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For
electrical system, remove
battery cables (negative cable first) and lift out
battery. Wipe
battery with battery cleaner to take away any moisture-holding dirt or grease. Place
battery on a clean, dry surface, like a block of wood or a stack of bricks. Now hook up a trickle charger. These are designed to preserve
battery’s charge over a long period of time. While
battery is out, inspect
battery rack for rust or corrosion. Clean and repair any damage as necessary.
Lubricate hood latches, hinges and door hinges white lithium grease to keep air and moisture out. Have a look at
brake fluid. Brake fluid will soak up moisture from
air, causing your brake system to rust and corrode. Get it flushed and filled with clean, fresh fluid if it hasn’t been done in two years or more. Check
coolant level- ensure it is topped off to
proper level. Also check
coolant’s protection level. It should be low enough to protect
cooling system from winter temperatures.
Because rodents and other small animals like to chew ignition wires and wiring harnesses, stuff clean rags into
engine air intake, fresh air intake under
windshield and tail pipe. A neat trick a mechanic told me about is to get a big box of mothballs and spread them out around and under
car- for some reason
smell works wonders at keeping undesirable creatures away.
Tires are prone to developing flat spots if
vehicle will be sitting for longer than five or six months. To prevent this you should get a set of four jack stands. Jack up
vehicle and place
jack stands under
lift points of
vehicle (usually
lower control arms or under
frame) If you have a dirt floor, place pieces of 1" plywood under
jack stands to prevent them sinking into
dirt.
Remove
wiper blades from
wiper arms to prevent them from becoming glued to
windshield and leaving marks. The last thing you need to do is- nothing! That’s it. Lock up and enjoy knowing your precious car is sleeping in suspended animation, awaiting your return.
