If you live in a cold climate, you know what happens when the leaves begin to fall, the sky turns gray, and morning temperatures turn frosty. It's time to pack up your Pontiac for a winter's nap to avoid subjecting it to frigid-temperature cold starts, snow, ice, road salt, and errant plows.
With winter nearly upon us, HPP thought it was time to provide you with a few basic tips to make your Pontiac's winter storage as comfortable as possible. If all goes well, the spring wakeup call should be easier to handle and getting back on the road that much quicker. A solid plan now will save repairs or parts replacement when the hibernation is over.
Keep in mind this is not meant to be a step-by-step storage procedure, rather it's a list of helpful tips that may include a few you never thought of or warnings to save you from making the same mistakes we have. These tips reference a storage period of three to four months, as long-term storage would require a few different procedures.
1 Best Climate
A restoration specialist once told me that he and a collector agree that storing your Pontiac in a climate-controlled environment at 60 degrees and 60 percent humidity preserves it the best. If the air is too moist, mold forms and metal rusts. If it's too dry, rubber and plastic parts deteriorate.
Hot Mix Flush the cooling...
Hot Mix
Flush the cooling system and refill it with a fresh 50/50 mix of coolant and distilled water. If you're not going to change it, at least test it to ensure proper strength, and don't forget to top it off.
Stabilize It Fuel additives...
Stabilize It
Fuel additives such as Sta-Bil (www.goldeagle.com) help your gas survive the winter (up to 12 months) by stopping it from varnishing. The product also contains a water remover to eliminate condensation, and a fuel-system cleaner. Pour in the prescribed amount, and run the engine for five minutes to let the chemical circulate through the system.
2 Sun-Out
The sun is no friend of the stored automobile. Ultraviolet rays fade paint, and ruin vinyl and rubber parts. Choose a storage location that will keep the sun off your Pontiac. If that's not possible, a UV-resistant car cover and tire covers should be employed.
3 Feverish Fluidity
Changing the oil is common sense because clean oil will have no (or at least less) acid and other contaminants to attack engine parts while your Pontiac is in storage. But did you realize that you should change the brake fluid as well? Traditional glycol-based brake fluid absorbs the condensation that forms in the system. Over time, it can corrode and deteriorate the components. Though few will probably do it, changing the brake fluid is recommended. Be sure that all other fluid levels, such as power steering, transmission, and differential, are topped off as well.
5 Tank Top-Off
Fill the tank with fresh fuel to avoid condensation formation that causes oxidation of the tank and fuel lines.
7 Lube It
Break out the lithium grease and lube every latch and hinge before you pack up your Pontiac. While you're at it, get out the grease gun and take care of the greaseable suspension parts as well.
8 Cold A/C In The Wintertime?
Before you pack it up, run the A/C system (if so equipped) long enough to cycle the compressor with your Pontiac at operating temperature. It helps keep the seals from drying out during hibernation.
13 Inside Moves
Inside is just as important as outside. Clean the interior surfaces as if you're trying to impress a show judge, and dry everything thoroughly, as any moisture left over will foster the formation of mold and mildew. A can of compressed air also works well to blow out dirt and dust from confined areas.
Get Squeaky Clean Wash and...
Get Squeaky Clean
Wash and wax the body as if your Pontiac's paint job depends on it, because it does. Here, a Meguiars wax (www.meguiars .com) that we've had good results with is used. Choose your favorite products and get to it. Aside from wanting to remove any road grime simply because it's not good for the paint, any dirt or dust that gets caught under the car cover will try to embed itself in the finish, the cover, or both, which will lead to scratches. The wax also helps protect the paint and shed dust more easily.
Air It Out If you have access...
Air It Out
If you have access to compressed air, use it (in moderation) to blow water and debris out from behind body and window moldings. Even if you don't, the canned compressed air used to clean computer components, such as Dust-Off (www.falconsafety.com), can work nearly as well. This product is safe for painted surfaces when used as directed. Don't shake it or spray it near heat sources.
Insane In The Drains All...
Insane In The Drains
All Pontiacs have drains to usher away rainwater. Clean them out. You'll be amazed at what you discover. Debris stuffed in the drains will back them up just like a sink, and the water will either puddle and rust out that area or find another place to travel and rust it out. The drains are in the cowl area, door bottoms, rockers (shown), and rear quarters on most models. On convertibles, clean the drip tray behind the top, under the boot.
15 Proper Seating
Here's one for the extremely detail-oriented people in the group. Position the front seats so that the spring on the tracks under each is at rest and not extended and under stress while your Pontiac hibernates.
16 Mat Happy
Remove the trunk mat, spare tire, and floor mats, and store them separately. Anything you can take out of your Pontiac that could trap moisture should go.
17 Dry It Out
Place a desiccant or silica bag(s) on a rag or towel inside the cabin and trunk to soak up moisture. The site www.desiccantsonline.com sells Cargo Dry Paks just for this purpose, and OmniDry desiccant can be had from www.car bag.com. Baking soda and charcoal are said to be other affordable choices.
19 Critter-Control Choice
D-Con for Mice dehydrates them, so hopefully they go look for water instead of expiring in your Pontiac.
Other Cramped Quarters As...
Other Cramped Quarters
As they do in the cowl area on hideaway-wiper cars, leaves and moisture collect inside the front fenders (shown), so clean them out.
To Protect Or Not To Protect?...
To Protect Or Not To Protect?
There seems to be a split among hobbyists regarding the use of protectants and conditioners on rubber and vinyl. Some say to use them to protect items like vinyl seats, door panels, dashpads, weatherstripping, tires, and underhood hoses. Others warn that protectants introduce moisture since many have water in them and could contribute to the formation of mold and mildew in the interior of a stored car. Some protectants, such as Black Magic's (www.blackmagicshine.com), plainly state on its label that it doesn't contain water. If you're unsure of what to do, contact the manufacturer to see what it says regarding this issue.
Critter Ridders Rodents...
Critter Ridders
Rodents love old cars. I know from experience, as they ate part of the dash wiring harness on my GTO years ago. How do you keep them out? Don't let them in. If you have a garage, seal every opening. On the car, steel wool in the tailpipes is an old trick that works. Also, block the air cleaner snorkels and/or carb or injection air-intake system with rags and duct tape.