Extreme Winter Storage
 

Hey Guys,

Just found out I'm going to work in Alaska. Has anyone any knowledge of extreme cold winter storage for a 986? What should I be concerned about?

Any help would be much appreciated!

We have a little bit of extreme weather here from time to time. I think the most important things are to make sure the gas tank is completely full before parking it and to put a good battery tender on it. It is also recommended that you inflate the tires extra hard to prevent flat spotting (60 lbs I think but check your owners manual - this information is all in there) and give it a fresh oil change before putting it away.

I've been storing my car for about 6 months each winter with temps ranging down to -40 and I am still on the same battery.

I notice this is your first post so allow me to point out the search button above, and suggest that you use it. Most questions have been answered repeatedly in here, including the one you just asked.

1) Put the car on jack stands.
2) Full tank of gas. Do NOT use "HEAT" if you live in a gasahol state. (10%-20% ethanol)
3) Previous poster said change oil. Nope. Change it AFTER winter storage**
4) Remove or change coolant if you are not sure if it will withstand -20F temps.
5) Remove battery, bring inside, attach a small trickle charger.

I'm in Minnesota, where it actually gets COLDER than most of the populated areas of AK.

**Do you want to run your car all of the next year on oil that's been sitting for 6 months in subzero temps? Or do you want to start the year on fresh oil?

The argument against that is that do you want your car sitting for six months with dirty oil?

There is no correct answer to this question. It's like Chevy vs. Ford.

Never leave one of these cars on jack stands for months, even Porsche has a TSB warning against doing this.

NEVER store a car with used oil, the water and acids in the oil will foster corrosion while it is in storage. Always change the oil before storing the car.

Yeah, lots of BAD advice here. But hey, the 986Forum is free.

#1 is dead WRONG.
#3 is dead wrong.

True. Here's an oldie, but a goodie:

http://986forum.com/forums/general-discussions/7567-winter-storage.html

And after winter hibernation advice:

http://986forum.com/forums/general-discussions/4954-time-wake-up.html

Why,exactly, do you think that cold oil is any less fresh than warm oil?

I wouldn't take the battery out of the car. Leave it in there and put the maintainer on it. Like I said, I've been storing my car this way for 7 years in temps down to -40 and I'm still on the same battery.

FauxDiablo does make a good point about the coolant. Test it and make sure it is good to -40. If not replace it or adjust the mixture accordingly. I would not store the car with the coolant system drained - that is another bad idea.

I'm with Mark. Key points;

- Change Oil & Filter
- Fill tank and add appropriate stabilizer
- Ensure coolant is good to go
- Pump tires to ~ 60 psi
- Attach battery maintainer (not an old style 'trickle charger but a proper maintainer)
- Put on the car cover and relax

In the spring

- Uncover
- Detach maintainer
- Bring tires to proper pressure
- Drive, drive, drive

Here in the True Great White North it can get bitterly cold but following the above steps I have never had a problem in the spring. One other thing; every few weeks during the winter, go to the garage and look at the car and pray for an early spring.

Last summer I insulated and heated my garage. I kept it at 5-7C over the winter when I wasn't actually working out there, in which case I would take it up to about 17C. That sure made the viewing times more comfortable and will probably be easier on the car in the long term.

Ok- I'm sure this a stupid question, but I've been known to ask those occasionally.... Why store these cars at all? Mine is in the garage all winter just as it is the rest of the year. While it isn't my daily driver, I do take it out at least a couple days a week even in our cold snowy WVA winters? I drive my Jeep every day, so why is my Porsche any different? Just curious.....

My reason - I bought the car to drive as a convertible. Can't do that in the winter, so park it, save the KM's and the car will last longer for me, as a convertible.

Others are scared of salt. Pffft.

LOL! And when was the last time you woke up in the morning to find the mercury at -40 and half your vehicle buried in a snow drift? I bet your vehicles aren't even equipped with block heaters.

Up here we can have 6 - 8 weeks straight when the temp never gets warmer than -20. The snow never melts so accumulations can hit a few feet by mid-winter. The depth of the ice ruts in my back alley can exceed the ground clearance of the car. On top of that, the city spreads thousands of pounds of highly corrosive salted sand on the roads to aid traction. This is no environment for my beloved Boxster. I put it away at first snowfall, usually around the end of October, and it doesn't come out until the street sweepers have done their work in the spring, which can be late April to early May.

It's been a few years, but if I recall correctly, when it gets down to -40 degrees it did not snow very much.

I will have to deal with some huge swings in temperatures soon (next three months), 68 to 78. :eek:

This is why my family moved to So Cal from Buffalo years ago. No salt, snow drifts, black ice, shoveling, exposed flesh warnings, etc. O sure it was over 100 degrees today, yesterday and probably tomorrow. And everything was/is/will be on fire in the local mountains. But you can drive the Box everyday with the top down. :D

Go Bills :dance:

It will definitely be easier on the car. We keep our customer winter storage facility at 55F during the winter months, and I keep my personal shop at my home at the same temp if I am not actually working there. At that temp, the humidity tends to stay in a good range, and the cars equipped with plastic rear windows hold up better as well.

In this part of the world, "hibernation season" tends to run from late October until mid to late March, some cars longer because their owners have migrated south like the birds.

And RESIST the temptation to start the car and let it idle for a few minutes. Unless you can take the car out and drive it for 60 min, don't start it.

Mine is a sunny day toy. One or two dyas per week. And I still drive about 12,000 miles year. From March/April till mid October. I have other hobbies/interests/toys for the winter months.