subject: Short Term Storage for C5 Corvette [print this page] Short Term Storage for C5 Corvette Short Term Storage for C5 Corvette
Short Term Storage
WASH YOUR VETTE: If your Corvette is going to sit for months without activity, the car should be washed to protect against any environmental damage like tree sap, dead bugs etc. Some of the environmental damage may be acidic and damage the paint or clear coat permanently. One of the best products we have found is the clay bar. There are several brands but we have found they all work just as good as the next. It uses a lubricant and special clay to remove oxidation dirt. The results have to be seen to be believed! Have you ever waxed your car, felt it, and discovered it still was not smooth? Contaminants on the paint is the reason for this, especially if you have semi-metallic brake pads. The brake dust has metallic particles that come off at high temperatures from your brakes or others around you and adhere to your paint. Tar, bugs and dirt can ruin the feel of your paint also. Once you utilize the clay bar treatment, we highly recommend a good wax! If you need help with recommended products check our site.
TIRES & WHEELS: Clean the tires to remove any built up dirt. Clean your wheels to remove dirt and brake dust. When dirt is left on the wheels for extended periods of time, it can permanently damage the wheel surface. Remember to use a clear coat specific cleaner if your wheels are clear coated. For tires, don't worry about flat spotting unless you have bias plies. It does not hurt to park on small pieces of carpet. This will help protect the rubber and the floor. It's a good idea to keep your tires inflated to the correct pressure, and over inflating is preferred by some to reduce the tire's pliability. CAUTION: DON'T OVERINFLATE BEYOND RECOMMEND PRESSURES! Exploding tires can kill you! Just place a note in the driver seat to correct the pressure in the spring.
INSIDE: To prevent moisture buildup and possible mold formation, use a desiccant in the foot wells and rear cargo areas. You can find popular choices available at major retailers like WalMart. They should be large enough to work for several months. Refer to the brands instructions for quantity!
GAS TANK: The fuel tank should be filled to the top with winter fuel (available after October 1) along with a fuel stabilizer. The reason to top off the tank is to decrease the amount of space condensation can build, thus preventing damage to your fuel system. Add the stabilizer at fill up before parking car for storage. This will allow the additive to make it to the injectors.
BATTERY: The battery should be kept charged for the duration your Corvette is stored, whether it's winter or summer. If left out in the cold at a state of low charge you will most likely ruin the battery. Get yourself a good trickle charger that protects from overcharging the battery. Don't go cheap! FLUIDS: Make sure to top off all fluids including coolant, brake fluid, clutch and transmission, oil and fuel. Always change your oil and filter before placing a car in long-term storage as well. The reason for this is to protect your vital engine parts. The combustion process creates acids and moisture can be present from a previous run if you didn't raise the oil temp high enough.
CAR COVERS: Indoors or outdoors, we recommend covering a car when it will be stored for more than a few months. The type of cover you select should be based on where the car will be stored. A weatherproof cover is a great choice for indoors or outdoors. A cotton cover will only be adequate for indoor-only storage. Make sure and clean or shake your cover before installation.
ENGINE START IN WINTER: We recommend starting your Corvette at least once a month. Do this throughout the winter if possible. Just set a first day of the month reminder so you won't forget! This will help circulate the oil rather than letting it sit in the oil pan all winter, exposing cylinder walls and moving parts to possible corrosion. A better option involves taking it around the block! Just don't forget your little notes for mothballs and tire pressure. You will need to correct anything that is not road worthy! This beats fogging the cylinder walls by taking the plugs out and adding oil. This way has many advantages like not breaking off a spark plug! Warning! Running your car in a garage is very dangerous so don't do it without proper ventilation!
RATS & SMALL CREATURES: Can wreak havoc on a Corvette, particularly the spark plug wires. Certain brands of plug wires (including GM) consist of a vegetable based outer shell which is irresistable to anything that eats and has small teeth! To fix this, place mothballs in the engine area. Place another note on the Drivers seat for the moth balls. Regarding tail pipes, place towels over each and wrap rubber bands around them.
This is only a portion of the 130+ pages in our C5 Corvette Book of Knowledge! The book is a buyers/ownership guide with a free membership to our website for additional help! Go to our site now to see all the benifits of our book http://www.corvette-web-central.com/Corvette-buyers-guide.html
