Winter Storage Tips

Seems every October we start getting the question "What should I do before parking my Miata for the winter"? Must admit here in California we tend to drive all through the winter months (when not raining), but we can understand not wanting to drive in the snow and sleet of the East and Midwest.

We hope that the following tips help your Miata better survive the winter months and be ready for those first days of spring with minimal problems.

	Store it with a full tank of gas. But before you fill it up, add some gas stabilizer to the tank just prior. You'll want to drive at least 10 minutes after this to insure the stabilizer is all through the fuel system.
	Completely drain the coolant system and put in fresh antifreeze with at least -20 freezing point. Don't forget to put some antifreeze in your windshield washer fluid holder as well.
	Change the oil & filter. This will give the internal engine maximum rust and corrosion protection.
	Brake fluid - if more than two years old (or dark honey colored): flush it & refill with new fluid. This should be done every spring. Silicone brake fluid is recommended..
	Transmission and Differential should be topped up, it will displace any moisture.
	WD40 sprayed on all the hinges (hood, doors, trunk, etc.) will also help.
	Wash and wax your vehicle just before storing it.
	Clean the interior, dress all vinyl and rubber. (303 works great!)
	Store your vehicle in a dry place.
	Put the top up and leave the windows down about 1/2" down to allow air to circulate in the interior.
	Jacking the car up will remove the weight from the springs and prevent flat spots on the tires (more common on older bias ply). Spray the rubber bushings with a good quality spray to prevent rot. (303 works great here too!)
	If you cover your vehicle use only soft cotton or comparable materials that breathe and allow air circulation.
	Descant is a good absorber of moisture. Go to a hardware store and get 3 or 4 bags of descant. Put a couple of bags in the interior of the vehicle and 1 or 2 in the trunk. This will help minimize condensation & rust.
	Disconnect the battery while the vehicle is in storage. (You'll need to put you battery on a trickle charger like the Optimate Battery Charger.)
	Place a rag in the exhaust and air intake to keep moisture and small animals out.
	If possible, start your vehicle at least once a month and let the engine fully warm up. Probably for at least a good 15 minutes.
	Leave it in Neutral, hand brake off. In humid environments there can be a problem of the clutch disc becoming stuck to the flywheel and pressure plate. A wood dowel cut to the right length could be wedged between the clutch pedal and drivers seat to keep the clutch depressed.
	It possible place a vapor barrier between your vehicle and the floor of the building where your vehicle is stored. The vapor barrier will help keep the moisture away from the under carriage of your vehicle.
	INSURANCE: Keep your comprehensive insurance paid up, but you may qualify for a discount when the vehicle is "stored" Just remember to reactivate PRIOR to the first spring drive.
	If you have to store your vehicle outdoors, use caution about heavy tarps. Moisture trapped underneath them have lead to "bleached" spots in the paint. Also the wind whipping the tarp will tend to dull the paint as any dust between the tarp and paint will act as fine sand paper would.
	Oil breaks down over time so when you get your vehicle out of storage run the engine for a short time and change the oil & filter again.

This is a long list. If it isn't possible to do all the above, then wash and wax your car, change all the fluids and park it in a dry spot for the winter with the battery disconnected but attached to a trickle charger. That covers most of the bases and any problems you have come spring should be minimal.

Autotop100.com

Seems every October we start getting the question "What should I do before parking my Miata for the winter"? Must admit here in California we tend to drive all through the winter months (when not raining), but we can understand not wanting to drive in the snow and sleet of the East and Midwest.

We hope that the following tips help your Miata better survive the winter months and be ready for those first days of spring with minimal problems.

Store it with a full tank of gas. But before you fill it up, add some gas stabilizer to the tank just prior. You'll want to drive at least 10 minutes after this to insure the stabilizer is all through the fuel system.

Completely drain the coolant system and put in fresh antifreeze with at least -20 freezing point. Don't forget to put some antifreeze in your windshield washer fluid holder as well.

Change the oil & filter. This will give the internal engine maximum rust and corrosion protection.

Brake fluid - if more than two years old (or dark honey colored): flush it & refill with new fluid. This should be done every spring. Silicone brake fluid is recommended..

Transmission and Differential should be topped up, it will displace any moisture.

WD40 sprayed on all the hinges (hood, doors, trunk, etc.) will also help.

Wash and wax your vehicle just before storing it.

Clean the interior, dress all vinyl and rubber. (303 works great!)

Store your vehicle in a dry place.

Put the top up and leave the windows down about 1/2" down to allow air to circulate in the interior.

Jacking the car up will remove the weight from the springs and prevent flat spots on the tires (more common on older bias ply). Spray the rubber bushings with a good quality spray to prevent rot. (303 works great here too!)

If you cover your vehicle use only soft cotton or comparable materials that breathe and allow air circulation.

Descant is a good absorber of moisture. Go to a hardware store and get 3 or 4 bags of descant. Put a couple of bags in the interior of the vehicle and 1 or 2 in the trunk. This will help minimize condensation & rust.

Disconnect the battery while the vehicle is in storage. (You'll need to put you battery on a trickle charger like the Optimate Battery Charger.)

Place a rag in the exhaust and air intake to keep moisture and small animals out.

If possible, start your vehicle at least once a month and let the engine fully warm up. Probably for at least a good 15 minutes.

Leave it in Neutral, hand brake off. In humid environments there can be a problem of the clutch disc becoming stuck to the flywheel and pressure plate. A wood dowel cut to the right length could be wedged between the clutch pedal and drivers seat to keep the clutch depressed.

It possible place a vapor barrier between your vehicle and the floor of the building where your vehicle is stored. The vapor barrier will help keep the moisture away from the under carriage of your vehicle.

INSURANCE: Keep your comprehensive insurance paid up, but you may qualify for a discount when the vehicle is "stored" Just remember to reactivate PRIOR to the first spring drive.

If you have to store your vehicle outdoors, use caution about heavy tarps. Moisture trapped underneath them have lead to "bleached" spots in the paint. Also the wind whipping the tarp will tend to dull the paint as any dust between the tarp and paint will act as fine sand paper would.

Oil breaks down over time so when you get your vehicle out of storage run the engine for a short time and change the oil & filter again.