Putting your “babies” to sleep...

[PeacemakerJack 10,738]

We have such a wide range of folks that enjoy a cross section of different hobbies associated with machines that I am starting a thread that is dedicated to how you store those and when you store them.  There is a large contingent of us that live in the north where it is impossible to drive a vintage car or truck all winter unless you want the salt to kill it!  Boating on the ice? Not so much!  Motorcycling can be done through the winter on select days if you are crazy enough but still most of us park them for the winter.  

I have owned my Goat for just over 21 years or more than half my life (just realized that—cool)!  I was watching the news this morning and they said that we could wake up to some snow accumulation on Tuesday morning of next week and so I don’t want to run the risk of not getting it winterized.  Took my favorite people to school this morning in it...

You should have saw Caleb’s expression when I told him that he could be driving us to school the next time if he keeps his grades up over the winter!!! Claudia instantly looks like, “I’m gonna be sick!”  

 

For winterizing, I pull the battery and put it in the basement on the fender, run Sea-Foam in the FULL tank of premium fuel, put a mouse trap (if you can’t scare them away, kill ‘em) in the car and trunk with a note to remember to check periodically. Clean it good and cover—good night!

 

My 1996 Vulcan is similar.  With it, I make sure the chrome is polished well, SeaFoam in FULL tank, run carb dry, and hook up battery tender.

Gonna miss seeing this!

Judge (pictured in his new Punisher helmet) asked me for a ride this afternoon or tomorrow! I must oblige, after all it is my kiddo asking😉

 

I can’t wait to see what you guys have and how you do it! This could be a great informative thread while still being lots of fun.

 

 Remember—if it is a machine of any sort and it gets stored through the winter months—IT IS ON TOPIC!!!

[19richie66 17,500]

What’s winter?

[The Tuul Crib 7,336]

6 minutes ago, 19richie66 said:

What’s winter?

 I'm beginning to wonder that myself here we didn't have a drop of snow last year !

 

[Achto 27,505]

With any small engine that I store for the season I will fill the gas tank full of non ethanol premium gas mixed with Sea Foam if it has a metal tank, not worried about rust in with the plastic tanks. Then I will fire the engine up & let it run for 10 min or so. After 10 min I will shut the gas off & let the carb run dry. On a side note: My neighbor just loves it when I put my tractors away for the season. 11 tractors  all running together wide open for 15 to 20 min . If they have a battery it will stay in  but it will spend at least 8hrs on a trickle charger so that it will not freeze over the winter. My walk behind snow blower gets this same treatment in the spring.

 

With the boat I make sure that my premium gas is treated with Sea Foam the last time that I take it out. Being an out board I don't have to worry about putting antifreeze in the engine like you have to do with inboards.Then I change the lower unit grease and put it to bed for the winter. My on board battery chargers will stay plugged in all winter.

Edited October 25, 2019 by Achto

[SPINJIM 1,981]

Beautiful GTO.  I had one in my early years (a 1968), but growing family expenses forced me to let it go.   That was my favorite of all the cars I've owned.   I had it up to 120 mph on a remote section of interstate in WV.    Great car!   I'm always tempted when I see one at a car show.   Enjoy.

   Jim

[PeacemakerJack 10,738]

There is a story that just can to mind reading your post @SPINJIM that Jim Wangers (the promoter of the GTO and Pontiac in the 1960’s) related to a group of us at GTO nationals back in 2006 when I attended.  He said that when the TV show the Monkees came out as part of a promotion they gave each of the band members a brand new 1968 GTO.  Apparently Mike Nesmith was pulled over doing 125mph in his.  It made National news and Wangers said that it caused a spike in sales for a couple of weeks after the story was printed!!!  Can’t buy advertising like that!!!

 

 

Thanks Dan for the informative post!

[Lee1977 6,643]

1 hour ago, 19richie66 said:

What’s winter?

You get a small taste of it when your up here in North Carolina. I don't think you will see much of the white stuff where you going to be. We are usually in the very edge of that. The most we have got in the last 10 years or so is around 4" at a time. Looks pretty and is gone in two or three days, we have had it to last a week. I had to go back to February 2015 to find one worth taking a picture of,

 

[tom2p 2,394]

mice can be real problem 

 

chewed the heck out wiring on a motorcycle 

 

found another one in air box 

 

somehow - one got in the glove box of a car I had in my parents garage (years ago)

 

[tom2p 2,394]

this was the car they got into the glove box 

 

69 Hurst Olds 

 

pic was taken early 80's at Car Craft Street Machine Nationals
(2nd year of the event I believe)

 

orange Chevelle SS is factory L78  (396/375)

 

year before - attended that show with friend 69 GTO Judge w / Ram Air III

 

 

 

 

note the sign  lol

Edited October 25, 2019 by tom2p

[PeacemakerJack 10,738]

Thanks for sharing that great photo and story...

 

I know this does get written about in various places on the forum but I would welcome any thoughts regarding dealing with keeping mice out of winterized machines in this thread as well!

[pfrederi 17,666]

7 minutes ago, PeacemakerJack said:

Thanks for sharing that great photo and story...

 

I know this does get written about in various places on the forum but I would welcome any thoughts regarding dealing with keeping mice out of winterized machines in this thread as well!

 

 

They are frequently mentioned but i vote a big NO on dryer sheets.  Mouse used one of the ones I put out to build his nest in a KT 17.  Went to start it in the spring, made about half a turn and  locked up tight.  Dry sheet got wrapped around starter pinion and jammed in ring gear.  They are very very tough in one direction tried to hack it out with box cutter  and pliers finally had to pull the starter motor.

[tom2p 2,394]

get a cat - no get two cats !

 

half joking 

 

we 'inherited' an outdoor cat when we purchased our house - zero mouse issues 

 

cat died - and it's been a battle since then

outside and inside 

 

outside in topsoil piles ... nests of them 

 

inside primarily in the garage - but also had a couple in the basement 

 

[PeacemakerJack 10,738]

Thanks for posting that here...I remember reading that elsewhere when you posted.  I always heard that those were the way to go—RIGHT! If the pest is using the “deterrent” for their nest and no harm comes to them, probably not much of a deterrent!  In your case it also caused a big problem.  I appreciate that feedback...

[Lee1977 6,643]

I keep my car, truck, and Wheel Horses in the basement year around with trays of mouse food not completely open.They think they are stealing it.

I haven't had any to last long enough to do any damage.

[Stepney 2,325]

My 'Horses are usually kept in operation all through the winter. I keep the stabil in them all year round, and come cold weather I just bring batteries indoors. Nothing more. Around Christmas they all get drug out and the neighborhood kids take them out and pull sleds up and down our road. Then I usually keep them rotated on snow duty. 

Only got one vehicle.. some come winter we dump the 20w50 and add some 10w30. (Good time for some homebrew undercoat BTW)  Its an old Ford Big Six. Just adjust the choke for cold and dont forget to reconnect the heater, throw the snow wheels on. Dont give her any more attention, she doesn't like that.

Only my hit and miss engines and old outboard get a proper tucking in. I pull my magnetos off and store them indoors, as well as any brasswork. Drain the tanks and a good cleaning, oil the cylinders and valvegear, and put them to bed. 

 

 

 

And since it's winter, and you're a Kohler buff, it's time to break out the old cast-iron 4 stroke motor toboggan!

 

[ebinmaine 67,277]

7 hours ago, 19richie66 said:

What’s winter?

Dats juss meeeeen....

 

Trina and I will have enough to share.

[WVHillbilly520H 10,373]

9 hours ago, PeacemakerJack said:

We have such a wide range of folks that enjoy a cross section of different hobbies associated with machines that I am starting a thread that is dedicated to how you store those and when you store them. 

I have owned my Goat for just over 21 years or more than half my life (just realized that—cool)! 

 

For winterizing, I pull the battery and put it in the basement on the fender, run Sea-Foam in the FULL tank of premium fuel, put a mouse trap (if you can’t scare them away, kill ‘em) ...

I can’t wait to see what you guys have and how you do it! This could be a great informative thread while still being lots of fun.

 

 Remember—if it is a machine of any sort and it gets stored through the winter months—IT IS ON TOPIC!!!

First off I don't have a fully enclosed garage for my lil "street rod" it sits covered in the carport on the asphalt with the battery disconnected (being in the carport with the sun shining on it. from rise to set no mice) but instead of premium gas with an additive it gets 5 gallons or so of Sunoco 110 octane "racing" fuel (it stays fresh for years at least the 3 the engine was out being rebuilt), I have owned this ride since March of 2001 so a little over 18 years.

[ZXT 2,401]

5 hours ago, Stepney said:

My 'Horses are usually kept in operation all through the winter. I keep the stabil in them all year round, and come cold weather I just bring batteries indoors. Nothing more. Around Christmas they all get drug out and the neighborhood kids take them out and pull sleds up and down our road. Then I usually keep them rotated on snow duty. 

Only got one vehicle.. some come winter we dump the 20w50 and add some 10w30. (Good time for some homebrew undercoat BTW)  Its an old Ford Big Six. Just adjust the choke for cold and dont forget to reconnect the heater, throw the snow wheels on. Dont give her any more attention, she doesn't like that.

Only my hit and miss engines and old outboard get a proper tucking in. I pull my magnetos off and store them indoors, as well as any brasswork. Drain the tanks and a good cleaning, oil the cylinders and valvegear, and put them to bed. 

 

 

 

And since it's winter, and you're a Kohler buff, it's time to break out the old cast-iron 4 stroke motor toboggan!

 

As far as garden tractors go, I just try to run them a few times during the winter and drive them around - since it'll probably be in the 50s-60s on Christmas day.. We have a bunch of really cold (30s-40s weather). As far as cars go, we make sure they have antifreeze in them.. The fuel systems are more than likely going to need attention regardless of what we do, so we don't fret it too much.

 

For our hit-or-miss engines, we make sure there's antifreeze in the hopper, and put the piston at the bottom of the bore. 

Edited October 26, 2019 by ZXT

[PeacemakerJack 10,738]

@WVHillbilly520HI never get tired of seeing your Malibu—that is a saweeet ride.  I also like that you brought up leaded race fuel.  Made me think of a friend of mine who has access to AV gas.  He runs premium throughout the year but his last several fillips before parking his gorgeous “double nickel” is AV gas.  He says the same thing about it...never have to worry about it going stale.  

[ZXT 2,401]

1 minute ago, PeacemakerJack said:

@WVHillbilly520HI never get tired of seeing your Malibu—that is a saweeet ride.  I also like that you brought up leaded race fuel.  Made me think of a friend of mine who has access to AV gas.  He runs premium throughout the year but his last several fillips before parking his gorgeous “double nickel” is AV gas.  He says the same thing about it...never have to worry about it going stale.  

Could you have him pick you up some? Might cost a bit, but being the quality it is, it would keep you from having any issues sitting over winter. 

[PeacemakerJack 10,738]

I could but unfortunately he lives in Allenton. PA and I live in east central WI That being said, I have access to AV gas and 110 race fuel too, I just don’t think of it most of the time...thanks for the suggestion though!

[Achto 27,505]

1 hour ago, PeacemakerJack said:

That being said, I have access to AV gas and 110 race fuel too

-

Yep!! Could grab some Turbo Blue at Quent's in Oshkosh for big $$/gal.You could also stop out to Wittman Field & grab some AV gas. In my experience non-ethanol premium gas treated with Sea Foam will keep for better than 8 months, maybe longer. 8 months is as long as I have left anything of mine sit. 

Edited October 26, 2019 by Achto

[Stormin 9,981]

 We don't get the extremes of cold weather some of you lads get. Thankfully! Not far of the coast and low lying ground.

 

 Tractors live in the workshop and every so often I'll start and run them for a while. Maybe give them a run up and down the lane.

 

 Mice not a problem. I have rat bait in the workshop loft and traps below. The bait does get eaten now and then, but never had anything in the traps. 

 

As for snow. Get plenty on the fells behind us, but very little down here.

[953 nut 55,080]

I had a battery tender cook the water out of a battery one winter. The solution I came up with was to put a small timer on it that only runs the tender one hour a day. Seafoam is in the gas all year and I manage to find a little job that needs the help of a  or two every week so they all get out and play at least once a month all year.

[tom2p 2,394]

mouse chewed partway through the wires on our battery minder