Re: Long Term Storage

["David Teitelbaum <jtrealty@xxxx>" <jtrealty@xxxx>]

Mothballs because I have seen what little critters can do to the 
inside of a car. Try removing the smell of urine and feces and all of 
the stuff they bring in to nest, the smell of mothballs won't seem so 
bad and it does go away. 
The blankets and cardboard because I see all too often where 
something fell on the car in storage and dented it or broke the 
windshield
I agree that taking the weight off the wheels puts some stress on 
some parts of the suspension. I have yet to see a failed bushing that 
can be attributed to storing that way though. If the bushings do fail 
it would have more to do with age. The springs can get a "set" and 
need to be replaced too so take your pick. As far as tires, if the 
storage is really long term they should be removed from the car and 
kept in a cool dark place away from anything that could produce ozone 
like electric motors with plenty of ventilation.
Removing the battery is IMPORTANT because it quickly goes dead and 
then can freeze but what's worse it corrodes everything nearby making 
an urecognizable mess.
Removing the anti-freeze will prevent it from turning acidic and 
corroding everything. It also becomes more of an electrolyte so it 
will cause the corrosion of the dissimilar metals with the aluminum 
dissolving first. Rice won't last long as a dessicant and will attract 
the small animals you certainly don't want. Turning the motor over 
manually once a year should keep it from freezing up from rust but in 
most of the long term cars I have seen it really wasn't the problem 
unless stored out in the weather. The fuel system, brakes and the 
exhaust systems seem to store the worst. Not much you can do about the 
exhaust but removing the fluid from the brakes and clutch should help. 
This advice comes from taking more than a couple of cars out of "long 
term storage" or at least what the owners thought was it.
The best type of storage is in a museum where it is taken care of. 
Check on how they and others store cars like the Smithstonian, they 
remove ALL of the fluids and of of course the battery.
David Teitelbaum
vin 10757


--- In dmcnews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, id <ionicdesign@xxxx> wrote:
> mothballs in car, are you crazy?
> 
> i stored one of my cars for almost two years with the car on jack 
stands with mothballs
> in pie tins under each tire, under front and rear bumper and under 
each door. it took
> over 6 months to get the mothball smell out of my car and there were 
no mothballs in my
> car and all windows and doors of car were closed.
> 
> if you have any reason you might think water might be trapped 
anywhere in the car place
> a pie tin on the drivers side floor and passengers floor filled with 
some rice. the rice
> will take the humidity out of the air and it also makes salt flow 
freely in salt
> shakers.
> 
> coolant needs to be left in the engine so no rust will form inside 
engine. spray fogging
> oil in all cylinders and turn over engine once and replace spark 
plugs to keep rust from
> forming in cylinders and it keeps the piston rings oiled.
> 
> the car needs to breathe, so i wouldn't put blankets, cardboard and 
cover over car so
> mildew or mold wont form in any water trapped anywhere in car. a 
good car cover will do
> the trick, thats all.
> 
> mark
> 6683
> 
> 
> "David Teitelbaum " wrote:
> 
> > Here are my recomendations for long term storage (over 1 year)
> > Remove battery (if you can't charge it regularly or put in another 
car
> > it will go bad after a couple of years)
> > Drain ALL fluids especially the fuel and brake and clutch fluids
> > Place on jackstands to remove weight from suspension
> > Leave 10 psi in all 5 tires
> > Put mothballs under seats
> > Slobber leather conditioner on seats and steering wheel
> > Remove everything from car that doesn't belong
> > Put heavy blankets on car and a tight fitting cover over that and
> > cardboard over that.
> > Try to leave in heated garage, or at least one with a floor (a 
Carcoon
> > is probably the best).
> > Make sure the car is closed and no small animals can get into the 
garage.
> > Leave the keys and manuals in the car along with any spare parts
> > Make sure the title is in a SAFE place and you can find it
> > Don't store anything ON the car and keep heavy objects away from 
it.
> > Keep some kind of storage insurance on the car in case of theft, 
fire,
> > or damage.
> > Arrange for someone to check on the car regularly
> > All too often I have seen cars left in long-term storage completly
> > unprepared. By time the owners (or the inheritors) decided to do
> > something with the car it was way too long and unprepared. By 
doing
> > all these things you or someone else could take the car out of
> > long-term storage with a minimum of work and exploring for things 
long
> > forgotten. Too many times a car is just to be stored for the 
winter
> > and then 10 years later someone is trying to sell the car or just 
take
> > it out of storage.
> > David Teitelbaum
> > vin 10757
> >
> > --- In dmcnews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, Delorean17@xxxx wrote:
> > > Hello List,
> > > I plan on moving to Montana when school gets out this 
spring.
> > > Unfortunately I must leave the DeLorean in Michigan at my rents
> > place. I
> > > don't think it can make the commute up to Big Sky during the 
winter.
> > >
> > > If my car was to sit for 3-4 years. what should I do? Will it 
be
> > necessary
> > > to completely drain the fuel system? I replaced nearly every
> > component in the
> > > fuel system exept the gas tank and fuel dist so I don't want 
that
> > going to
> > > hell again. I don't want to come back in a few years and have a 
pile
> > of sh*t
> > > again. I plan on doing the following.
> > >
> > > Flush all coolant
> > > Amsoil Oil change
> > > Flush all brake fluid out(last done in spring)
> > > put up in air a bit(to save new shocks & tires)
> > > Drain gas? what do you think?
> > > Detail car, condition interior
> > >
> > > Anything else I'm forgetting?
> > >
> > > Thanks
> > >
> > > Peace
> > > Dave
> > > 6286
> > >
> > >
> > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> >
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