Putting the Rabbit to bed for Winter.. a few ??s :)

[VW Scully]

Hey everyone;
I am going to store the Rabbit this Winter and since I've never done it before; what are some tips to keep my car in good shape while she sleeps away the freezing days? (like I wish I could ).
Anyway...help??

[vwmike]

You might want to add some fuel conditioner and move the car once in a while so the tires don't flat spot. That's about all I can think of but I'm sure others will have more suggestions.

[BlackTieTD]

good advice there.
you could put it up on blocks if you are worried about flat spots. this will also unload the suspension.
don't leave the e-brake on.
if rodents are an issue, make an effort to put out traps or something.
try to park in the driest spot you can find.
make sure you have enough anti-freeze in the system.
i'd try to have the fuel tank completely full.
disconnect the battery and keep it in your house or something. don't leave it on concrete.

[zyewdall]

Disconnect the battery (or take it inside and leave it on a maintenance charger).  Or alternatively, put a small PV module on the roof or in the windshield, and hook it up to the battery.

Also, giving it a fresh wax job isn't a bad idea.  It'll make all the dust and leaves and such that accumulate on it over the winter alot easier to just hose off in the spring.

[VW Scully]

Thanks everyone
I have also heard about parking on a sheet of plywood or something like that. The car will be in a garage on a concrete floor. Would the plywood help keep the condensation away from under the car?

I am going to be doing some work on the car when it's asleep anyway (new front shocks; changing all the fuel lines to Viton since I have been running B20 and want to run B100 next Spring), and have do some minor bodywork - remember BlackTieTD when I showed you at the London GTG the metal around where I repaired the aerial hole - I have to fix that )

Should I do an oil change BEFORE putting the Rabbit to bed or AFTER?? (I always hear different arguments for this too.) What do you all think/do??
Thanks!

[Patrick]

The argument for before is that the contaminants in the oil will all be in suspension and come out when you drop the oil, as oppose to settling in the pan over the winter.

The argument for after is that there will be condensation inside the thengine all winter, and getting the engine warm and dumping it will get rid of most of it. So will just driving it if you get it warm enough and your crankase ventilation is working as it's supposed to.

THink I'd lean towards "before" rather than "after" but I don't think it will make a lot of difference either way, as long as you change it! I'd be more worried about running all the bio out of it and filling to the top with sraight diesel, who knows how the bio is going to survive in the tank in the winter, and you know that if for some reason you need the car to start and the weather is 30 below, there's a good chance you'll get it running without a lot of trouble on dino. Bio? Not sure, but is it worth taking a chance?

[zyewdall]

I'd be more worried about running all the bio out of it and filling to the top with sraight diesel, who knows how the bio is going to survive in the tank in the winter, and you know that if for some reason you need the car to start and the weather is 30 below, there's a good chance you'll get it running without a lot of trouble on dino. Bio? Not sure, but is it worth taking a chance?

I am a big advocate of biodiesel, and can't see much of any reason to use petro-diesel at all, but this is one case where I might.  I'm not sure what happens to biodiesel after a year sitting but I've heard that it might not be good, depending on what the iodine number of the feedstock oil is, so I'd probalby fill it with petro-diesel, and add some diesel fuel stabilizer too.

[VW Scully]

Thanks zyewdall;
I know that BioDiesel is fairly hygroscopic (i.e. it will attract and hold water) so if there is moisture in the air, and any airspace in the tank, it's possible that some water will get into the fuel (and that's bad ).

I am out of BioDiesel right now (I hope to make more this weekend) but plan to store the car Nov. 1 so am just running Sunoco Gold now and will fill up with that just before storing the car. Fuel stabilizer is also a good idea; thanks .

I will be pulling the battery so likely won't start the car at all until the Spring. Oh I can't wait; I hate Winter .

Anyway, thanks for the tips everyone. I won't like driving a gas guzzling Chevy while my Rabbit sleeps, (although the thing *is* 4x4 ).

[Patrick]

You could probably stretch the "sleep date" to december 1 in stratford and not see a lot of snow.
As for the chevy, fix it ! I put a perkins in my GMC.............

[VW Scully]

Thanks Patrick;
I *might* be able to stretch it, but I don't want the salt/muddy-snowy-slop on it which can even be on the roads in November.
I also want to do some work on it before it's too freezing even in the shop . (Oh how I hate Winter ).

[BlackTieTD]

good idea scully... try to get it off the road before the first hint of a snowstorm or you know those ontarian salt trucks will be out screwing things up for us mkI owners... (and everyone else really).