I was wondering what I should do this winter to help keep my FC happy. I saw on youtube that someone started it up and rev it up to about 3,000-3,500rpm and then let it go back to idle. I also had a friend tell me to start it and let it warm up to normal operating temperture and leave it running for about 45 minutes or so. I won't be driving it in the winter at all. We get way to much snow, and NH is known for useing way to much dirt and salt on the roads. I just want to maintain my motor so it will operate nicely come spring time! Anything will help me. thanks.

 

I just start mine up about once a month and drive it on nice days. We get a few of them in Virginia, even in January. Being in NH, you could just start it and let it warm up completely. Letting it run for 45 minutes sounds like a waste of gas to me. Also, you might need to hook a charger up to the battery from time to time to keep it charged. I don't do anything else, but you will probably hear a few opinions from people who do.



I also try to keep the gas tank full to cut down on condensation.

 

if you're gonna store it all winter you should change the fluids, fill the gas, put lots of air in the tires, wash the car, vacuum it out, disconnect the battery, and just leave it.



if you want to drive it here and there, make sure when you do drive it, you warm it up gently, and it get up to temp and stays there for a little bit

 

j9fd3s is right..



Fuel will go to **** if you leave a full tank unstabilized. Doesn't take very long. However a full tank of fuel prevents moisture from building inside the hollow tank and corroding the inside. Then when you go to fill it up, the corrosion contaminates the new fuel and will gum up your pre-filter at the fuel pump pickup.



So use a fuel stabilizer, it'll be alright.



Best advice as far as disconnecting the battery goes would be to actually remove the battery, so the cold weather can't freeze it and swell the case (if the electrolite is out of balance). Put it somewhere room temperature and not sitting on concrete. Then it can't discharge to concrete. Got a heated basement and a 2x4?



Do yourself a favour and don't start it up cold and rev it. When sitting, all the oil seeps back to the pan, and the cold thickens it. So when you start it, the oiling system has to charge (fill) before it can pressurize, and it'll be moving pretty slow since it's so thick. Revving it up can strain the oil pump. Not to mention it's just hard on the cold motor.

 

Thank you all very much for all of the information. I do plan on driving it only on the nicer days. I'll keep the fuel full also. Now I just need to know why there are 5 beeps when the motor is at normal operating temp. I was thinking it had something to do with the horn, but i got that fixed last night, but it still beeps. Now I'm thinking it has something to do with a blown fuse.hmm. it never ends...lol.



thanks agian all.



-Rich

 

For warming up when cold...



http://pettitracing.com/rx7/index_information.htm









To take this a step further, I would go to a thinner oil more suitable for cold weather if you think there is any chance you might drive it. Maybe even invest in one of those dipstick oil warmers as well.

 

put an open box of baking soda in the car to help absorb moisture in the car.

 

The 3000rpm cold start crap won't engage if the car is in gear. Just leave it in gear and push the clutch in when starting it and it won't rev nearly as high.

 

Hmmm, my cold start most be inop. THe car is bone stock and its 10*F as a high now and it only revs to 2000 if that when I start cold. Holds idle at about 1000 til she's warm then idles at 6-700rpms.