SUGGESTIONS
FOR PREPARATION OF VEHICLES FOR STORAGE
LESS THAN 30 DAYS
1.
Wash vehicle exterior
completely to remove any surface dirt.
2.
Check engine coolant level
and if necessary increase antifreeze protection.
3.
Check battery and charge if
below 1.255 specific gravity to avoid freezing and deterioration. Both battery cables should be disconnected at
the battery to prevent gradual discharge and the possibility of fire due to short
circuits.
4.
Check tire pressure and if
low, inflate to the recommended pressure.
5.
Vehicles are best stored in
a clean, dry, closed or roofed area. If
a vehicle is subject to corrosive fumes or bird droppings, the vehicle should
be covered. If the vehicle is to be
stored where the wind might move the cover extensively, the cover should be
tightly secured to prevent rub-through on the paint.
6.
Run the engine until
completely warmed-up before turning off the ignition (at a fast idle for a
minimum of fifteen minutes).
7.
Make sure that all windows
are completely closed.
8.
Leave the parking brake in
the “off” position. If the car is
equipped with a manual transmission, the selector lever should be placed in
reverse.
9.
Check the trunk and glove
compartment for personal items that might freeze or deteriorate with time
EXTENDED STORAGE BEYOND 30
DAYS
In
the event that vehicles are to be stored for an extended period beyond 30 days,
the following items are suggested in addition to the steps given for vehicles
that are to be stored for less than 30 days.
1.
Apply a coat of wax to all
of the exterior painted and plated surfaces.
2.
Start and run the engine
until completely warm. Drain the engine
oil and replace the filter element, refill with fresh oil. After the oil has been replaced, remove the
air cleaner assembly and pour one-half to one pint of 10-W or lighter oil into
the carburetor air intake, with the engine running. Pour slowly at first, then rapidly, using the
last quarter to stall the engine.
Replace air cleaner assembly. If
the vehicle is equipped with air conditioning, the unit should be operated
during this final engine warm-up to lubricate the compressor seals.
3.
Drain the coolant from the
radiator, cylinder block and heater.
4.
If freezing temperatures are
expected, the battery should be removed from the vehicle and stored in a cool,
dry area at above freezing temperatures.
CAUTION:
As part of the normal function of an automobile battery
storage, hydrogen gas
is toxic and extremely combustible
when mixed with
air. Do not store the battery where it
will
be exposed to sparks
or open flame, nor where it is exposed
to children.
5.
Place blocks under the front
and rear suspension so that the tires do not come in contact with the ground.
6.
Drain all gasoline from the
fuel tank, fuel lines and carburetor to reduce the hazard of fire and to
prevent gumming of the fuel as it evaporates.
7.
Remove the windshield wiper
arms and blades and store them inside the vehicle.
All
rubber weatherstrips such as are used around the doors, deck or trunk openings
and window ventilators, as well as rubber gaskets with exposed edges around the
tail lights, cowl ventilator lid gaskets, etc., should be coated with a
silicone grease which can be purchased from your local Pontiac dealer.
It
is also recommended that the doors be left closed and that the trunk and deck
lid be locked to prevent rats, mice and squirrels from destroying the
upholstery.
TRIM
All
the upholstery and floor coverings should be thoroughly cleaned. The entire interior should be sprayed with a
stainless moth preventative, such as dichloride. Apply a high quality furniture wax to the
decorative wood inserts in the interior.
CONVERTIBLE
CARS
The
tops of convertibles should not be stored in the collapsed position.
Care
should be exercised to keep the oil or grease of any kind from either top or
leather upholstery. Put a paper cover
over the top, to prevent dust and dirt from penetrating the fabric.
Coat
the folding top chromium plated parts with body wax.
Do
not store in the direct sunlight or near radiator,
Observe
the precautions concerning rubber weatherstrips as listed under all body
types.
PLACING THE CAR IN SERVICE AFTER
STORAGE
It
is especially important to take every precaution and to make sure that the
tires, battery, engine and other units especially prepared for storage are
properly attended to before the car is put back into service. We therefore suggest that you mount the tires
and wheels on the car, put in a fully-charged battery, then call your local
Pontiac dealer and have them tow the car to their service department, where the
vehicle can be thoroughly checked and make whatever adjustments are necessary
to insure the best operation of the car.
TIRES
Inflate
all tires, including the spare to the recommended pressure before removing the
jack stands or other support.
SUGGESTIONS
FOR PROPER STORING OF CARS
SELECTION
OF A STORAGE PLACE
Since
extremely high and low temperatures, precipitation, freezing and thawing,
sunlight, soot and other conditions found outdoors have a very detrimental
effect on a car in storage. Outside
locations should be avoided.
An
inside storage location should be selected having a reasonably cool, even
temperature, a minimum of dirt in the air and an absence of direct rays from
the sun, which might cause uneven aging of the painted surfaces and upholstery,
as well as accelerate the deterioration of tires and other rubber parts. If it is necessary to store cars near
windows, the sunlight may be effectively reduced by painting the window pains
black or blue. Avoid storing in a place
where coal, smoke, ammonia or other detrimental fumes are present.
PREPARING THE CAR FOR STORAGE
TIRES
Place
the car in the location where it is to be stored and support on jacks or stands
at all four wheels to relieve the weight from the tires.
Six
conditions should be observed in conjunction with the storage of tires, either
on or off the car.
1.
A cool place
4. Under no load
2. A dark place 5. A dry place
3. No air currents 6. No contact with grease or oil
Normal
seepage will soon relieve pressure.
Under no conditions should direct sunlight be allowed to reach the
tires. If this cannot be avoided, then
some sort of light-proof covering should be placed over the exposed tire. If the tires have picked up oil or grease on
the tread, the accumulation should be cleaned off with a cloth wet with
alcohol. DO NOT use kerosene,
gasoline, carbon- tetrachloride, duco thinner or any other petroleum product.
Drain
the gasoline tank. Run the engine until it
stops, using up as much as possible of the remaining fuel. Disconnect the tank to fuel pump line at the
fuel pump and blow the line out with air.
Crank the engine over five or six times to empty the fuel pump. Reconnect both gasoline lines.
COOLING
SOLUTION
If
coolant is left in the engine, make sure that enough anti-freeze is in the
cooling system and heater to insure adequate protection from freezing. If the car is to be stored for more than six
months, drain the coolant from the radiator, cylinder block and heater (disconnect the hose at the heater to drain
it completely, then reconnect
the hose).
ENGINE
It
is not necessary to prepare the engine if the car is not to be stored longer
than 60 days. However, for a longer
period, remove the spark plugs and squirt oil into the spark plug holes. Replace the spark plugs finger tight. When preparing the car to run, remove the
spark plugs and crank the engine momentarily to assure that any excess oil is
removed from the combustion chamber.
If
the car is to be stored for more than one year, remove the cylinder head and
coat all internal parts of the engine (cylinder bore, combustion
chamber, valves and seats, valve stems, etc.) with cup grease. Your local Pontiac dealer can assist you in
performing this operation.
Move
the generator toward the engine as far as possible to relieve the tension on
the fan belt.
Place
paper bags over the carburetor, air cleaner, crankcase ventilator valve outlet
and tailpipe, securing them in place with twine. This is especially important when storing
cars in locations near the seashore, where salt air might enter the engine or
exhaust system. Do NOT drain the
engine oil!
BATTERY
Remove
the battery and take it either to your car dealer or to a reliable
battery charging station for storage, so that it can be checked regularly and
recharged when necessary to keep it in good condition. Note: If a car is to be stored for over one
year, it might be wise to sell the present battery and purchase a new one when
the car is put back into service.
EXTERIOR
CHROMIUM PLATED PARTS
Clean
all exterior chromium plated parts with chrome cleaner and polish, then apply
body wax or chrome guard as a protective coating. Petroleum can be used as a protective
coating, but it collects dirt and is therefore troublesome to clean off when
the car is removed from storage.
EXTERIOR
FINISH - BODY & SHEET METAL
Before
storage the car finish should be checked for any foreign substances that might
have accumulated on the finish, such as grease spots, oil, tar, splotches of
mud, etc., which may possibly have a detrimental effect on the finish of a
lacquered surface, if allowed to remain on the surface. The car should be thoroughly washed and waxed
prior to storage. A cloth or paper cover
should be put over at least the roof, deck lid, hood and front fenders to keep
them free from any dust accumulation and also as a precaution against foreign
matter falling onto the paint, through windows or other openings.
BODY
The front floor mats should be left in their normal position on the floor. Apply body wax to the interior chromium plated parts. Precautions should be taken to keep rats, mice, or any other vermin from reaching the interior.