I have put my 71 away for a couple months while the snow is here. I know there is alot of debate about running the car while in storage. I've always started my 79 every couple weeks and let it run till warm. With my 71 I decided to run it as well, to keep the battery good, and I guess to make it start easier when I pull it out in March.

Today I thought I would run the 71 for awhile at 2000RPM to charge the battery. Anyway I set the high idle screw on the carbs and let it run about ten minutes. Then I happened to notice my temp guage was at the high end. I brought the idle down and felt the radiator, which did not feel hot. I flipped up the lever on the rad cap and some steam did come out, then it seemed the rad got hot. Is my thermostat bad? When iIlowered the idle she cooled down a bit. I recall the original rads were pretty marginal, maybe the cars dont like to run at high rPM without going down the road, and thus get some cool airflow.

Other question, when the car and outside temp is cold, I can turn the key and get nothing for a few seconds, then the starter will kick over. When it is warm outside or the car is warm the starter engages normally. Does it sound like my starter/solenoid is going? Battery charge is OK.

Sounds like the thrermostat stuck closed and was not allowing any flow of water thus keeping the colder water around the temp senser to the gage. For all of us , it is always a good idea to keep an eye on the temp gage as your engine warms up as in this case if not cought in time the over heating can be vary damaging. This can happen at any time to any of our cars and trucks. As to the lag time when starting , sounds like the key switch may have a contact problem . Either corrosion or wear . I doubt vary much weather it made any difference weather the car was being driven or parked for the heating problem you had. Now for '' storing '' the car for a couple of months . I would just disconnect the battery , thats all. A vary good thing to do in any event if the car is not going to be driven for a few months is to change the oil and filter and drive the car for a minum of 45min to completely warm it up and dry everything out and charge the batt. Fill the gas tank and then park the car . Disconnect the batt. That is it. Depending where the car is to be parked , concider mice or rats , they love to build nests and chew up things. While I have my inboard boat and travel trailer put up for the winter , I pull the batteries and charge them once a month. Full gas tanks will collect little moisture, when empty or nearly so they can sweat and the water will rust the tank. 2 months is not long, 6 or longer is a different matter. Gary

1) run car w/stablizer

2) change oil/filter

3) check all fluids/top off/add anti-freeze if needed

4) put 45 lbs of air in tires

5) battary out and stored in cool, dry place (not directly on concrete floor)

6) disconnect coil wire

7) cover and protect from rodents

8) make a note to yourself re: coil wire, air pressure, key location

Start up w/coil wire off and wait for oil pressure to increase before connecting

Change oil and filter after running for a while.

Buy a "car-jacket" for next year's storage.

Do not run the car. Unless you want moisture to form in the exhaust system and start to rust it away. Plus each and every time you start it up it'll be a cold start. Now add to that the fact that any blow-by past the rings will begin a chemical reaction in the oil that makes it acidic. Just walk away from the car til you're ready to drive it again.

I store my Z for 4 to 6 months at a time. With the car-jacket it comes out of the bag looking as clean and dry as it went in. The rotors have no rust on them.

.....snip.....

Start up w/coil wire off and wait for oil pressure to increase before connecting.........

Now THIS, I gotta see!

Which do you think will happen first, his battery gives out, or he gives up trying to get the oil pressure to increase by running the starter.

Unless you are running one of those Mr. Fusion from Back to the Future, as far as I remember, without the coil wire, no spark...no spark no fire, no fire no run.

But aside from that, why would disconnecting the coil give you any more protection than simply removing the battery, or just disconnecting the fusible link that makes the circuit?

The old story about batteries on concrete I believe has been shown to be a myth, but I don't recall having seen it posted someplace.

Putting extra pressure in the tires, presumably to avoid a "flat spot" may be valid, but then wouldn't just jacking the car up and taking the bulk of the weight off the tires be better?

After all, if normal inflation will cause the tire to go flat, then over inflation would surely cause them to "crown" in the middle, giving you, essentially, a big bicycle tire, but we DO want flatness in that direction......hmmmm. I don't think you can actually fill tires up enough that you wouldn't get a flat spot, and I don't think you can actually get a flat spot that wouldn't go away within a couple hundred feet of rolling. In the Air Force, in winter with temperatures hovering between 20°F and -10°F (-6°C and -23°C), the crew chief of a B-52 would only have to roll the plane forward or back 6-8 feet every couple days or so. But that was because you don't want bomb filled planes that may or may not have nuclear bombs on them bumping down the runway for the first few hundred feet.

I don't think that your 2500 lb car will effect that much pressure on 4 tires as to flatten them.

Lastly, "Plus each and every time you start it up it'll be a cold start", can I ask you when that would NOT be the case....IN WINTER?

Enrique

Alas, poor Yorick, he knows not well.

Okay first, one would remove the coil wire to ensure that upon restarting the engine after a long-ish period of time you would want the oil to get up into the engine prior to it actually firing. Second, yes, all winter starts would be cold ones, hence my repeating it so if he decided to fire it up every week/month/etc. he would remember to remove coil wire first before starting it up. Third, tire pressure. An additional 15-20 lbs of air will aid in keeping at least 30 lbs after say 6 months. Putting the car on block/jacks lets the suspension sag under its' own weigh. And last, not putting battaries directly on concrete comes from the manufacture's guidelines. If is does or doesn't help, it sure doesn't hurt.

Today's outside temps: 24-day/18-night

Do whatever you want with your Z. I plan on keeping mine.

Nam: 69-71 (avg temps 85 degrees)

Anchorage, AK: 71-72 (avg temps -25)

been there/froze it off

My 2 cents. I have many batteries I must store every winter. I used to have to replace batteries about every 2 years when I just pulled them out and stored them for the winter. I now remove them and put them on a battery cycle/charger during the storage months. (about $20. at wal-mart) It works the battery and keeps it healthy. Batteries last forever it seems . As for the storage on concrete, I don't know if it is a myth of not, :nervous: I still put mine on wood to insulate them from the concrete. :classic:

With the car-jacket it comes out of the bag looking as clean and dry as it went in.

What is a car-jacket and where do you suggest I get one?

I was wondering if someone would ask me about this item. The car-jacket or omni-bag is a breathable sleeping bag for your vehicle (car, bike, truck). It zips up along three sides and you open it up and drive your vehicle on it and after doing whatever you plan to do to the car for storage you put a dust cover on it, place the moisture packets around and in the car, and zip it up. One of the reasons for removing the battary. You will want to place a mat under the engine/drivetrain to catch any leaks and a tarp between the bag and the ground to protect it. You need to remember to wait a bit after you open it to let the gasoline vapors to disperse. Google under either car-jacket or omni-bag for the best places to get it at the cheapest costs. I've had mine for 5 yrs and it's great. friends who own numerous high end ciustom cars use them for everyday storage as they don't know which car will be used when. It keeps them clean, dust-free and moisture-free.

1) run car w/stablizer

2) change oil/filter

3) check all fluids/top off/add anti-freeze if needed

4) put 45 lbs of air in tires

5) battary out and stored in cool, dry place (not directly on concrete floor)

6) disconnect coil wire

7) cover and protect from rodents

8) make a note to yourself re: coil wire, air pressure, key location

Start up w/coil wire off and wait for oil pressure to increase before connecting

Change oil and filter after running for a while.

Buy a "car-jacket" for next year's storage.

Just for the record. I was commeting on a 2 month storage question. This is NOT a long term storage in my view. Adding stablizer to the fuel I know wont hurt anything but for this short of a time , unnecessary. Sure you can keep the car in a heated and moisture controlled invirement covered and sealed from all light and only drive it when the weather is 75deg and clear. What ever floats your boat.

Surely you will flatten the battery turning an engine over until the oil pressure comes up!

If you were going to do that...and it does sound a good idea, why not take the spark plugs out just prior so that the poor battery isn't fighting against compression. That way it would come up to pressure easy and fast....or am I being over cautious?

My Z goes away before the first snow (read road salt) hits the ground and comes out after the 3rd rainy day after the last snow (read road salt) event. In between that the car is driven 4,000-8,000 a year. Much of it very hard in any type of weather (other than snow) condition. I like 60 degrees better because my engine does, forget 75.

My Z sits in a temporary garage, unheated for the winter months. I do have friends however who only keep their custom rods in heated garages and in car-jacket bags even for a just few days or for a whole year.

You want simple? Turn the engine off, lock the car and walk away.

As to draining the battary, you should get noticeable oil pressure in a few cranks of the engine. A well maintained battary will not be affected by this. Taking spark plugs out will reduce the compression. I have, depending on the length of time the car will sit sprayed oil in each cylinder and put the old plugs back loosely. I write a note to myself and leave it in the cockpit to remember to tighten them up before really firing it up.

Do whatever you want to do, it's your car. I got no problem with that. This is what I do.