Winter Prep/Storage

Hey All - So I took a job 'up away', and am leaving at the end of the month. Going to be coming home for a week every month, but thinking that in the winter I am going to just hang out in AB with some friends for the week off and enjoy the cross country skiing.

That said, I have a TDi parked in the driveway with nobody to drive it for weeks at a time, and in the winter if I don't come home monthly, it would be months without moving (my roommate and my girlfriend both work on remote sites for weeks at a time as well). Should I look into storing it indoors somewhere? Or with the proper prep will it be Ok sitting outside for 3 to 8 weeks in a good NL winter?

I guess another thing to talk about at the same time, is what are you going to do in the next couple months to 'winterize' your car...

Opinions welcome...

Andy, it ALWAYS giong to be better for the car to store it indoors. You don't have to be a brain surgeon to put that together.

As long as you've followed prescribed maintenance for your car, and used compliant fluids, there really isn't anything else to be concerned about apart from getting the weight off the tires and wheels, if that is an option.

Good luck on your journey!

Thanks. I know its better to keep it indoors, but without a garage at hand, I am looking around for the most economical option.

I have been taking good care of it and following proper maintenance since I got the car, and the previous owner seemed to do a good job with it too. Do I have to worry about the fuel gelling up in a non-heated garage here in NL, the temps don't usually go below -10 or 12 w/o the windchill, or would an additive take care of preventing it?

Thanks, going to Fort Mac to work with All North as a Land Desktop designer and some survey work, for now, hopefully be back to NL full time by this time next year. On a mission to avoid paying the feds a horrendous amount of interest on my student loan...

I'd maybe put a bit of mouse poison in a few areas in case a little newfie mouse needs a warm place to spend the winter.

Never thought of that haha... last thing I need is a few hoses chewed apart... Thanks

Might be a good idea to use a fuel stabalizer and maybe some winter additive to keep the fuel from gelling.


Either way, good luck up in fort mac. I just got back from the fort a few weeks ago. I was up there from May-August and I was up there last year from September-December. Its not as bad as a lot of people make it out to be.

What kind of winter additive would you recommend?

Thanks. My first time going, took full time work here in St. John's when I graduated last year, but to expidite my loan I am going to stick it out up there til I am done with it.

I am hoping it works out Ok up there, I have heard a few opinions, but my job is in the City, not out on a site, is it more lucrative to be out on a site generally?

b1jackson said:

I'd maybe put a bit of mouse poison in a few areas in case a little newfie mouse needs a warm place to spend the winter.

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If you are concerned with mice, squirrels, etc. infesting your car....you could also place moth balls and/or crystals in socks placed in the engine compartment, cabin, and trunk. Replace, as needed, when you "visit" your car. What ever you do...be sure to fill your fuel tank to the brim so that there is no air space for moisture condensation to occur. Some hardware cloth (wire screen) plugging your exhaust pipe and your intake is another prophylactic measure I always take. DO NOT cover your car with a tarp that reaches the ground. With any hint of global warming ) ) moisture will be trapped inside your car and you will regret having done this. I know I did. When you "visit" and want to drive your car..make sure you get it up to operating temp. Also, cycle your A/C.

I use howes additive... you can get it at few different spots here in NS...not sure about NFLD. I use it year round as it lubes the engine inplace of our new "clean" sulpher deprived fuel...

I think you can get breathab;e dust covers that will allow moisture to get out- not sure how they would stand up to the elements though.

Just keep a bowl of food and water where she can get to it and She'll be fine...maybe a picture of you and an old jacket in the drivers seat *LOL*

VWWV said:

If you are concerned with mice, squirrels, etc. infesting your car....you could also place moth balls and/or crystals in socks placed in the engine compartment, cabin, and trunk. Replace, as needed, when you "visit" your car. What ever you do...be sure to fill your fuel tank to the brim so that there is no air space for moisture condensation to occur. Some hardware cloth (wire screen) plugging your exhaust pipe and your intake is another prophylactic measure I always take. DO NOT cover your car with a tarp that reaches the ground. With any hint of global warming ) ) moisture will be trapped inside your car and you will regret having done this. I know I did. When you "visit" and want to drive your car..make sure you get it up to operating temp. Also, cycle your A/C.

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Good Stuff there ... I've been told as well - Cover ( seal ) your exhaust.
The constant rise & fall of humidity without a good run to dry everything out, can corrode the exhaust system from the inside out if left idle for a long time. We're gonna miss your " heads ups " on diesel Andrew.
Enjoy the West ... hoops.

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Andrew are you still in Fort Mac? Are you from ST. Johns originally?

I'm curious and I don't think anybody mentioned the battery.

Should he just leave it attached and then possibly charge it up when he gets back?

tttthumper said:

I'm curious and I don't think anybody mentioned the battery.

Should he just leave it attached and then possibly charge it up when he gets back?

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What should I do with the battery, storage or no storage, if its going to sit for a couple months, should I take it out and put it in the house, or get a 'tickle charger' for it, or leave it as it and bring it to get it charged when I get home?

09JettaTDI said:

Andrew are you still in Fort Mac? Are you from ST. Johns originally?

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Hey - I am from St. Lawrence, but went to school in and work in St. John's, and am going to Fort Mac at the end of the month on a 3 and 1...

Im from Red Harbour!! Im in Fort Mac now here for about 2 1/2 years, go home every 6 weeks or so. More often soon

Moth balls in bags around it or tied in the engine bay along with the mouse poison and a battery trickle charger for sure.

andrewspearns said:

What should I do with the battery, storage or no storage, if its going to sit for a couple months, should I take it out and put it in the house, or get a 'tickle charger' for it, or leave it as it and bring it to get it charged when I get home?

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Bump - Since I'm curious of this answer as well.

Don't leave a trickle charger on.

If the current going in exceeds the current going out then you'll end up drying out the battery and possible cause a fire or serious damage.

Just remove the battery.

If you get a modern trickle charger it will sense when it needs trickling or not $$

I wouldn't trust those as far as I could throw em.

A dead battery is better than having battery acid all over your engine bay.

NB_TDi said:

Don't leave a trickle charger on.

If the current going in exceeds the current going out then you'll end up drying out the battery and possible cause a fire or serious damage.

Just remove the battery.

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Where were you when I started leaving solid state chargers (Sears) on my batteries for up to 7 months a year.....12 years ago? Actually, on the Passat it is on the charger for 7 months and on my A2 Jetta it is on for only 5 months. Re: the B4, I don't bother taking the battery out of the car but re: the Jetta I take it out and put it inside my shed. Thus far there have been no problems... but one never knows. I always top-up with distilled H2O and leave the caps loose before leaving. I remember those early chargers that used to boil-off batteries and I remember car "generators" that would do the same thing if the voltage regulators went bad. Modern chargers and alternators were developed just in time for hybrid cars to be developed. Since the OP mentioned parking in a driveway, then I suggest he remove the battery so he doesn't have to run an extension cord. BTW, the Sears solid state chargers cost ~$30.00US. Further, it will not harm modern batteries to store them directly on a concrete floor (for all you OFs out there who remember "generators" and rubber cased batteries).

Thanks for the info! I will definately put the battery in the basement when I go, just have to make sure the radio code is in the glove box.

Having looked around its looking like I am too late to grab a storage place, everyone with their antiques and RV's are grabbing all of the available spots, I am going to look around a bit more, will post any updates.

That said, would you be comfortable leaving your TDi parked in your driveway for extended periods (1-3 months)?

I wouldn't leave it sitting on the ground. Tires could get flat spots. Got jack stands?

NB_TDi said:

I wouldn't leave it sitting on the ground. Tires could get flat spots. Got jack stands?

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Not only that - but if you can leave the car jacked up with the suspension hanging, rather than compressed, it will be better for the shocks/struts too...

On that note - I've left cars sit outside for years at a time and got in them and started driving them again with little to no problems... only thing I'd really recommend is covering holes and removing the battery.

Better yet - if you can leave your car with someone who will take it for a drive every couple of weeks that would be the ultimate best. I did this last year for a freind of mine (actually - having his car saved my ass a couple of times when mine was down and out...)

I can pick up jackstands easily enough, and I have a roommate that is on shift work in northern Labrador, but could take it for a good drive when he is home.... still searching for a place to poke it away for the winter, but my #1 concern was the fuel gelling in the situation that it sits for longer than I would like it to. With additive, as mentioned earlier in the post, I guess this won't be too much of an issue.

We

I can pick up jackstands easily enough, and I have a roommate that is on shift work in northern Labrador, but could take it for a good drive when he is home... which would help for sure.

Still searching for a place to poke it away for the winter, but my #1 concern was the fuel gelling in the situation that it sits for longer than I would like it to. With additive, as mentioned earlier in the post, I guess this won't be too much of an issue. As long as things won't gel up, I have a safe driveway to put it in, and can jack it up and leave it there with no battery, holes clogged and a thick coat of wax to keep the elements off the paint!

We have a garage, but it has a small garage door, just big enough for an ATV ... won't fit the Jetta through.

I appreciate everyone's input as well, I haven't had a car that I really care about yet, so I want to make sure I have all the angles covered...