze in the line messing with your abs system (AWD only for abs)

 

[Derek232]

With my auto I tend to change trans fluid and filter while its sitting in the winter. I either put a maintainer on the battery while it sits or disconnect it even if I am starting it up every week or couple weeks. Maintainer is definitely the way to go so you don't lose any settings and seems to be easier on batteries.

 

[DogWhistle]

A gas treatment, like Stabil, or similar should be added to the gas in the tank to help prevent anything from growing in the ethanol, and varnish from forming on the tank and lines.

Run the engine after mixing this into the fuel in order to get the treatment through the fuel pump, fuel lines, rail lines, and injectors.

 

[SouthIndy_Talon]

As mentioned above, I usually just park the car with all full tank of fuel with some kind of stabilizer mixed it. I normally drive the car till it gets to around a half tank, add the stabilizer at home, and then drive to the gas station to top the tank off. I figure that final drive kinda mixes it in. Then I park the car in the garage with it in gear (no ebrake) and put a battery tender on the battery.

 

[skunkprodigy]

if stored 4 awhile i always put it on jack stands and still start it up every couple of weeks

 

[boost97gst]

What skunkprodigy said: Idk about putting it on jack stands, that's personal preference and is certainly not a bad thing to do but most important is to start the car weekly and let it get up to temp. Try driving around the block a couple times as well. MUST use seafoam or stabil in the gas and i would personally not store the car for the winter with e85 in it. Run it very low and top it off with some 93 octane and a good dose of stabil/seafoam in the tank. Drive it around to get the seafoam/stabil mixed in to the gas properly and to run it through the injectors. I hardly drive mine any more but still fire it up on sundays usually.

 

[motomattx]

Seafoam really does nothing but make smoke, I dont go for starting it up every couple of days or weeks, starting it up introduces moisture into the engine internals and the turbo and exhaust system that will cause corrosion unless you actually drive it long enough to burn the moisture off, idling it really doesnt get everything warm enough all the way to burn the moisture from everything in my opinion, so no point in chancing it. Use fogging oil in the fall if you want to or pull the plugs and fog it in the spring before you start it first thing, also dump a bottle of two stroke oil in the fuel tank in the fall last time you run it, this will not only keep the tank and pump from corroding but its a good instant top end lube as soon as you start it, other than that just pull the battery and take it inside and leave it sit until spring when you plan to acutally use it.

 

[ist dwa]

Put a car cover on it and start it every 4-6 weeks. I am still on E85 from last season, if you are going to start it every once and awhile no reason to add anything. I don't believe in flat spots on tires if they stay inflated. I would recommend a full tank, but MEH, what ever, I am down to 1 or 2 gallons left. If there is no salt on roads go rape it for a bit as I did the other day for 15 min and put it back.

OH yes, battery tender, battery tender, battery tender, or completely disconnect it.

 

[motomattx]

I too leave Ethanol or Methanol sit all winter in the tank with no real problems, I never even top of the tank before winter, just run it in the spring and put fresh in it when its low enough.

 

[techboy]

I pretty much do exactly what SouthIndy_Talon said above ... I'll just add that I've been doing for about 13 years straight consecutively and I've never had an issue. I usually top off the gas tank sometime around Christmas, park it in the garage, pull the battery and put it on a tender. The only reason I pull the battery vs. leave it in the car is the cover. I don't like having the hood slightly open with wires coming out under the car cover for the tender, so I just pull the battery and set it on a block of wood I cut years ago and hook up the tender.

BTW - depending on your insurance company, if you do this consistently every year you can get reduced insurance. I have my car set-up to be "off" insurance from Jan to April and I get a reduced rate b/c of it. The car is still insured if my house were to burn down, but it would be against my policy to have it on the road during that time. So if I got in an accident during those months I'd have some explaining to do. It worth a call to insurance company and ask if they have seasonal insurance. I have ERIE for what it's worth.

 

[PlanZero]

All great advice. I started disconnecting the battery at least. It's fairly new but sits on my subframe so it's kinda a bi*** to remove. I have a charger, but is it really necessary?
I also still have the brake dash light which disappears after I drive her for a bit. Fluid looks OK, car is non-abs and brakes feel fine. One of my first spring projects is to put GSX brakes on so I'll investigate further. I completely neglected her for the past year as I was busy with house and other car projects so I have a few boxes of parts that are just itching to be installed. She had zero maintenance problems when parked but I also probably only put a couple hundred miles on her last year. This year will be different so I'm trying to anticipate and eliminate any maintenance issues first.

 

[jinscho]

All great advice. I started disconnecting the battery at least. It's fairly new but sits on my subframe so it's kinda a bi*** to remove. I have a charger, but is it really necessary?

Anytime you put the car in storage, a float charger for the battery is a good idea.

 

[Dsm panda]

I take my battery out and into the house put a little stable in drive for a day top off the tank and check my tire psi every two months or so since I don't have a garge I store it at a family members. I also park the tires on cardboad or wood to prevent dry rot from the concrete I used to do this for my motorcycles and was told the moisture or something in concrete can expedite rot (chime in if you can explain better please I do it more or less because an old timer told me to)