Written by Don Stewart | 31 December 2006

There are probably as many opinions about how to prepare a car for long term storage as there are car owners. This pony trick lists many of the time honored steps applicable to extended periods of a year or more. Not all steps apply to all situations but the longer the anticipated storage, the more important it is to properly protect your baby.

Show cars that see very limited use and daily drivers that need to be stored if their owners expect to be away for an extended period (e.g.: military service) should be given consideration for all of the steps or, at least, a variation that the owner is comfortable with. Your car will appreciate it and so will you because the car will be much better preserved compared to just parking it in the garage.

1. Get the underbody of vehicle oiled or rust proofed. (Krown, Rust Check, Ziebart, Apple Auto Glass etc.)
This is more of a northern thing as well as a damp-storage or salt-air recommendation. Although a coating of mineral oil which can be easily removed with WD-40 is certainly worth considering.

2. Change the brake fluid.
Unless you’re using DOT 5 silicone brake fluid, the DOT 3 or DOT 4 fluid in your car needs to be changed periodically because it’s hygroscopic (attracts moisture). If the car is going into extended storage or if the fluid hasn’t been flushed and replaced recently, now is a good time to do the job.

3. Change the fuel filter.
Replace the filter and also check for soft or swollen fuel line hoses and loose clamps. Correct any deficiencies.

4. Remove the air filter canister and put a drop of light oil on each pivot point for the throttle linkage and the choke.

5. Fill the gas tank.
Just before pumping the gas, add fuel stabilizer (perhaps STA-BIL) or top oil (like Marvel Mystery Oil) to the tank. Personally, I like the Mystery Oil because it’s also a top oil and rust inhibitor that protects the top end of the engine. Follow directions on the can but the typical rate of addition is 4 ounces per 10 gallons of gas.

6. Change the oil and filter using your usual oil.

7. Grease the car if it’s equipped with grease fittings.

8. Flush the cooling system and change the coolant. Use distilled water when you make up your 50/50 solution of new antifreeze. The Pony Trick written for the December 2001 issue of Pony Express tells you how to insure that the mix is 50/50.
Consider adding a container of rust inhibitor/water pump lubricant to the new antifreeze solution.

9. Inflate the tires 5 to 10 psi above the car manufacturer’s recommended pressure.
Be careful to not exceed the maximum tire pressure shown on the sidewall of the tire. After setting the air pressure, consider installing tire minders on the valve stems. These inexpensive devices replace the valve stem caps and change color if the pressure drops. They provide an easy way to check the pressure by just glancing at the color (green, yellow, or red)

10. Spray WD-40 on/in the mechanism of all latches and locks including the pivot points for the door handles.

11. Clean the tires.
On cool tires, use one of the easy clean spray-on products. Let it “work” for a couple of minutes and then before it dries, wipe it around the side wall with a rag. Next dry it with a terry cloth towel.
Avoid using tire dressing unless the product contains no silicones.

12. Clean the wheels.
Be sure to remove all brake dust because it’s corrosive. If you have styled steel wheels or the newer cast wheels where it’s difficult to remove all of the dirt from nooks and crannies, try using something like Black Magic No Scrub Wheel Cleaner.

13. Thoroughly wash and dry the car being sure to remove any contaminants such as grease and road tar.

14. After  washing, drive the car for 15 or 20 miles to blow all water out of the nooks and crannies.
Dust the car off with a “California” duster when you return.

15. Wax the car.
Consider going over the car with a clay bar before waxing. This will remove things like oxidized paint and tree sap before you apply the wax.

16. Leave convertible tops in the upright position.
It’s a personal preference whether or not to relieve the tension on the convertible top latches but don’t leave the top down. It will crease and possibly deteriorate and crack if left down.

17. Vacuum the interior. Clean the seats and interior panels.
Avoid using products that contain silicone. Something like McGuire's Interior Detailer will serve you well. If you have leather seats, help protect them with a good leather treatment.

18. Clean the windows on the inside if you want to but you’ll only have to do it again when you take the car out of storage.

19. Lay down carpet and or plastic on the garage floor to help prevent moisture from attacking the undercarriage. Park the car over the protective barrier.
This will help prevent moisture from circulating upward into the  car
You also might want to consider parking the car in a “bubble” where air is continuously circulated through the bag. This is a very effective way to mitigate moisture buildup.

20. Do not set the parking brake/handbrake.

21. Remove the spark plugs and squirt a teaspoon or so of clean engine oil into each cylinder and then crank the engine for 5 or 6 seconds.
Reinstall the spark plugs before cranking the engine. Don’t let the engine start when you crank it. You can prevent it from starting by disconnecting the ignition.

22. Remove the battery and store it on a wooden surface away from the car.
If you attach a trickle charger, you’ll probably find that the battery is useable when you put the car back in service. If you use a trickle charger, buy one that monitors battery voltage so that it will turn off when the battery is fully charged and then turn back on whenever the battery needs to be charged again. A trickle charger won’t guarantee that the battery will be useable when it’s put back in the car but without it, expect to replace the battery.

23. Clean the battery cable terminals and wipe on a light coating of petroleum jelly or grease.

24. When the engine is cool, do the normal checks, top off any fluids that need it.

25. Clean out the trunk.
Remove heavy items like transmissions, cinder blocks, and bags of sand (don’t laugh, it happens). Also remove anything that might leak.

26. Remove the wiper blades or prop up the wiper arms to lift the blades off the windshield.
This will prevent the blades from bending over flat.

27. If you have a radio antenna that telescopes, put a light drop of oil on each section and slide the section up and down to distribute the oil.

28. If Rodents are a problem, place moth balls in and under the car.
Also place several boxes of mouse/rat poison around the perimeter of the car, especially inside and outside the tires where they contact the garage floor.

29. Place silica crystals and/or used charcoal briquettes in open aluminum pans inside the car to absorb moisture. Do the same thing in the trunk.

30. Raise the car until about ½ its weight is off the suspension.
Support the car on jack stands. Place mouse/rat poison at the base of each jack stand.
Do not raise the car so far that the tires are off the floor and the suspension is hanging. A hanging suspension is supported by the shock absorbers. They could be damaged if left in the fully extended position for a long time.

31. Unlatch the hood and the trunk but don’t open them.

32. Leave the windows rolled down about 1/2 inch.

33. Close the doors on the safety latches only.
Items 31, 32, and 33 help to save the sealing gaskets and rubber biscuits from permanently assuming the profile created when the doors, hood, and trunk are fully closed over an extended period. They will be better able to do their jobs when the car is put back in service.

34. Stuff a rag into the end of the tailpipe or tape it closed.

35. Cover the car with a good car cover, one that breathes, or use a bubble.
It’s generally accepted that a bubble is a very effective way to protect a car but there is considerable controversy over whether covers protect a car. Some say that even the good breathable covers trap too much moisture. I’m part of the latter group. I’d rather use a bubble or in lieu of that, leave the car uncovered and have someone dust it off with a “California” duster every four to six weeks.

36. DO NOT start the car while it’s stored.
A lot was done to protect the engine before the car was stored. Starting it will compromise those efforts but there is another more important reason to not start it:

One of the products of combustion is water. Starting the engine will generate water which will not be dispelled with the engine running in place. Only driving the car for at least 15 to 20 miles will effectively dry it out. The same holds true for the exhaust system. Besides, what good does it do to start the engine and ignore all of the other rotating parts: wheel bearings, transmission, rear gear, drive shaft universals, etc.

If you want your engine to be started while the car is stored, the best solution would be to have a responsible person drive the car for 30 to 45 minutes on the highway once every four to six weeks.

37. Avoid storage in a commercial “Store-n-Lock.”
Use a “Store-n-Lock” facility as your storage location only if there is no other solution. Most “Store-n-Lock” buildings are notoriously poor at keeping moisture out.

38. Check state laws and insurance regulations in your state to find out how you should proceed with respect to keeping your car licensed and insured.
Of course, if you plan to have someone drive the car from time to time, the answers are self evident; keep the license and insurance current. If it will be driven, don’t forget to have the state inspection performed on schedule.