Putting "A" car into storage

B

Big hammer

Well-known member
Someone asked about putting their car on jackstands for storage. Which got me to thinking (scary), sooo change engine oil
check coolant
fuel stabilizer
mouse proof
Please add to the list and/or comment!
 
Big hammer said:
Someone asked about putting their car on jackstands for storage. Which got me to thinking (scary), sooo change engine oil
check coolant
fuel stabilizer
mouse proof
Please add to the list and/or comment!
Click to expand...

Do you fog the cylinders? If so, with what,:confused: inquiring minds want to know.
PS. it will be in a heated garage.
 
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From Experience:

1. Try dipping a Tee Shirt in oil until it is well oiled; and, hang it out on a clothes line.

2. After a few years, one can notice that the volatile petroleum products in the oil evaporated & the Tee Shirt is dry.

3. When this same effect happens in an engine, warmer humid air condenses on cooler engine parts and ferric oxide (rust) sets in.

4. Never a bad idea to start engine now & then ...... or as a minimum, rotate engine rapidly with hand crank with (4) plugs removed ..... oil pump "will" pump oil.

5. My Town Sedan sat in "heated" storage for 30 years .....with very little use during this period according to former owner ........ after removing pan, noticed the cam shaft had deep rust pits far beyond repair.

6. Storage: No cut & dry answer or fix because lots depends on:

A. Humidity level in storage area; and,

B. Length of storage between rotating engine and lubricating engine parts.

7. Again, FWIW, our U.S. Military stores rebuilt engines in a vacuum, in a metered fiberglass container, which can even stand open shipment over salt water seas plus years of non-harmful storage.

8. Dust accumulation during storage is detrimental to paint ..... dust accumulates moisture, moisture molecules penetrate paint film .... results in rust in some cases.

9. Rodents are a different subject .... depends "solely" on the person's desire to "effectively" control the storage area as opposed to trying to appeal to the rodents who desire to ruin a Model A.

Just hope this helps anyone to decide.
 
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Don't forget to plug exhaust and carb holes..this falls under mouse proof but often to some that means just lay out traps.
 
Do not put your Model A into storage for the winter. Drive it every chance you can. Storage causes deterioration you cannot see.
 
That engine with the two freeze cracks that I've been fixing up from the deer hauler looks like it won't get finished before the snow falls, so two days ago I used my syphon sprayer to spray engine oil on the interior of the bottom end, then used a few bolts to install the engine pan. This will stay outside covered up with plastic. I'll let you know in the spring how it survived, but I predict no rust.
 
Tom,
Use common sense and avoid driving when the roads are salty. That leaves a lot of fall and winter days when it is fun to drive a Model A. So I stick to my recommendation of not storing any Model A.
 
Tape a note to the windshield describing what you've done to the car, because you may not be the next person to start it!
 
Bob Bidonde said:
Tom,
Use common sense and avoid driving when the roads are salty. That leaves a lot of fall and winter days when it is fun to drive a Model A. So I stick to my recommendation of not storing any Model A.
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I dont know what they do in NY but the first snow or sometimes even threat of snow they dump salt on the road that stays there as a white salty layer till spring...Our roads turn white every winter - not because of snow either...Interstates and main highways around here get caked up so bad when it is dry it looks like white dust from a gravel road getting kicked up from every vehicle going down the road.

Its not the driving on snow with salt mixed in, its the melted snow and mostly salty spray that gets in every little crack and destroys cars.

Unless you own your own carwash and wash it top to bottom with a pressure washer and every crevace on the underside and body panel seam after every drive its much better to just park it and wait till after the 2nd heavy rain in the spring. Then you get to play the "dodge the landmines" game with potholes in the roads.:mad:
 
SeaSlugs said:
I dont know what they do in NY but the first snow or sometimes even threat of snow they dump salt on the road that stays there as a white salty layer till spring...Our roads turn white every winter - not because of snow either...Interstates and main highways around here get caked up so bad when it is dry it looks like white dust from a gravel road getting kicked up from every vehicle going down the road.

Its not the driving on snow with salt mixed in, its the melted snow and mostly salty spray that gets in every little crack and destroys cars.

Unless you own your own carwash and wash it top to bottom with a pressure washer and every crevace on the underside and body panel seam after every drive its much better to just park it and wait till after the 2nd heavy rain in the spring. Then you get to play the "dodge the landmines" game with potholes in the roads.:mad:
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One advantage on salty roads we have in Central Ohio that you may not see in IL is that very rarely does the snow stick around all winter, we have a series of snow fall, melting, rain and then more snow, melting and rain.

I did drive my car a couple times last winter but it was always after the melting and a couple rains to clean the roads....if I lived in NE Ohio or western NY I would park her for the winter for sure.
 
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