If you plan to leave your car in storage, take steps to protect your fuel system. The gas in your car can turn into sludge if your fuel system contains dirt and other debris. Dirty fuel has the potential to damage the car's fuel lines, injection system and engine when you drive it later. To ensure that your car's fuel system stays healthy during storage, follow the tips below.
Clean Out Your Fuel Tank
Although the fuel filter inside the engine catches most of the contaminants your car picks up on the road, some can bypass it and travel to the fuel tank and build up. If you haven't cleaned out your car's fuel tank in the past, it's a good idea that you do so before you place the car in storage.
The gunk inside your fuel tank can destroy the integrity of your gasoline by turning it into sludge. If you leave your vehicle in auto storage for a significant amount of time, such as six months, the sludge can thicken up and become worse. When you finally return to storage and restart your car, pieces of the sludge break off and clog up the fuel injection system and engine.
Cleaning the fuel system with a product designed specifically for your vehicle removes the contaminants from the tank. You can also have your engine cleaned by an auto mechanic to reduce the amount of contaminants in it. After you take care of the fuel system and engine, remove the old gas from the tank and fill it with fresh gas before you drop the car off to storage. You want clean gas circulating through the car when you restart it in the future.
Select an Indoor Unit With Climate Control Features
Placing your car in a climate-controlled storage unit can also protect the fuel system. Although outdoor auto storage keeps your car safe from theft and other hazards, it may not protect your car's fuel system from the weather. Cold weather can freeze up the car's fuel lines and hot weather can water down the fuel. The temperature of a climate-controlled unit stays the same through storage, which keeps your vehicle's fuel system safe.
If you can't find a climate-controlled unit, place your car in a covered unit. Covered units have thick roofs made of metal or wood that protect the hood, roof and trunk of the car from sun and rain damage. To protect your car's undercarriage, place a thick, vinyl covering over the vehicle. The covering keeps contaminants from traveling under the car and into the fuel system.
For more tips on auto storage, contact a local facility, such as The Storehouse Watertown, to discuss your concerns.
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