Winter Storage Tips

[ja17]

Here are some nice winter storage tips from MB...…..

https://www.mercedes-benz.com/en/mercedes-benz/classic/history/guide-best-protection-for-the-winter-break/

[thelews]

I may be wrong, but I actually have very little gas in the tank when I stop driving.  I like fresh gas in the spring and don't drive enough to finish off several tanks, or even one, of gas in summer.  In my case, the storage area is 68 degrees, 50-55% humidity and doesn't vary all winter.  So, i think condensation in the tank is a non-issue, but I could be wrong.  I do understand in varying humidity and temperature environments that condensation in an empty tank could be an issue.

I actually disagree with washing a car just before storing.  Water sitting in all sorts of places unseen, not good, in my opinion.  In fact, I don't wash my cars at all, just detailer.  The Pagoda is going on 11 years without a wash.  I do wash the wheels and tires.  Of course, the car never sees circumstances that a detailer can't handle.

[Bonnyboy]

I think the main thing about washing a car before putting up for the winter is that you remove crud that could be holding moisture like above the headlights or the ledge at the top of the wheelwells.    Then after washing I like to hit the problematic areas with a rust preventative like Crown Rust Control. 

[Pawel66]

What about the brakes? I turn on and roll my cars back and forth from time to time - both for tyres but also to move the pistons in the brake calipers....

[mdsalemi]

It's not about condensation, for bare metal, even in pristine conditions, will begin to oxidize. Metal that is immersed in fuel will not. Thus a full fuel tank will inhibit tank deterioration, while an empty one will encourage it.

I always fill the tank, and always use Sta-Bil to preserve the fuel. I disconnect the battery when the car is storedat the museum, simply because that is their requirement and request. Normally I did not, always looking for a dry day to take her out. Always washed the car, too, and dried it thoroughly. Always kept it covered in a garage. Generally changed the oil, either before or after storage as my ability permitted. No oil was in the car for more than a year.

Never had an issue, and each winter storage was generally for 6 months or more. Been doing that for 17 years in the generally unforgiving climate of Michigan. Aside from the the two years, storage was not heated or climate controlled.

[thelews]

I guess I'll have to look in my tank with a scope.  Same as you, never had any issues.  I use Sta-bil also in ethanol gas.  Given the choice, oil changes are always before storage.  Don't want the gunk/sludge settling.  That said, I don't change oil every year since the oil may only have 200 miles on it.  It becomes a tough question what to do when you have low annual miles on multiple cars stored in stable environments.

You have to disconnect the battery to avoid risk of fire in the museum.

[MikeSimon]

Regular Sta-bil is not the best product to keep gas from going bad. It was before we had ethanol in the gasoline. You are better off using an enzyme stabilizer, like Startron.
I also change the oil before storing any vehicle for the winter. It gets rid of any water/moisture in the oil.


One other thing regarding the Mercedes Benz article ---- since when is the R107 a  /8 model?  

[zak]

Seems like sound advise all around.
I will over inflate my tires this winter.
I will remove all floor mats.
Plus good photos. My '83 280 SL 107 has the same blue plaid interior.

jz

[wayne R]

Like to  give a little imput into this,as when i live in Sacramento for 10 years i had
seven classics in storage in New Zealand.Went back  and checked and drove them after the first  Five years.
Probably my best tip is  when stored,always lay  card board under the entire car, even if it is on clean concrete,
car board has a cavity in the layers and acts as a insulator,and reduces the temp coming off the cold concrete floor.
thelews agree with  washing  im the same very seldom wash my cars.
Michael,  yes cars  oil should always be changed before storage not after, infact i drive mine  about 10 miles then store.
reason why before before storing is older oil attracts acid and pollutants and it lays on the top of oil,
can actually  etch into metal if left for years.
Fuel ok for up to about i year with sta-bil ,but long term remove all fuel in tank and lines.
Never had a problem with all  my cars  while stored that long, in wet damp cold South island NZ.

[Jack Jones]

I was always told by the tire manufacturers to inflate the tires to the maximum pressure listed on your specific tire. This is of course if you are leaving the car resting on the tires and not relevant if the car is suspended, on blocks or tires removed.

[MikeSimon]

Bias-ply tires were prone to develop a flat spot when sitting too long at the same position. Newer radials not so much. I still want to err on the safe side and inflate the tires to 60PSI, which is higher than the max rated pressure. the car is sitting, not being driven. Over-inflating is O.K.

There are a lot of different schools on what exactly to do with fuel. The risk of draining everything is rust in the tank and drying out of seals and O-rings.

[Mike Hughes]

Believe me, even radial tires flat-spot when parked for extended periods, like over the winter.  There are ways to minimize this without stressing the sidewalls by over inflating the tires.  I have used contoured parking ramps like these to good effect:

https://www.griotsgarage.com/product/flat+free+tire+ramps.do?sortby=ourPicksAscend&page=2&from=fn

Even though it is put away for the winter, I do try to exercise the car once or twice if I can on a nice winter day when there is no salt on the roads.  The good thing about flat-spotted radials is that driving the car about 15-20 miles will work out the flat spots pretty much completely.  Coincidentally that is about the minimum you'd want to drive the car anyway just to fully warm up and purge the condensation out of the exhaust, and circulate fuel through the injection pump before you put it away again.

[mdsalemi]

I guess I'll have to look in my tank with a scope.

Unless you mean microscope, a typical visual inspection won't show microscopic degradation of the inside of the tank. Before the gross stuff happens, it happens at a very fine level, as oxidation causes minute particles of rust to form. This is why I had to change my fuel tank some years ago.

[thelews]

My fuel tank is original from 1967.  So, the PO of 37 years must have done something right and since it runs fantastic in the 11 years I've had the car, I think I'll stick with my process with a priority on fresh gas in spring.  The option does exist for me to fill it with non-ethanol gas (which I can find) which is more stable during storage.