Proper winterizing for my RX.
 

I am getting ready to store my RX for the winter (in order to begin the modding process).

What should I do to properly prepare it for storage? I work at a powersports shop and we are constantly going through the cycle of winterizing watercraft in the fall and summerizing snowmobiles in the spring. Alot of the concern is to help the engine store for over winter without seizing up.

What can I do to properly store my RX for the winter months, probably until March or so.

EVERYONE drives their RX in the winter?!?

C'mon, someone has to know of a winterizing technique to properly preserve my engine this winter.

Help a fellow driver out.

I'm going to fill mine with atf, in much the same way as the atf treatment... just with a lot more atf. This will keep anything from becoming frozen together.. Another thing to do is fill your gas tank all the way up, so no condensation can form inside. Last winter, I didnt use atf, i just started the car up once or twice each week and let it warm up to operating temp, then shut off, and that worked fine. I'm sure there are other things that are important to do, but I cant think of any right now


~Jesse

I thought about the start it up and let it run for a while bit.

The car will be stored back home at my parent's place while I am at college, but my dad is a mechanic and appreciates the need to start and run the car to prevent seizing.

I will probably end up doing that.

Does the atf treatment do any damage to components other than forcing an oil change immediately before using the car again?

Thanks.

I don't know about the changing the oil bit after atf... Frankly, I dont see how putting atf in has anything to do with the engine oil. It wouldn't hurt though, just the same. The only harmful effects of atf are: gummed up spark plugs, gummed up o2 sensor, gummed up cats... you get the idea. You will want to at least change your plugs in the spring after doing it. I've heard of people just literally filling the rotor housings with atf, and letting it sit that way. I would think that it would seep out your exaust and into your cats that way. Atf will cause premature cat failure, so add atf wisely; not too much, not too little. For just the winter, I think starting it one a week will be fine. Long term storage, I would make a block off plate for the exaust and fill it to the top of the lower intake with atf. That way, 10 years later, everything is clean, lubed up, and ready to go after I yank the plate off and turn the motor over a few times.


~Jesse