This comes up every year, and the same misinformation is always posted (ie. just start it every few months).

It only takes about 5 minutes to fog the engine, so why not? It prevents corrosion on the exposed internal metal surfaces, which will end up with a nice coat of surface rust after a winter of moisture. Pretty easy to tell a rotary that has been sitting around a while without fogging oil because the irons show the marks left by the rotors.

Also consider this...It may only be a few months of storage but life has a way of screwing up plans. Say a person stores their car in December. Then somewhere around April they end up getting pneumonia, which causes a secondary infection, laying them up in the hospital most of the summer. Then just as they are about to take the car out for a few weeks in the fall, their parents die, one after another. Suddenly there are estate issues to deal with, lawyers, etc. That sucks up a month or two, so the car is just left in storage. Next spring, surprise surprise, the wife is pregnant, due in mid summer. No time for the car as the nursery needs to be completed, arrangements made, money going to baby stuff, etc. So it sits another season...Finally 4 springs after the car was "just stored for the winter" it is pulled out of the the garage. Now how much is needed because it was just parked?

This is why any storage should be treated as long term storage. Plus, there's the nice feeling of doing all this in the fall so that the only thing in the spring you have to do is pop in the battery, start the car, and have fun driving.

 

Thanks Aaron - your article was very helpful and I appreciate your input.

 

Thanks for the writeup, Aaron.

I'm going to go for a long drive or two before the real snow hits and then follow your guide.

 

I store my 88 Vert in an unheated machine shop with a dirt floor. What is essential is to to get is 6 mil plastic sheeting from the hardware store and cut enough off to park the car on to stop moisture emerging from the dirt floor and rusting the underside of the car. See all the ice buildup on the underside of the plastic sheet over ther winter if you do not believe that moisture come out of that dirt floor .
I run the motor until warm, then squirt engine fogger into a vacuum hose until it starts to bog down and switch it off
Plug up the air intake with steel wool. Mice built a winter nest on top of the air filter last winter. Put ziplock bags on the exhaust pipes.
Charge the battery then bring it into the house for the winter. Park it on plywood not cement in the basement.
I tried to charge up a frozen battery a few years ago, it exploded and sprayed acid all over my bench. I do live in a damn cold place though, Manitoba

 

Thanks for all of your help guys - she's all ready for the winter now. Fuel stabilizer added, fogging oil used, oil changed and my awesome new custom-fit car cover came in(I went with the Dustop as the car is stored indoors only and needs the extra protection from the furry one with four legs.)

Cheers!