Opinions Please About Storage...

Joe F

Joe F

Hi Miles, Lo Maintenance
Would there be and advantage or problem if, before my 7 month winter storage, I unplug my electric fuel pump and let the car run until it stalls. I have owned this car for over 25 years and it always had a carburetor. I usually fill the tank and add gas preserver before storage.
In the 25 years I had it, I've replaced or cleaned carbs at least a dozen times. The car currently has dual DCNF's which I bought used a year ago and had them dipped clean in kerosene. They run great.
It just occurred to me when I ran my lawn tractor dry for shed storage, maybe I should do the same to my X?

Thought and opinions please...thanks.
 
An alternative to draining is to start the car every week or so, let it run up to operating temperature. Fuel stabilizer is a good idea no matter what - it's even a good idea if you're gong to do the drain and run to stall thing.
 
I have a sport boat with a hi-po EFI small block v-8 that after 10 years of ownership has only 57.3 hrs of run time. It literally sits for nine months of the year in storage.

IMG-20170729-WA0004.jpeg

I use Sta-Bil https://www.homedepot.com/p/Sta-Bil-8-oz-Fuel-Stabilizer-22208/100123778

I've never had an issue with foul gas even after sitting for up to 6/8 months. I would still recommend firing the application up every few months just to circulate the fluids.
 
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I'm of the camp that starts their car every few weeks or once a month. I don't even let it get to operating temps, most of the time. Just start it and run it long enough so that the fuel system is basically really to go. Other wise, I've found that the car is very difficult to awake from its slumber, in the spring. Installing a battery kill switch is a life saver, as well.
 
For a few years, I stored my X1/9 up north at my Mom's for the winter. I always put Stabil in the tank as I was filling it up with a fresh tank of gas. Drove to the garage, and then let it idle with electric fuel pump off until the engine would starve from lack of fuel. NEVER had a problem starting it up after the long winter or had any carburetor problems.

One thing I did back then was pulled the spark plugs and inject a squirt of oil into each cylinder. I used old plugs for this purpose. Then in the spring, I would disconnect the distributor lead and let the engine spin until the oil pressure come up. Then take the winter plugs out and put the normal plugs in.

The car always started every time. I don't do that anymore since the car stays in my garage now but I still recall everything I did before putting it away.

Mike
 
Joe F said:
Would there be and advantage or problem if, before my 7 month winter storage, I unplug my electric fuel pump and let the car run until it stalls. I have owned this car for over 25 years and it always had a carburetor. I usually fill the tank and add gas preserver before storage.
In the 25 years I had it, I've replaced or cleaned carbs at least a dozen times. The car currently has dual DCNF's which I bought used a year ago and had them dipped clean in kerosene. They run great.
It just occurred to me when I ran my lawn tractor dry for shed storage, maybe I should do the same to my X?

Thought and opinions please...thanks.
Click to expand...
With stabilizer your gas should be good when nice weather arrives in spring. But, letting fuel sit in the carbs (or injectors) that long isn't good. It's especially bad when you're using ethanol. Starting the engine every so often will help prevent damage and can be a good idea.
IMHO the best thing you can do is fill the tank with pure gas, no ethanol, add some stabilizer, then run the engine long enough to make sure the stabilizer reaches the carbs.
If you leave your tank empty you are inviting rust to form. If you are worried about the gas going bad, drain the old gas out when you recommission the car in the spring and use it in your lawnmower. Rather than running your tank dry you might consider running the fuel out of the carbs before you put your car to bed for the winter, especially if your gas has achohol in it.
I like the idea to pull plugs and squirt some oil in there, but unless you're in a very wet atmosphere it's probably not absolutely necessary. I've pulled apart engines that were stored properly for decades that had no rust damage. But, it can't hurt to take precautions. Just don't let your fuel tank sit empty without taking similar precautions (just leave it full).
 
Another idea:

1. Plan your end-of-season driving so that you have nearly an empty tank when you are ready to put the car away
2. Use the electric pump to pretty much empty the tank (disconnect hose to carb and let it pump into a container)
3. Reconnect hose to carb
4. Put VP Racing Fuel's Vintage Unleaded into the tank, add a good fuel stabilizer like Stabil
5. Drive enough to get a good flow thru the system***
6. Put it to bed for the winter

The VP Vintage fuel does not have ethanol, so that combined with a good stabilizer should be fine.

Go to VPRacingFuel.com and see if they have a dealer near you (there are several in NH).

***This would be a good point to do an end of season oil change, too.
 
Gas stabilizer, park it, pull the battery and reverse the process in the spring when there have been a few rainshowers to wash away the salt, start driving again.
 
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