Originally posted by Cruzin 323is@Nov 22 2004, 09:49 PM
u don't really have to do much, u could wait till after to change all the fluids...
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Alright, first thing to do is to change your oil and filter #1 priority. Contrary to popular belief oils tend to break down when left sitting for long periods of time. Get clean oil in there so deposits are minimized.
Go out and buy the cheapest oil you can find and drop it in there. Why? because when you pull your car out of storage in the spring the first thing you are going to do is change the oil and get that out crap outta there and put in some fresh stuff * you don't have to change the filter in the spring.
#2 is it in cold storage? Make sure you test your antifreeze for temperature rating.
#3 Tires/suspension: the best thing to do is to get them off ground. Tires left in one position for extended periods of time tend to get flat spots. Also the moisture in the rubber will be sucked up by the concrete/driveway leading to premature tire rot. I possible put the car up on blocks to take the weight of the car off the springs and struts. If the tires are gonna be on the ground then place something between them and driveway. I use some scrap wood I have lying around. If storing outside, wrap tires and rims with garbage bags... helps keeps those rims nice and shiney and minimizes rust.
#4 Engine fogging Once your car is in position for its winter nap, wait for the engine to cool pull the plugs and give the your cylinders a squirt of fogging fluid. This helps prevent the cylinder seals from drying up and going premature due to lack of lubrication over long periods of time. EDIT: I've never done this with a BMW, so additional research should be required.
#5 battery: Pull the battery from the car, bring it home and place on trickle charge. If the car is in heated storage then just disconnect battery and put on trickle charge
#6 Seal the engine... Ok this is motorcycle trick that helps prevent moisture from getting into the engine during long storage periods. Take plastic baggys and rubber bands and place them around the exhaust tips and intake to help prevent moisture seepage.
#7 Gas treatment. You probably have ethanol treated gas already, but go out and grab some gas antifreeze for obvious reasons. If the car is gonna be stored for an extended period I suggest you use a gas stabilizer as well. This helps prevent the gas from becomming jelly like and clogging up your fuel lines and injectors. make sure the treatment runs threw all lines before you turn it off. O yea, and top off the tank as well.... a full tank leaves less air, which means less oxididation. With my track bike, I typically chuck the gas in the tank in the spring (usually donate to my station cars tank.... but it shouldn't be an issue to worry about with the larger injector sizes of cars)
#8 Storing outside? wax and your car before you put it away...... but don't take off the wax! Yea sounds weird, but leave that heavy nasty coat of wax on there. It will give you added protection from paint oxidation while your stored. (be wary...... your car is gonna need to a good compound in the spring to take it off though) At the very least give your car and good washing and give detail to removing anything that could damage the paint (tree sap, leave stains etc etc) Tires, use your tire treatment..... place it heavy on there too. your tire-treatment should provide UV protection to help prevent tire rot.
Odd fact: starting your engine once a month is actually worse for your engine then letting it sit there til spring. Cold starts ups are the worst thing for engine as we all know, so why wait 3 or 4 weeks for all that oil to drop out of the engine then go and start it up? Do it once in the spring............
Good luck
NL