This will be my First winter with an FD, I am just wondering how many owners put the car in the garage for the winter because of the inclimate weather and cold temperature, and how many drive the car ever so often with weather permitting I.E. cold temps, but no snow/ice.





PS - I wish I was back in Cali with my FD winter in cali is 60 degrees with a hoodie on

 

This is my first winter too with a fd, i'm just gonna leave it in the garage. What i've been wondering is if i should change the plugs from all 9's to 7's and 9's to allow better cold start up for when i turn it on every week. Second, i was wondering if i should put 10w oil in the car?, i run 20w now.

 

Hmmm I am just gonna stick with my 20W-50 unless someone thinks thats a bad idea

 

Mine pretty much goes into the garage and I use the winter months to do repairs and upgrades. That said, sometimes I'll go for a short cruise or test drive on the warmer days with clear streets, but I'm in the heart of the rust belt, those days are few bwtn Dec. and March. Like me, I think most here have other cars/trucks for the winter.

 

I drive my car in the winter as long as its not extremely cold and there's no snow or anything.

 

Ya winter in Miami is horrible, 70s during the day , and 50's at night. I know the turbo LOVES the weather. Might give me a few more ponies.

 

I would recommend using 10w30. Oil lubricates best when it's at an optimum temperature (which is why not everyone in the world runs the same oil).


As for winter storage, for me it depends. I used to store the car for the entire winter (starting it once a month). Then I went to storing it, but driving it on decent days. For me, it typically depends on what my winter projects are as to whether my car is driven during the colder months or not.

 

My FD parks itself in the garage every Nov 1st and comes up ususally in April when the roads are clean and salt free.

 

Good thread... I was planning on starting one up of this soon, but now I don't have to.

Yes, I plan on storing mine... I wasn't planning on draining any of the fluids, or taking out the battery, etc. I plan on just parking her in, putting her on stands, then starting every 3 weeks? Does anyone see any issues with this? I have 10W in her already, and was planning to put 2 stands on each of the side frames... Let me know if I should be doing anything different... Thanks!

 

Im driving it all thru winter, for the third time. But the roads dont get that bad in Nashville.

 

My car sits covered in a heated garage over the winter, so I don't change any of the fluids/plugs/whatever to be any different than normal.

I'll also echo what others in the great white north have said, I run it to operating temp every 2-3 weeks and if the roads aren't terrible I'll drive 10-30 miles as well to keep everything in working order.

 

Why jack stands?

 

Stored from november to march in garage. Before storing, I do an oil and filter change, fill-up gas tank and a hand car wash. I also, disconnect the battery. A few more weeks of driving and that's it for me.

 

I put it on stands to avoid flat spots on tires... anyone else seeing any issue with this? If not, maybe I don't have to do it...

Also, are any of you planning to put fuel stabilizer in at all? Or is running it every 3 weeks or so good enough??? I'm worried about the contents of the stabilizer, particularly in our engines...

 

Would changing the plugs froms 9's to 7's and 9's help the car with the colder weather and cold as hell start ups??? I plan on using a fuel stablizer, i wouldn't think it would hurt our engines any. It should help because it will keep the octane level up.

 

I try to drive the car at least once a month if the roads are salt free, sand free, and water free.

Brian

 

hey rx4speed, ummm...im goin on cruise for winter..(in the navy) and i think if u also take the tire pressure down th 5or 10 psi while its on stands helps to preserve the rubber..so it dosent stay at max psi...while on stands as long as there is alittle tire pressure in them i think they sholud hold form.. ( this is what was told to me by one of the guys i work with..he used to deal with expensive sprots cars and has a vette. so....

 

Since I really dont know. Why not just drive it up and down the block once a week? You have no reason to lose control in the neighborhood.

 

Because of the salt on the roads.

Its funny though, down here in the South, winter time is the time to start driving the FD everyday. Summers are to hot to drive it during the day, winter is perfect. 50s during the day, 40s at night. I just drop the boost down a bit and enjoy the great heater.

 

thanks riptor... I will try to do that. Hopefully, my drive to the gas station next year to fill her up won't wreck the tires and rims though, since they would be at 10 psi, and I don't have a compressed air pump

 

I drove my FD all the way till December 22nd one time because we didn't have any snow here in MI.

 

i was using mine as a daily last winter... but we only get rain and no snow here in southern cali.... not this year though! i just got a paintjob and its going in my heated garage.....

 

I live in Dallas and its the same here. Best time to drive is in the winter! Keeps the turbos happy.

 

This is also my first year with a FD. I have heard a ton of diffenent ways to store the vehicle. Anyone that lives in or near Minnesota, knows how cold it gets. Any Ideas or what works best, please reply.

I have heard:
1) Change Oil, Remove EGI Fuse, Let sit until spring, crank motor without fuse 5-10 times, then replace fuse and start motor.

2) Start Vehicle Every 2-3 Weeks. Do not use stabilizer or additives. Just Make sure you have a fresh oil change and full tank.

3) Spray Fogging Oil into intake until vehicle dies. Wait until spring, start vehicle and have oil changed immediately?

Which sounds best?

 

change the oil to 10-30, i just had a frost and my fd was hard to crank with the catrol 20w50 so i had my son switch it to 10w30, cranks a lot easier