Winterization In the North

[I<3MyBus]

I am beginning to prepare my VW bus for winter storage in a unit. I have never done this before and am wondering if there is anything specific I should do or what exactly I need to cover my bus with?

[Spdmini]

As its July I can't help but think:

[ATL_Av8r]

Your best bet is to put it in a climate-controlled storage unit with 24 hour security and appropriate facility insurance. Like this:

[davidraeside]

Yes.

[GolfTango]

I'd cover it with fire to keep it warm

[jumbo11]

Feed it milk and nutrients. I'll be alright..

[mobile363]

chances are it has survived many winters outside to its own devices. Another year wont hurt. Unless this is a show quality bus, just park the thing outside.

[BEATER_BUG]

Make sure the antifreeze is good and strong don't want to crack the block when the temps get cold

[eunos94]

Make sure the antifreeze is good and strong don't want to crack the block when the temps get cold

hahahahahaha.... wait you're serious????

[cstraw]

Our lakes only freeze within the top 2~3' of surface. Below that temperature level remains around or above freezing. That is where I have stored my boat for the past three winters. I just check on it a few times throughout the winter to make sure the anchor is still firmly attached. I suggest you sink the bus, just be sure you use the appropriate anchor for the lakebed.

Chris

[tasty danish]

Put sta-bil in the gas and top off the tank, I would recommend driving it a bit to ensure you get that gas distributed.

Wash the car before you store it. Cover it in storage.

Change the oil before you store it.

Do not use the e-brake for long term storage.

Disconnect the Battery.

Spread mothballs around it to prevent critters.

Consider putting it on jackstands to keep the tires from flat-spotting

^note that a few of these can be omitted if you have continued access to the car and can start/drive it from time to time. Firing it up and running all the systems (heater, AC if equipped, etc) is best if possible. Temperature control is also nice, again if possible.

[Broduski]

I am beginning to prepare my VW bus for winter storage in a unit.

It's July. Are you storing it in the arctic circle that you need to start this early?

[emmettlodge]

You shouldn't need to do anything special to store a vehicle over the winter except disconnect the battery and take it inside.

Next stupid thread.

[Hawk]

[chris@revotechnik]

^note that a few of these can be omitted if you have continued access to the car and can start/drive it from time to time. Firing it up and running all the systems (heater, AC if equipped, etc) is best if possible. Temperature control is also nice, again if possible.

Starting an engine for no reason is the WORST thing you can do it.

Unless you plan to get it up to operating temp and keep it their for an extended period of time you WILL do more harm then good.

Stored vehicles should NOT be started for the hell of it.

[karl_1052]

Put sta-bil in the gas and top off the tank, I would recommend driving it a bit to ensure you get that gas distributed.

Wash the car before you store it. Cover it in storage.

Change the oil before you store it.

Do not use the e-brake for long term storage.

Disconnect the Battery.

Spread mothballs around it to prevent critters.

Consider putting it on jackstands to keep the tires from flat-spotting

^note that a few of these can be omitted if you have continued access to the car and can start/drive it from time to time. Firing it up and running all the systems (heater, AC if equipped, etc) is best if possible. Temperature control is also nice, again if possible.

You do not want to start the car unless you are taking it out for more than a spin around the block. This will create moisture within the cylinders and exhaust.
Stabilize the gas, park on plywood, disconect battery, stuff rags in the exhaust pipe, use peppermint oil in the engine bay and interior(apparently works better than mothballs. Smells better too).

Park it and walk away until it is time to take it out in the spring.

[clutchrider]

Post on winterizing in the North when car is actually going to be stored in a garage

Put car on jack stands, remove tires, add car cover, close garage door.

Came for someone looking for information on winterizing their car to be "driven" in the North.

[kwik!gti]

Put sta-bil in the gas and top off the tank, I would recommend driving it a bit to ensure you get that gas distributed.

Wash the car before you store it. Cover it in storage.

Change the oil before you store it.

Do not use the e-brake for long term storage.

Disconnect the Battery.

Spread mothballs around it to prevent critters.

Consider putting it on jackstands to keep the tires from flat-spotting

^note that a few of these can be omitted if you have continued access to the car and can start/drive it from time to time. Firing it up and running all the systems (heater, AC if equipped, etc) is best if possible. Temperature control is also nice, again if possible.

Pretty much what I do to a T when I put my Si away for the winter.

[seadoo2006]

[mhjett]

Ground-breaking question, good sir. I'm sure that question has never before been asked in this car forum.

[FissionMailed]

Our lakes only freeze within the top 2~3' of surface...That is where I have stored my boat for the past three winters...I suggest you sink the bus, just be sure you use the appropriate anchor for the lakebed.

that_escalated_quickly.jpg

[BEATER_BUG]

hahahahahaha.... wait you're serious????

Dead serious, proper antifreeze composure is a must in all air cooled Volkswagens

[AKADriver]

Coat the entire car in a generous layer of cosmoline, then bury it in peat.

[FissionMailed]

Dead serious, proper antifreeze composure is a must in all air cooled Volkswagens

Protip: sarcasm in this forum is pointless. You can say the most idiotic things, trying to be funny, and half the forum won't understand and send you a constant stream of .

edit: unless your sarcasm is in the form of a HILARIOUS image macro lol!!!

[tasty danish]

Starting an engine for no reason is the WORST thing you can do it.

Unless you plan to get it up to operating temp and keep it their for an extended period of time you WILL do more harm then good.

Stored vehicles should NOT be started for the hell of it.

Did I say, "start engine and jerk off for 5 min" ???

What reason do you ever have to start an engine? For the hell of it? What does that even mean?

I said run all systems. This implies that you get it up to temp and take it through its paces.

[chris@revotechnik]

Did I say, "start engine and jerk off for 5 min" ???

What reason do you ever have to start an engine? For the hell of it? What does that even mean?

I said run all systems. This implies that you get it up to temp and take it through its paces.

Then your car is not in storage and you don't need to do any of the other things you said.

Park car don't start it until you plan to USE it again.

Without actually taking the car out getting EVERYTHING up to full temp including oil and keeping it there for an extended period of time you are doing more harm then good. During winter months this may not even be possible to do without flogging the hell out of the car.

What purpose does that serve a car in storage?

Sorry you were wrong get over it.

[tasty danish]

Then your car is not in storage and you don't need to do any of the other things you said.

Park car don't start it until you plan to USE it again.

Without actually taking the car out getting EVERYTHING up to full temp including oil and keeping it there for an extended period of time you are doing more harm then good. During winter months this may not even be possible to do without flogging the hell out of the car.

What purpose does that serve a car in storage?

Sorry you were wrong get over it.

Dude did you even read either of my posts?

I said run all systems. This implies that you get it up to temp and take it through its paces.

Without actually taking the car out getting EVERYTHING up to full temp including oil and keeping it there for an extended period of time

Then your car is not in storage and you don't need to do any of the other things you said.

note that a few of these can be omitted if you have continued access to the car and can start/drive it from time to time

It's like a friggen echo in here.

[chris@revotechnik]

Dude did you even read either of my posts?

I did, you are still wrong, your car is not in storage then it is just parked in between uses. Who posts asking what to do with their car between uses? You don't winterize a house and come flush the toilet every few weeks...



You said firing it up is best if possible.. no firing it up is the WORST possible thing you can do. What purpose does going and driving a car that is stored serve?

Running all the systems in no way implies run it until your oil is up to temperature of an extended period of time to make sure you burn off all the water you just mixed into your oil for no damn reason because some guy on the internet told to start the car every so often.

Why are you not crying about the other guy who told you that you were completely wrong as well?

[mhjett]

You said firing it up is best if possible.. no firing it up is the WORST possible thing you can do. What purpose does going and driving a car that is stored serve?

This is true. Cold starts are the worst on engines, especially COLD winter starts on engines that have been sitting for weeks or months.

tasty danish - you are wrong. You either store the car and don't run it, or you aren't storing the car.

[tasty danish]

I did, you are still wrong, your car is not in storage then it is just parked in between uses. Who posts asking what to do with their car between uses? You don't winterize a house and come flush the toilet every few weeks...



You said firing it up is best if possible.. no firing it up is the WORST possible thing you can do. What purpose does going and driving a car that is stored serve?

Running all the systems in no way implies run it until your oil is up to temperature of an extended period of time to make sure you burn off all the water you just mixed into your oil for no damn reason because some guy on the internet told to start the car every so often.

Why are you not crying about the other guy who told you that you were completely wrong as well?

Don't tell me what I implied. You can't even open the thermostat if you don't fully warm the car up, so you have to to fully exercise the coolant system, and many oil systems have thermo-plugs as well. So yes, that's what I was implying.

No one else told me I was "completely wrong" and I never said anything about just "firing it up." I said run the car from time to time if possible and you all jumped on my ****. I never disagreed with you. You're just being abrasive just to be abrasive.

When did I ever say to just fire the car up real quick and shut it off before it warmed up? I make 8 points, you take issue with one, that you misinterpreted and now I'm 100% off?

Better yet, don't answer that, I'm done. This devolved into a bitch-fest way too fast.

[pknopp]

All I do is pull my car in the garage, disconnect the battery, add sta-bil and go inside. My garage isn't heated but it likely doesn't get as cold as a storage unit since it is attacjed to the house.

On a nice winter day I might want to go for a drive and knowing I had to take off jackstands would ruin that real quick.

[karl_1052]

Don't tell me what I implied. You can't even open the thermostat if you don't fully warm the car up, so you have to to fully exercise the coolant system, and many oil systems have thermo-plugs as well. So yes, that's what I was implying.

No one else told me I was "completely wrong" and I never said anything about just "firing it up." I said run the car from time to time if possible and you all jumped on my ****. I never disagreed with you. You're just being abrasive just to be abrasive.

When did I ever say to just fire the car up real quick and shut it off before it warmed up? I make 8 points, you take issue with one, that you misinterpreted and now I'm 100% off?

Better yet, don't answer that, I'm done. This devolved into a bitch-fest way too fast.

Hi, I'm the other guy, and yes, you are completely wrong if you think it is best to start a stored car. First off an air cooled motor does not have a thermostat. That is not where the moisture comes from. Moisture is a byproduct of the combustion process. Even if you start the car and warm it up to operating temperature, you will get moisture buildup in the cylinders and exhaust.

The rest of your steps were good, but just park it and forget it.

[barry2952]

This thread is ****ing hilarious. With rapid weather change I'll be driving my convertibles mid-winter in Michigan.

Just park it. Nothing more to be done. You make it seem like it's the ****ing North Pole.

[mhjett]

...

No one else told me I was "completely wrong" and I never said anything about just "firing it up." I said run the car from time to time if possible and you all jumped on my ****. I never disagreed with you. You're just being abrasive just to be abrasive.

No, actually I also told you you're completely wrong. So did karl_1052.

[barry2952]

Put sta-bil in the gas and top off the tank, I would recommend driving it a bit to ensure you get that gas distributed.

Not a bad idea, but unnecessary for 3 months

Wash the car before you store it. Cover it in storage.

Why? It's easier to hose dust off than repair the scratches from the cover.

Change the oil before you store it.

Again, an unnecessary step.

Do not use the e-brake for long term storage.

Why? He's talking about winter storage, not a time capsule.

Disconnect the Battery.

Unnecessary. If your battery goes dead then you have an electrical problem with your car.

Spread mothballs around it to prevent critters.

That only keeps away people.

Consider putting it on jackstands to keep the tires from flat-spotting

Unnecessary, they turn round again in a few minutes.

^note that a few of these can be omitted if you have continued access to the car and can start/drive it from time to time. Firing it up and running all the systems (heater, AC if equipped, etc) is best if possible. Temperature control is also nice, again if possible.

/\ Starting a car unnecessarily is the dumbest thing I've ever heard. If you're driving it from time to time then it's really not storage.