Storage

[David T]

Essentially long term storage. Without properly preparing the car for storage it makes it much more work to "wake" it up when you are ready to use it. Start with the battery. Remove it, clean it, fully charge it and test it. If it is over 5 years old, replace it when you wake the car up. Fuel. Removing it completely is the best option. The other choice is to add fuel stabilizer but that has it's disadvantages. It makes the fuel less volatile so it doesn't deteriorate as quickly but it still deteriorates. For long term storage it is not good. For up to about a year (depending on ambient conditions) it is OK. The car will run like sh-t till you use it all up.
Tires. Once they get to be over 7 years old they should be replaced
Brake/clutch fluid. It MUST be flushed and changed every 2 years ESPECIALLY if the car is not used.
Coolant. Tested for strength and PH every year and replaced every 5.
Ideally the car should be stored inside in a garage where little critters cannot get in. It doesn't have to be heated, but that is a plus. The garage should have a concrete floor so moisture from the ground doesn't get under the car. The car should be covered. Don't stack stuff on the car and there should be nothing nearby that can fall on the car. Among the biggest causes of claims for classic car insurance is stuff falling on the car. If you use mothballs never put them IN the car, put them underneath. Keep the insurance going, at least the comp if not liability. Make sure the keys and paperwork are in a safe place. Best to have the car empty of all loose stuff and as clean as you can make it. Also best to fix it up as much as you can, that much less that will need to be done when you go to use it again. Do NOT run the car but it is OK to crank it over and turn the A/C compressor over by hand to move the seal. if you feel the need, change the motor oil, filter, and grease the car.
If you do these recommendations the car should be easier to wake up. A battery, fresh fuel, air up the tires, and you should be able to drive it with a minimum of fuss. When I find cars that have been sitting for a long time the systems with fluids are the ones that fare the worst. The fuel system, brake/clutch systems, and cooling systems wind up having to be completely rebuilt. Next is rust because the car was outside followed by animal damage to the wiring and/or interior. Most cars in long term storage are never properly prepared because when they were parked the intention was only for a little while. That is why ANY car should be prepped for long term storage even if the plan is short term storage. Let's hope 2021 is a better year to enjoy our cars, we can prepare for that now. Since many of us are stuck at home it will give us something to do.

[Bill6298]

Let's hope 2021 is a better year to enjoy our cars, we can prepare for that now. Since many of us are stuck at home it will give us something to do.

Agreed and thanks for the post/reminders.

[Michael]

I got my post removed for using words like "Chinese flu". Just giving you a heads up.

[Josh]

I got my post removed for using words like "Chinese flu". Just giving you a heads up.

Yeah, off to a bad start.

[Hill Valley PD]

I did all of the above. I try to run the gas down as much as I can and add a little Stabil, slightly over inflate the tires, change the oil, run it one last time to get new oil flowing, and remove the battery and put it on a "maintainer" for Winter. I also cover the car and usually put an open box of baking soda inside. This has worked pretty well each Winter. You just reminded me it's been just over two years since coolant, clutch, and brake fluids were done. That, along with 30K service, new alternator, and other misc. things at DMC are planned for Spring/Summer. Then it's "done". See you all next year hopefully in person at some event.

[ssdelorean]

I got my post removed for using words like "Chinese flu". Just giving you a heads up.

By that thought then this post should be removed for saying "Irish DeLorean".

[David T]

Since when is it a political statement to talk about a disease? Does anyone remember the Hong Kong Flu? They used to name flue after where it originated. I didn't even realize I was making a political statement. It's a shame we have to make this forum so politically correct because one person posted that he didn't like it. I say if you read something that offends you, don't read it. Everyone should not be censored because one person has a problem.

[Josh]

Since when is it a political statement to talk about a disease? Does anyone remember the Hong Kong Flu? They used to name flue after where it originated. I didn't even realize I was making a political statement. It's a shame we have to make this forum so politically correct because one person posted that he didn't like it. I say if you read something that offends you, don't read it. Everyone should not be censored because one person has a problem.

Previously just a mere "delorean guru", Dave is now a "life guru". He offers sub-par advice in both cases.
If this offends you, do not read it.

[David T]

Previously just a mere "delorean guru", Dave is now a "life guru". He offers sub-par advice in both cases.
If this offends you, do not read it.

This is why this forum is not supposed to be "political".

[dmcman73]

One other thing I would add to this list, spray fogging oil into each cylinder. It will keep the cylinder walls lubricated to prevent any rust and to also provide some lubrication when you go to crank the engine after a long slumber.

[David T]

Spray fogging won't help with long term storage. In the cylinders where the piston is near the top you can't lubricate the cylinder below the piston. I have seen some cars (not many) with a device you put in place of the spark plugs that is supposed to release lubrication to keep the cylinder lubricated. That doesn't work either. The best thing you can do is once in a while rotate the motor so the rings and the valves don't get stuck. Like once a year. Also turn the A/C compressor over a few times by hand but figure on losing the refrigerant. No one does this. The clutch also can get stuck but that can be broken loose but you wind up having to go in to it anyway because the throwout bearing will start making noise. For really long term storage the best you can do is remove the battery, anti-freeze, fuel and brake fluid. Keep the car in a dry place out of the weather on a hard surface.

[Citizen]

I think post #1 by David T. is a great and comprehensive post. Nevertheless, not living in the north, I wonder why so many DeLorean owners put their cars in long-term storage. For some it’s a must, I suppose, but for many where your car is in your own garage, why not put in a block heater, and once per week open the big door and run the car for about 30 minutes or so, and maybe move the car a little bit each time within the garage? While the engine is running, run both the A/C and heater some. Depress the brake and clutch pedals and run it through all the gears. If you ran the gas down before storage, you then could add a half gallon or so each week you start the car, thus keeping it fresh. All this while keeping your cars off the road and out of the rain, snow and salt.

I’ll probably get flamed for such a simplistic suggestion, but it seems doing the above would prevent all the fluid, tire and battery issues, engine lube/lock and A/C lock issues, and eliminate the storage gimmicks and “wake-up” procedure in the spring.

Ok, I got my flame suit on, proceed….

...

[David T]

Doesn't work that way. One week the car doesn't start or the battery is dead or some other problem and the routine is disrupted. Or the weather is bad. Point is, if the car is not prepared for long term storage it becomes a big job to get it going again because in too many cases short term storage becomes long term storage. No one expected to put their car away last winter and not use it all season long this past year. And now we have another winter. A lot of us don't have the luxury of inside storage or at least inside storage in their house where they can get to it easily. The main point of my first post was that short term storage has a way of becoming long term storage. Under ideal conditions your way of handling short term storage can work but if things age out like the brake fluid gets old, it has to get changed during short term storage.

[Bill6298]

Nevertheless, not living in the north, I wonder why so many DeLorean owners put their cars in long-term storage.


One week the car doesn't start or the battery is dead or some other problem and the routine is disrupted.

This was exactly my experience. Something goes wrong and you don't expect to end up with long term storage problems because you were not planning on long term storage in the first place.

In Florida, the winter is the best time for me to do work because it's cooler. When I bought mine in 2000, I only had a small garage at an apartment complex and it became miserable to do work in such a cramped space with no windows. For those not familiar with the weather, it could be 100% humidity and 100F+ interior temps in what amounts to a cheaply constructed storage shed with no electricity. It was actually easier to do work outside although that wasn't allowed and risked getting towed.

When something broke in the summer, I would usually just procrastinate for cooler weather. I'm the first to admit I had lots of excuses and could have managed it better. Over a 20 year time span, you learn a lot the hard way.