This year I will need to store my 91 NSX in non-heated building. I looked on the forum and did not find a check list of do's and do nots winter storing an NSX. Can anyone share a proven check list I could follow? Thank you
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Winter Storage of NSX
- Thread starter Erik
- Start date
I inflate tires to max pressure. Treat the leather with a product that restores the natural ph level. (leatherunque or zano). Fuel stabilizer. Battery tender or timed charger. A good 4 layer cover. A small spacer under the wiper arms (hockey stick piece). Shinitsu grease on the rubber weather stripping. Clean oil in crank case. Don't start it until you can drive it. The max wear on an engine is starting. Wait till spring. :-(
the search function on prime gives a pretty random list based on your search words.you just have to sift through the selections and pull out what is relevent like this http://www.nsxprime.com/forums/showthread.php?t=112399&highlight=winter+storage
My checklist (generally performed in this order).
In more-humid climates or if parking over a dirt floor that will get moist, park on plastic sheet and tuck up under edges of the cover to enclose car.
If your batter tender has a switch to select 6v or 12v, double-check that it is on 12v (or maybe hot-glue it in that position). I've learned this lesson the hard way (dead battery in spring) and know other NSX owners (and non-NSX owners) who have as well.
The quality of regular pump gas (and additives added to it) you'd find at any station for the last 10-20 or so years makes fuel stabilizer unnecessary. The full fuel tank and wiper spacers in my list might also be unnecessary...though I still do those.
Leather cleaning/conditioning is a good idea every few years in general, but I'm not aware of a reason this is more important in winter than other times. I'd add the Lexol brand (found at most auto parts store) to the the list of products warrenw gave. I'd say similar about treating the rubber weather stripping (do as needed, maybe every 5 years, not specifically for winter storage).
In other threads I've heard suggestions like "start it up every week/month and bring it up to temp." I think that does more harm than good. Most engine wear is on startup (cold engine, most oil drained into pan) so I'd rather start just once during a storage cycle (when I bring it out of storage) not multiple times for no purpose other than to start it. All the stuff about engine seals aging if an engine just sits is (like fuel stabilizer) from an era that predates even my 20-year-old NSX. Especially in our dry climate they can sit for years without worry.
- Full fuel tank.
- Clean car (at least outside).
- Tires properly inflated.
- Battery tender (or battery disconnected).
- Lock doors (verify factory alarm set to confirm all doors, etc are closed).
- Spacer under wiper arms to keep blades from touching windshield.
- Cover (any decent car cover, no tarps).
- Adjust insurance (keep comprehensive, remove liability/collision).
In more-humid climates or if parking over a dirt floor that will get moist, park on plastic sheet and tuck up under edges of the cover to enclose car.
If your batter tender has a switch to select 6v or 12v, double-check that it is on 12v (or maybe hot-glue it in that position). I've learned this lesson the hard way (dead battery in spring) and know other NSX owners (and non-NSX owners) who have as well.
The quality of regular pump gas (and additives added to it) you'd find at any station for the last 10-20 or so years makes fuel stabilizer unnecessary. The full fuel tank and wiper spacers in my list might also be unnecessary...though I still do those.
Leather cleaning/conditioning is a good idea every few years in general, but I'm not aware of a reason this is more important in winter than other times. I'd add the Lexol brand (found at most auto parts store) to the the list of products warrenw gave. I'd say similar about treating the rubber weather stripping (do as needed, maybe every 5 years, not specifically for winter storage).
In other threads I've heard suggestions like "start it up every week/month and bring it up to temp." I think that does more harm than good. Most engine wear is on startup (cold engine, most oil drained into pan) so I'd rather start just once during a storage cycle (when I bring it out of storage) not multiple times for no purpose other than to start it. All the stuff about engine seals aging if an engine just sits is (like fuel stabilizer) from an era that predates even my 20-year-old NSX. Especially in our dry climate they can sit for years without worry.
Oh, and if you use a wiper fluid that can freeze - I don't know how harmful freezing of such would be to that system. I use "bug-off" fluid made for the summer, not the blue stuff good to -20F...so this is a concern as I consider storing some place other than my garage this year. Peace of mind would come from emptying the system or putting a space heater in the storage unit, set to come on around 35 degrees to keep things from freezing.
Would you guys recommend starting the car once a week for about 30 minutes?
This was originally my plan and i have no problem doing it since my car will be sitting under a cover in my garage.
This was originally my plan and i have no problem doing it since my car will be sitting under a cover in my garage.
worked for me for many years.
All I do is make sure the battery is on an automatic charger. I don't start the car during the winter.
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