When Your Cars Are Stored...

[AndysPlit]

.....Since some of you out there keep the Z off the road during the winter, I thought I could get some input on this;

My Z31 has been out of commision for a few weeks and will be until early July. The battery is dead and the tranny is shot. Should I install a new battery and keep firing her up until I get her fixed? Or can my ZX basically sit there with a dead battery until July, with no serious consequences?

Yes, I was starting the car up weekly, but I guess I waited too long on one occasion, hence the battery is dead. No juice when I tried to jump it.

[ggarrard]

Andy - When I put my Zs and ZX away for winter storage, I make sure the tank is full & put in some gas treatment like stabil, make sure the tires are properly inflated, disconnect the battery, put the car cover on, and walk away for 6 months. My cars are stored in a metal barn with a concrete floor (amongst a dozen other cars, and probably 2 dozen boats). I have a friend who swears by starting his car monthly over the winter...He's replaced his exhaust system twice...so unless you are willing to run it 'til everything is properly warmed up, it might be better to just leave it.

GWGarrard

72 240Z, 77 280z, 83 280ZXT 2+2

[westpak]

I agree, probably do more harm than good by starting once a month.

When you are ready to revive her just crank it a few times without starting to get the oil pumped everywhere

[bigoak]

Depending on condition of vehicle...

Put on blocks. Car in neutral. Rotate rear wheels every month or so to ensure the diff and tranny (although it's shot) rotate and are bathed in fluid.

If you are anal/car is in amazing shape...

Remove plugs and pour in a small quantity of motor oil to cylinders. Crank over once or twice to bathe cylinder walls. Remove battery.

Then...do all the little things you've been meaning to get to...

No expert so if anyone believes different feel free to ring in.

Cheers.

[AndysPlit]

Thanks guys. The car is unfortunately sitting outside, but is in the shade for most of the day. The weather out here is fine so I'm not too worried.

I'll look into the gas stabalizer and hold off on the battery. I'll lube the cylinder walls too.

I think driving the 280 everyday in the meantime is good for my self-esteem.

Anything else?

[d240zx2]

The PO of my Z stored her for nigh onto 10 years. He did it right.

Ten gallons of gas, 5 gallons of Stabil. On blocks, tires off the floor, deflated. New oil, new coolant. Battery out.

When he resurrected her, he dumped the oil and coolant. Aired up the tires, new battery. He removed the valve cover and poured a quart directly on the cam. He also emoried any electrical connections he could find in the engine bay and made sure the connections were tight.

He removed the coil wire and cranked it over for about 10 seconds to get oil flowing where it needed to be. Plugged the coil wire in and started it. On 10 year-old gas. He ran it for about a minute, then the water pump puked. You can expect that to happen after long-term storage. Short-term, i.e. 6 months shouldn't be a problem.

Frank

[EScanlon]

..... Should I install a new battery and keep firing her up until I get her fixed? Or can my ZX basically sit there with a dead battery until July, with no serious consequences?

Yes, I was starting the car up weekly, but I guess I waited too long on one occasion, hence the battery is dead. No juice when I tried to jump it.

If you are not planning on fixing the tranny before July, remove the dead battery and wait till you are going to get her going again. The dead battery in the car may cause problems and it is simpler to remove than to store in the car.

As far as starting the car weekly while in storage, while that is good for keeping the fluids and the surfaces inside the engine lubed, unless you run the car for a good while and at high rpm's, you won't have restored much charge to the battery. The main problem is that the alternator isn't putting out a ton of current until the rpm's get higher....as when you are driving...and that is when the regulator shunts the power to the battery to recharge it. Simply idling, the battery isn't receiving enough power, if any, to recharge it.

For that reason many owners use a trickle charger, while others remove the battery connections and do a full charge on the battery before spring. Even then, with most lead acid batteries you also run the risk of sulfation due to simply sitting without being used and it's having lost it's charge.

HTH

E

[AndysPlit]

If you are not planning on fixing the tranny before July, remove the dead battery and wait till you are going to get her going again. The dead battery in the car may cause problems and it is simpler to remove than to store in the car.

As far as starting the car weekly while in storage, while that is good for keeping the fluids and the surfaces inside the engine lubed, unless you run the car for a good while and at high rpm's, you won't have restored much charge to the battery. The main problem is that the alternator isn't putting out a ton of current until the rpm's get higher....as when you are driving...and that is when the regulator shunts the power to the battery to recharge it. Simply idling, the battery isn't receiving enough power, if any, to recharge it.

For that reason many owners use a trickle charger, while others remove the battery connections and do a full charge on the battery before spring. Even then, with most lead acid batteries you also run the risk of sulfation due to simply sitting without being used and it's having lost it's charge.

HTH

E

It all makes sense now. No wonder my battery still died even though I was starting it every week. Hopefully I can exchange the battery for a new one since I recently bought it....when I get the ZX running that is.

So, how much of this gas stabalizer should I pour for a short term sit?

.....Thank you by the way.

[sblake01]

About 1 oz per 2.5 gallons of gas or about 6-7 oz for the Z. I only use it if the truck is going to be idle for 2 months or more. Since I drive the Z at least once a week, I only use the battery maintainer and the Stabil in the truck.

[AndysPlit]

About 1 oz per 2.5 gallons of gas or about 6-7 oz for the Z. I only use it if the truck is going to be idle for 2 months or more. Since I drive the Z at least once a week, I only use the battery maintainer and the Stabil in the truck.

Thanks!