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Date:         Tue, 15 Nov 2005 23:08:06 +0000
Reply-To:     Robert Rountree <syncro87@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Robert Rountree <syncro87@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject:      winter storage
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed

What I have learned from storing 4 vans over 37 winters, in rural Ontario we have -35 winter lows and temperatures that for months can never get above freezing.

1st find a place where your van will be out of the sun, (I have a north covered car port spot) you could use the back (north side) of a building, or behind a row of tall thick cedars (north side), or use a full thick fabric cover. ... when left out in the sun, the interior fabric fades and weakens from all the UV reflected off the snow. On a normal winter day, one moment your vans at -20, the clouds clear, the sun warms the interior up to 60 inside, the clouds return, snap it's back to real cold. This is clearly evident on vans stored outside by looking at their headliner, you'll see they have bubbles or areas of separations from the vinyl covering on the plywood ceiling. The different tension between the surfaces reeks havoc on all kinds of things. When it warms up inside, the moisture is freed, then refreeze, over and over... warm condensation forms up top and in door panels and just keeps doing it's physical dance, from dew to crystal and back, expanding and contracting.. ..The foam mattress up top gets funky, the fuzzy fiberglass ceiling flocking can get mildews etc.

I make 4- mounds of gravel, in front of each tire. The tops of the mounds are level to each other and about 4" high, I park up on top of those mounds, then the van is level and above any freezing run off. This helps keep the tires high and dry and stops water from getting into any cracks in my tires, freezing and rusting the belts. If you have really nice tires and the sun shines on them, do what serious RV'er do, cover them also. That stops the hot & cool moisture cycles inside the tires and slows the dry rot.

I flush all drinking water and disconnect the pump (tube and electric in line fuse) I shake the pump dry (I don't reconnect until spring) I leave a note in the sink "NO water"... if your pump is in your tank, I guess you could use RV -40 antifreeze ( wal-mart- rv dept), pour some in everything, like sink drains, cooler drains, where ever water may stand. Make sure your windshield washer tanks have lots of deep weather -40 antifreeze, not wimpy summer bug cleaning stuff.

Remember... Rust never sleeps..

I have my full underside oil sprayed. (OilTech) plus I spot, shoot ANY rust I see in the engine compartment and around with Rust Check spray (tan-can, the thick stuff)

I remove my Aux. Battery and put it in my warm shop. I disconnect my main battery ground. I then bring out my charger a few times over the winter on warmer days and top the battery up. If I could get a better shot at the sun, I might get a small solar charger panel on the car port roof.

I have the gas tank completely full, so there is no space for condensations to form on the inside walls and cause rust.

I go thru my cabinets, drawer, glovebox etc. and remove Anything that will freeze/expand. I bring all my CD's, bedding, pillows etc. inside. I remove all but one flashlight, all batteries, lotions, cream, jellies and mechanical pleasure devices. I don't leave dry pet food, or anything that can be eaten by a mouse.

I use synthetic oil so my engine always has a thin layer covering every part inside. Even thought I have a VW block heater and it takes 2-3 hrs on a normal winter day to warm the oil enough to turn the engine over. I don't run my engines in the winter any more. It just causes to much condensation inside the engine after you turn it off. If I need to drive for a few hours it would heat off some. But unless I'm going south and I can get a clear shot at dry roads. I don't drive at all on salty winter roads.

She's sleeping right now... just outside my bedroom window.

Dreaming of roads to come.

On the North side of the house just below the North star... that's why she's called

Cynosure

RR


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