Cold Storage - Car cover or not?

[camarojoe]

One thing my grandfather taught me about rodents is that they won't go where they don't have anything to eat. Don't keep any type of food, be it dog food, birdseed, etc. in the garage. Also don't let pizza boxes, McDonalds bags, empty beer cans, etc. in the trash, and especially don't keep your week's worth of filled trash bags in the garage, as this is one of the main reasons the rodents come in. They smell that stuff from 3 blocks away I think! If there's nothing in the garage but your car and tools, they'll usually find a better place to take up shop where the dining is better.

[budnate]

some good tips I have not been doing, but you guys really should look at Sea Foam in your fuel, stuff is great.

[Johnny Horsepower]

"The problem begins with today's modern fuels. These so-called "clean" fuels typically deteriorate at much faster rates than fuels made 20 years ago. While all fuels suffer from the problem, most at risk are the EPA mandated reformulated gasolines (RFG) that contain oxygenate additives, derivatives of methyl alcohol and ethyl alcohol. We've seen gasoline have shelf life as little as a month--particularly if it is subjected to heat and moisture. "

"The shelf life of gasoline depends on the type of gas and the storage conditions and can range from a couple months to a couple years. One wild card is that gas you buy at the pump may already have been in storage for anywhere from days to months."

A couple of quotes off the net.

[camarojoe]

I have a very hard time pouring anything into my gas tank but gas. I have stored cars for 6 months a year every year since I was 16 years old, and have never done anything but fill them to the top and forget about it. Usually it's either straight 93 octane or a blend of 93 and 115 racing fuel, depending on the car. In the spring they always fire right up and I use the 6 month old gasoline with no noticible difference from when I put it in there in the fall. Maybe i'm just lucky, but I've never used Stabil, or anything of that sort, and have never had a problem. Maybe if it was stored for a year or more things would be different.

[DarrenX33]

[ QUOTE ]
I have a very hard time pouring anything into my gas tank but gas. I have stored cars for 6 months a year every year since I was 16 years old, and have never done anything but fill them to the top and forget about it. Usually it's either straight 93 octane or a blend of 93 and 115 racing fuel, depending on the car. In the spring they always fire right up and I use the 6 month old gasoline with no noticible difference from when I put it in there in the fall. Maybe i'm just lucky, but I've never used Stabil, or anything of that sort, and have never had a problem. Maybe if it was stored for a year or more things would be different.

[/ QUOTE ]

Honestly I haven't either. My 69 has been stored in cold storage and most recently heated and never a problem with the fuel.

[SSJunkie68-69]

[ QUOTE ]
One thing my grandfather taught me about rodents is that they won't go where they don't have anything to eat. Don't keep any type of food, be it dog food, birdseed, etc. in the garage. Also don't let pizza boxes, McDonalds bags, empty beer cans, etc. in the trash, and especially don't keep your week's worth of filled trash bags in the garage, as this is one of the main reasons the rodents come in. They smell that stuff from 3 blocks away I think! If there's nothing in the garage but your car and tools, they'll usually find a better place to take up shop where the dining is better.

[/ QUOTE ]

An older friend of mine has a 74 Vette that he bought brand new and has never been touched and is a survivor. He has been planning on one day getting NCRS Survivor certification. He was showing it to me and I noticed the a mouse nest in the engine compartment and asked if that was original too. We took the nest out and the next couple of days he put some pellets around the garage. This was mid July and it was a little warm to say the least. About a week or two later he goes to take the car for a ride and climbs in and just about pukes from the smell of 4 dead mice that climbed back into his car aftering eating the pellets and died. They pulled off the ultimate F.U to him. He had to remove all the carpets and padding, send them out to be cleaned and de-odorized and then re-installed. Those mice cost him a pretty penny when it was all said and done.

The moral of the story is to use the old fashion spring activated traps that break their backs.

[Mr. Chevy]

QUOTE: The moral of the story is to use the old fashion spring activated traps that break their backs.

You got it brother!! Thats what I use in addition to the glue traps!! Stops them DEAD IN THEIR TRACKS!!
Those darn things can get in anywhere also. Did you ever watch one crawl underneath a garage door or other small space. They can collapse their bodies almost totally flat to crawl under something!!

Rich

[ktownkid]

Joe and Johnny.......
I aways use Stabil, even in the lawn mower. I learned the hard way, my 79 CBX with six carbs would not start after winter storage, had to have carbs cleaned.

Seems like gas isn't what it used to be.....because it isn't!!!!

ktownkid

[jannes_z-28]

Make a google search on: "winter storage car" and you will find a lot of information on what should be done.


Jan

[x Baldwin Motion]

one word. or is it two? MOTHBALLS!! I crush a few around the doors of the garage and put them in the ashtrays and glove box. no rodents come near the car and I always get to cruise by myself in the spring !!