Page 79 - Issue 46

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I should use a different word for ‘right’ ignore when temporarily shuttering a project. I
here. How about ‘better’ or a phrase like ‘less have had vehicles stored with their batteries in
destructive?’ There are steps you can take as you place with a quality trickle charger with good
pack up what you need to while you wait for life results. If the battery is over fi ve years old, even
to give you back the free time you need. Most this may not be enough to keep it reliable. Also,
of these steps are cheap or free. A lot of this will don’t forget to clean the battery terminals and
be common sense to rodders of old. Some you tray before leaving the project be. I have seen too
might even disagree with me because you have many cars and trucks with rust free quarter panels
successfully tried something else--great, use what and fl oorboards needing signifi cant structural
works for you and tell others about it! Let’s tackle repair around the battery tray. The vapors and
the mechanical side of things fi rst.
has four seasons, like here in Minnesota, You need to make sure you
For anyone who lives in a climate that

you are already familiar with the needed check the trap regularly—
steps to ensure the motor on your
favorite boat, four-wheeler, snowmobile or at least once a week.
whatever will start on the fi rst crank or fi rst
pull when it is time to bust them out again.
The same logic applies to the engine of your corrosion associated with a battery are acidic and
project—if it was already running, or course. The need to be cleaned properly. Pulling the battery
fuel system is the biggest problem. Old fuel can for separate storage is a good idea, just be sure
gum up everything it touches. The gas will need to store it in a dry place where it won’t freeze (the
a stabilizer added to it. You will want to run the cold discharge can hurt a good battery and kill a
engine with the stabilized gas for a few minutes weak one).
to make sure the gas has circulated through fuel Moving on to the rest of the car really comes
bowls and jets, fuel rails and injectors. down to keeping critters out. I have tried more
The rest of the mechanical systems under than my fair share of mice repellents through
the hood should not be ignored. Fresh oil in the years and have yet to fi nd a replacement for
the crankcase helps keep the bottom end from a plain old mechanical trap with a little peanut
rusting due to any contaminants built up since the butter for bait. You need to make sure you check
previous change. I have never run into any issues the trap regularly—at least once a week when it’s
with manual transmissions or rear ends suffering below freezing and daily when it is hot. You do
from long term storage as long as they are full not want your interior soaking up the smell of a
of fl uid and kept dry. You do need to be careful rotten animal. Steel wool has been my go-to for
with your auto tranny, though, since you can have any other place I wanted to keep mice away: tail
the torque converter drain back into the valve pipes, air snorkels, fl oor vents.
body, over fi lling and leaking out a vent or short Finally, if you are not sure your engine will start,
dipstick tube. Top off all other fl uids; any extra just leave it alone until you are ready to get back
space offers condensation a chance to add water to work. Cranking an engine over and over that
where water shouldn’t be, and double check the doesn’t fi re will wash the oil off the cylinder walls
antifreeze to confi rm it will fi ght off the coldest dramatically increasing the chances of seizing
temperature you think your storage area will hit. it. Trust me; this will really ruin your day when it
The electrical system is something you can’t comes to reviving the project.

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