Storing the BRZ for 9 months

[ShadowReaper]

Has anybody stored their 86s or let it sit for over 5 months?

I just want to see some tips and examples of what type of precautions fellow owners took while they were gone.

Battery:
I have heard disconnect the battery for the most part. How often must a car be turned on for a battery to remain charged?

Fuel:
I have e85 in the tank right now. This is probably the most controversial one I have seen. Either leave 1/4 of fuel in or due to (humidity = water in the tank) leave it full with fuel stabilizer.

Tires:
Heard put it on jackstands to not get flat spots. However, I have heard just over inflate the tires and put matts or plywood under the tires.

Running procedures:
What did you guys do every week or so?
I am planning on having family turn on and let idle for 5-10 mins then rev 3000/5000 like 3 times. Pull the car out of the storage and back in for the tires.

What do you guys think? This is my first time storing my baby and it's going to be the hardest thing leaving her

[Tcoat]

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showp...56&postcount=9

[gramicci101]

Ethanol degrades. I'd run the E85 down as low as possible, put in the recommended amount of Sta-bil (I think 4 oz?), and fill the tank with normal gasoline. When you get back, that tank of gas will run poorly, but after that's gone and you refill it it'll be good to go.

I left mine on a battery tender for six months with no starting the entire time and it started right up the first time when I got back. I'm about to do it again. This requires that your car is left somewhere where people won't fuck with it and you have a power receptacle, so probably indoors. Make sure you make it real obvious that the tender is on there, so you don't forget it after nine months and then forget to take it off.

I didn't do anything special for the tires and I had no issues after 6 months. Anecdotal evidence only.

[~el~jefe~]

yeah, get that crap out of your tank. I would use Griot's winterizing kit for my car. Never expensive, and everything you need. Griot's is used for ultra fancy car owners, yet is not expensive stuff. I just call them and they have all the things one needs I would get blocks of wood, big blocks, and put my car on that. Remove the wheels and tires. WHy bother to keep them on? They will be perfect just simply removed from the car and the car on big chunks of wood. Jack stands can tip. long chunks of wood are more stable and really cheap. Remove the battery and place it in in a cool, dry place. Max octane normal gas filled to top with a proper amount of stabilizer.

Extreme advice: remove wiper blades, put mouse poison in spots in the car, change the oil before you store it. Make sure all fluids, all of them, are at that max fills. One could flush the radiator and refill it if the car is not new. corrosion and separation of fluids etc can happen if left for a long time. I hear the 86's have long term coolant in them, so if car is very new, I wouldn't worry just top it off. I do not know yet how hard it is to flush and fill them. I like cars that are easy to do for this. I have had leaks due to fluid corroding in my Mini Cooper S, and the flush would have cost me like 30 dollars vs 1500 in repairs.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by gramicci101

Ethanol degrades. I'd run the E85 down as low as possible, put in the recommended amount of Sta-bil (I think 4 oz?), and fill the tank with normal gasoline. When you get back, that tank of gas will run poorly, but after that's gone and you refill it it'll be good to go.

I left mine on a battery tender for six months with no starting the entire time and it started right up the first time when I got back. I'm about to do it again. This requires that your car is left somewhere where people won't fuck with it and you have a power receptacle, so probably indoors. Make sure you make it real obvious that the tender is on there, so you don't forget it after nine months and then forget to take it off.

I didn't do anything special for the tires and I had no issues after 6 months. Anecdotal evidence only.

All perfectly done.

Originally Posted by ~el~jefe~

yeah, get that crap out of your tank. I would use Griot's winterizing kit for my car. Never expensive, and everything you need. Griot's is used for ultra fancy car owners, yet is not expensive stuff. I just call them and they have all the things one needs I would get blocks of wood, big blocks, and put my car on that. Remove the wheels and tires. WHy bother to keep them on? They will be perfect just simply removed from the car and the car on big chunks of wood. Jack stands can tip. long chunks of wood are more stable and really cheap. Remove the battery and place it in in a cool, dry place. Max octane normal gas filled to top with a proper amount of stabilizer.

Extreme advice: remove wiper blades, put mouse poison in spots in the car, change the oil before you store it. Make sure all fluids, all of them, are at that max fills. One could flush the radiator and refill it if the car is not new. corrosion and separation of fluids etc can happen if left for a long time. I hear the 86's have long term coolant in them, so if car is very new, I wouldn't worry just top it off. I do not know yet how hard it is to flush and fill them. I like cars that are easy to do for this. I have had leaks due to fluid corroding in my Mini Cooper S, and the flush would have cost me like 30 dollars vs 1500 in repairs.

Gross overkill.

[~el~jefe~]

I saw Tcoat's post about the oil not breaking down just sitting there. From what I have been reading, the Oil part of the oil has almost no lifespan, it just keeps doing its thing forever just about. What does break down are the crisco-like crap they put in to keep the oil flowing nice. I read that they are sensitive to TIME and not use. They make it sludge and therefore difficult to lubricate on start up, the most important time. I always wondered why oil has a time expiration date and not simply a usage one. It could look nice and yellow and clean, and be unable to flow through and lubricate if the oil is old, just simply old.

[~el~jefe~]

I would think starting the car and letting it sit there for a long time idling until it hit temperature would be really bad for a car. HOwever, I am unsure as to what is worse: never starting in six months, or starting it badly and idling for twenty minutes (or more in winter possibly).

I also wonder how one is going to get IN the car and turn it on for 20-30 minutes while it is dangerously on jack stands.

I think deep storage is actually the cheapest way. Aside from radiator flush, my proposal is like 60 dollars.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by ~el~jefe~

I saw Tcoat's post about the oil not breaking down just sitting there. From what I have been reading, the Oil part of the oil has almost no lifespan, it just keeps doing its thing forever just about. What does break down are the crisco-like crap they put in to keep the oil flowing nice. I read that they are sensitive to TIME and not use. They make it sludge and therefore difficult to lubricate on start up, the most important time. I always wondered why oil has a time expiration date and not simply a usage one. It could look nice and yellow and clean, and be unable to flow through and lubricate if the oil is old, just simply old.

That is in very extreme and long term (years) of sitting. Your oil does not break down in months. There are no expiration dates on jugs of oil. The recommended change intervals based on time are a throw back to the days of the old "natural" oils and are pretty much meaningless with today's synthetics.

[~el~jefe~]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

That is in very extreme and long term (years) of sitting. Your oil does not break down in months. There are no expiration dates on jugs of oil. The recommended change intervals based on time are a throw back to the days of the old "natural" oils and are pretty much meaningless with today's synthetics.

that is good to know.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by ~el~jefe~

that is good to know.

Oh no doubt there will be people along to say it is wrong!

[~el~jefe~]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Oh no doubt there will be people along to say it is wrong!

your wong!

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by ~el~jefe~

your wong!

I do not own a Wong.

[~el~jefe~]

I am concerned about the idea of turning car on while on jack stands. they really are not at all that stable.

I stand by my suggestion of putting the car on chunks of wood. I guess if you are going to start the car, you will have to put some of the suspension weight on the tires. I duno. I think that whole idea of someone being in the care when the car is suspended is dangerous.

I would just let the car sit with its suspension/tires relaxed and not idle it during those months. Idling is bad for cars cold right? shrug

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by ~el~jefe~

I am concerned about the idea of turning car on while on jack stands. they really are not at all that stable.

I stand by my suggestion of putting the car on chunks of wood. I guess if you are going to start the car, you will have to put some of the suspension weight on the tires. I duno. I think that whole idea of someone being in the care when the car is suspended is dangerous.

I would just let the car sit with its suspension/tires relaxed and not idle it during those months. Idling is bad for cars cold right? shrug

Jack stands are specifically designed to hold cars up. Blocks of wood are not. There is a far greater chance of wood shifting than a jack stand and proper stands do not have a tendency of suddenly splitting like wood does.


There is zero hazard to somebody in the car on stands if places properly under the suspension. The car would be barely off the ground since you are just taking the weight off the wheels not suspending the whole car in the air.


You DO NOT want to leave a car with the suspension "relaxed". It is designed to have weight on it and if left dangling in the air you will have all sorts of issues later. The only reason to lift it at all is so the tires stay round and if the car is going to be moved even just a little once a week then there is no reason to take the weight off them at all.