Botster Buick
New Member
- Joined
- Nov 8, 2009
I am in the Marine Corps and I am leaving to Okinawa for 3 years. The military will store my car in an indoor storage location for the whole time. What should I do to preserve it?
Anyone ever stored a GN
- Thread starter Botster Buick
- Start date
First off, thanks for serving our country.
Here's what I do. I am just copying and pasting this from my website:
Preparing a car for winter storage can be quite a chore, but the steps you take now will ensure an easy process taking it out of storage in the spring. I have listed my recipe below. It might not cover everything you need to do and some guys certainly do more than this, but this recipe has served me well and my cars have thanked me by being ready to go when spring fever hits.
1. Wash and detail the car making sure to get every bit of dirt off of the paint and undercarriage if possible. Months of storage will cause the dirt to absorb moisture and corrode metal. Basically, prepare the car as if you were going to a car show.
2. Clean up the interior of the car making sure to vacuum and dust everything. Lubricate the door/window seals with silicone.
3. Fill up the gas tank. It will prevent oxidation and displace any water. Add fuel system stabilizer and drive the car around for a few miles to ensure the stabilizer is mixed and dispersed throughout the fuel system.
4. Change the oil and filter, preferably at the storage facility. Oil starts accumulating moisture as soon as your new oil begins to circulate, so you want to eliminate this possibility.
5. Lay down a plastic vapor barrier in your storage facility. Concrete can transfer moisture to your car, so buy a sheet a little bigger than your car and drive right onto it. Don't set your parking brake! This could cause your rear brakes to fuse.
6. Place a desiccant silica pack in the interior and in the trunk. I have used DampRid, available at Home Depot. This will absorb moisture and smells, preventing mold in the process.
7. I do not put my car on jack stands. It is a hassle and I don't think it is worth it for the five months it will sit. I have never had any adverse effects.
8. Put steel wool in the tailpipes to prevent rodents from making it a home.
9. Remove the battery and take it home.
10. Cover the car with a quality car cover and say goodbye for the winter. I never start mine during storage time ... I just let it sit. Starting it does more harm than good in my opinion.
p.s. I have never stored a car for THAT long, so some others might have better tips to offer.
Here's what I do. I am just copying and pasting this from my website:
Preparing a car for winter storage can be quite a chore, but the steps you take now will ensure an easy process taking it out of storage in the spring. I have listed my recipe below. It might not cover everything you need to do and some guys certainly do more than this, but this recipe has served me well and my cars have thanked me by being ready to go when spring fever hits.
1. Wash and detail the car making sure to get every bit of dirt off of the paint and undercarriage if possible. Months of storage will cause the dirt to absorb moisture and corrode metal. Basically, prepare the car as if you were going to a car show.
2. Clean up the interior of the car making sure to vacuum and dust everything. Lubricate the door/window seals with silicone.
3. Fill up the gas tank. It will prevent oxidation and displace any water. Add fuel system stabilizer and drive the car around for a few miles to ensure the stabilizer is mixed and dispersed throughout the fuel system.
4. Change the oil and filter, preferably at the storage facility. Oil starts accumulating moisture as soon as your new oil begins to circulate, so you want to eliminate this possibility.
5. Lay down a plastic vapor barrier in your storage facility. Concrete can transfer moisture to your car, so buy a sheet a little bigger than your car and drive right onto it. Don't set your parking brake! This could cause your rear brakes to fuse.
6. Place a desiccant silica pack in the interior and in the trunk. I have used DampRid, available at Home Depot. This will absorb moisture and smells, preventing mold in the process.
7. I do not put my car on jack stands. It is a hassle and I don't think it is worth it for the five months it will sit. I have never had any adverse effects.
8. Put steel wool in the tailpipes to prevent rodents from making it a home.
9. Remove the battery and take it home.
10. Cover the car with a quality car cover and say goodbye for the winter. I never start mine during storage time ... I just let it sit. Starting it does more harm than good in my opinion.
p.s. I have never stored a car for THAT long, so some others might have better tips to offer.
YouLikeThat
Member
- Joined
- Aug 24, 2004
That sounds like great advice. You should leave a window slightly cracked and the trunk unlatched to help prevent moisture buildup.
FYI my car recently sat for almost to years ( I didn't realize I would let it set that long) in a climate controlled garage. The only thing I did was remove the battery and stick it on a charger. When we got it back together we just changed fluids and no problems.
So you should be fine
- Joined
- Jan 21, 2007
Nice list 1quick6.....I like it....the only thing I would add for storing the vehicle for that long of time is change the break fluid to help protect that expensive system.... and yes thanks for serving our country.....be careful out there:smile:
Silver Fox
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Apr 17, 2003
http://www.transcom.mil/j5/pt/dtrpart4/dtr_part_iv_app_k_4.pdf
Check out the link - they will start your car every 30 days and move it for you to prevent the tires from flat spotting. Have Eric burn you a chip that limits speed and RPM so no one gets tempted to check out your boost when they are moving it to prevent the tires from flat spotting.
Also, lengthen the arm on the wastegate actuator as far as you can to limit boost.
Rob (retired USAF E-9)
Botster Buick
New Member
- Joined
- Nov 8, 2009
Thanks guys. This is some good stuff. It makes me feel better about storing it now.
hello people; I would also spray down engine bay with WD.I use that stuff all the time.
Also I just finished watching the mini series (The Pacific) and when I here Okinawa it has more meaning now. There's alot of history there. That was a ruff war for the Marines.
Good luck
IBBY
Also I just finished watching the mini series (The Pacific) and when I here Okinawa it has more meaning now. There's alot of history there. That was a ruff war for the Marines.
Good luck
IBBY
Good luck with the 3 years in Oki...I'd love to see your car tearing up those fools in J-Ville...I spent 4 years at Cherry Point with my best friend stationed at New River so I've unfortunetly spend more time in that town than I'd care to admit. If not for the JPD I'd love to take my T-Type back to eastern NC to school all the ricers in Jacksonville.
I'll store the car in Tampa for ya...promise I'll only burn the tires a little bit =)
I'll store the car in Tampa for ya...promise I'll only burn the tires a little bit =)
I might go so far as to pull the rod off completely.
Botster Buick
New Member
- Joined
- Nov 8, 2009
Nullrout,
HAHAHAHA. That is funny. I have heard a lot of requests that sound a lot like yours. Yeah it always makes me happy when I cruise past a ricer and I know they here the whistle. The other day a Supra was next to me but surprisingly he did not even give me the ricer fly by. Haha. Either he did not want to get embarrassed with his lady in the passenger seat or he thought it was a Monte Carlo. Haha.
HAHAHAHA. That is funny. I have heard a lot of requests that sound a lot like yours. Yeah it always makes me happy when I cruise past a ricer and I know they here the whistle. The other day a Supra was next to me but surprisingly he did not even give me the ricer fly by. Haha. Either he did not want to get embarrassed with his lady in the passenger seat or he thought it was a Monte Carlo. Haha.
DiverDavies
Diver Davies
- Joined
- Sep 10, 2008
Thanks Jar Head!!
Im ex NAVY 1st DS. Thanks for what you and your fellow Marines do. I sleep easer knowing you are out there. May God watch over you and keep you safe. Find your way home and remimber, this country loves its Marines. Thank you. Because I was in the Navy and I work with a Marine snipper, one of the real ones, Ill tell ya a joke he tells me all the time. The Marines is a department of the Navy,,, The MENs Department... Good luck.. God speed.
Im ex NAVY 1st DS. Thanks for what you and your fellow Marines do. I sleep easer knowing you are out there. May God watch over you and keep you safe. Find your way home and remimber, this country loves its Marines. Thank you. Because I was in the Navy and I work with a Marine snipper, one of the real ones, Ill tell ya a joke he tells me all the time. The Marines is a department of the Navy,,, The MENs Department... Good luck.. God speed.
Pull your wheels/ tires/ battery and store them at someones house inside.Hell give the battery away and get a new one when you get back. Put 4 junker wheels/tires on it to avoid flat spots and the worse the car looks the less tempted people are to **** with it. Take the ecm/ecm fuse with you and unplug the fuel pump&ecm power wire. make a note of these things and leave it taped to your tires,Most important storage insurance !Trust no one
PerTURBOed
Member
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2009
Do or die Semper Fi!
Another thing I'd add...I wouldn't store a car on jack stands...junk tires yes, jack stands no. I know a guy who had to watch his prized 61 vette burn to smoldering heap of junk because the car was on jackstands and he couldn't drive/roll it out of a burning garage.
davelostmissing
Senile Member
- Joined
- Jul 15, 2004
Check facility for vermin? Mice/rats/squirrels? I might stick a trap in there just in case. Had a squirrel chew thru the power antenna over the winter.
shocker998md
Member
- Joined
- Jan 8, 2009
have fun in OKI man, i was there two years ago and it was a blast.
I would think that your tires will be fine where ever its getting stored. When i left i was gone a year and kept my car in a personal stoarage unit. I jacked the car and put the frame on jackstands, and unhooked the battery. Put some staybill in it and called it a day. Thats how both my car and my truck are stored right now since im deployed again. Id also crack the windows, pop the truck, and put some decacant or some kind of moisture absorbing stuff inside to cut down on the moisture. Some people go crazy with storing there stuff, some dont. Im not one that does, i just clean it, jack it, and stabil it.
When you get back to jacksonville ill still be floating around cherry point, shoot me a pm on here and hopefully by then ill have my car back together. Come october it will be a year of it being apart.
Where in okinawa are you going?
I would think that your tires will be fine where ever its getting stored. When i left i was gone a year and kept my car in a personal stoarage unit. I jacked the car and put the frame on jackstands, and unhooked the battery. Put some staybill in it and called it a day. Thats how both my car and my truck are stored right now since im deployed again. Id also crack the windows, pop the truck, and put some decacant or some kind of moisture absorbing stuff inside to cut down on the moisture. Some people go crazy with storing there stuff, some dont. Im not one that does, i just clean it, jack it, and stabil it.
When you get back to jacksonville ill still be floating around cherry point, shoot me a pm on here and hopefully by then ill have my car back together. Come october it will be a year of it being apart.
Where in okinawa are you going?
