In My Garage

The rain is falling and the temperature is beginning to drop here at IMG HQ, which can only mean one thing… Old Man Winter is knocking and it’s time to button up our track toys and weekend cruisers. I’m going to give you 5 easy steps to make sure your baby is turn-key ready when spring rolls around.

Multi-Fluid Extractor

Step 1: Protect Your Engine

Change your oil. This one is simple and something almost everyone has done, but fresh fluids are often overlooked when tucking away a car or bike for storage. The byproducts from combustion that build up in your oil produce acids that can harm the inner surfaces of your engine. Leaving old, used oil in the system can cause mild corrosion if left sitting for extended periods of time (which is why oil change intervals include both mileage and time).

Quick tip: When it gets cold, crawling under the car to drain the oil is nobody’s favorite thing to do. I’ve started changing my oil using the Griot’s Garage Multi Fluid Extractor, which sucks old oil out of the system through the dipstick tube. This system is not only cleaner and easier, it has been proven to remove more oil than draining through your oil pan!

Fuel Preservative

Step 2: Protect Your Fuel System

Generally there are two schools of thought when it comes to preparing your vehicle’s fuel system for storage: 1) Fill the tank with fresh gas, or 2) Run the car until the tank is nearly empty. The problem with both of these lines of thinking is they don’t take into account your fuel lines. Fuel sitting in your system for longer than two months starts an oxidation process that will eventually turn into varnish and clog your fuel system. Griot’s Garage Fuel Preservative will chemically isolate the oxygen, preventing the oxidation process, and will also neutralize corrosive compounds that can cause rust to form in your fuel system.

Corrosion Inhibitor

Step 3: Protect Your Cooling System

Another fluid… seeing a trend here? The prime ingredient in antifreeze is ethylene glycol, which chemically breaks down over time and eats away at cooling system components. If old coolant is left sitting over the winter, the acids can damage your cooling system and increase the chances of leaks. Since many vehicles that are stored during the winter don’t see too many miles it isn’t always necessary to flush your entire cooling system. Instead, you can add Corrosion Inhibitor to your coolant to neutralize existing acids and stabilize your antifreeze.

Battery Manager IV

Step 4: Protect Your Battery

The last thing you want to hear when firing up your engine after a long winter is the dreaded click-click, but we’ve all found ourselves in that position. Ensuring that your battery stays charged during the winter will not only avoid killing the anticipation of your first drive, it will also prolong the life of your vehicle’s battery. Battery management is especially important in modern vehicles that have sophisticated electronics (like navigation or alarm systems) that are constantly draining the juice. But any car will benefit from keeping a charged battery over the winter. I skipped this step last winter with my ‘89 BMW 3 Series and ended up needing to replace my battery.

Make sure you choose a battery management system that monitors the level of charge (to avoid over-charging), which is something traditional trickle chargers don’t do. The Griot’s Garage Battery Manager IV works with 6 volt and 12 volt gel-cell (AGM) and standard (STD) lead-acid batteries and has a simple “set it and forget it” design.

Flat Spot Stoppers

Step 5: Protect Your Tires

Flat spots can develop in your tires quickly, and expensive rubber is not something anyone wants to replace more than necessary. Avoiding the tha-dunk tha-dunk of flat spotted tires is easy. The traditional method of putting your car up on jack stands still works really well but can be a bit of a hassle if you ever need to move the car. This is why Flat Spot Stopper ramps were created. These ramps were developed to cradle your tires and distribute the vehicle’s weight evenly when parked. Need to move the vehicle? Just drive right off! Well worth the investment if you have a tight storage space or store your car often.

Paint Clay and Speed Shine

Bonus Step 6: Protect Your Paint

You didn’t think I forgot, did you? Protection is the focus of this detail, so you don’t necessarily need to spend the extra time polishing out any swirls or imperfections that have developed during the warm weather driving. Wash your car, grab your Clay and Speed Shine, and apply a quick coat of Paint Sealant. This should only take a couple hours, and will make sure your paint is protected from the airborne contaminants it will experience during a winter in the garage.