I wanna rebuild my carb as a winter project, and am just about to put my cat down for winter. Wondering what is the proper way to leave the intake and why it’s the proper way. I know my goals include mice not getting in and water vapor and air not getting in and rusting the inside. So my thinking was some heavy plastic held on with lots of painter’s tape. Someone else suggested that just stuffing a rag in there is the way to go. I don’t wanna screw this up, so please share your thoughts on what’s the right way to do it and why it’s the right way.
Don’t overthink it. A rag will do, as will making lid out of carboard or plastic or whaterver…you just want to keep anything from accidentally falling in there. Not sure mice will want to cozy up in your engine when the car itself has so many nicer places to hole up. Since the insides are coated in oil, I can’t imagine it rusting up inside, unless you are going to park it on the beach.
I’ve never had to think to much about putting my Cougar up for the winter because our winters are not real harsh. Very seldom do we get salted roads. So I think the posts by Rcode and T3 are spot on, don’t over think it you should be ok.
This topic made me think about what I read in my owners manual. It says to drive the car at least once a month to keep the seals in the transmission lubed. I would have to pull out my manual and go through it again to see exactly how it’s worded but that is the basic idea of what was written. So what do most northern people do during the winter months? Is “driving it” once a month over thinking the seal issues?
Steven
IIRC, the car manual or a tag attached inside the interior that comes from the factory to the dealership says something along the lines “drive this vehicle as least 20-50’? once every __ days”.
Some people start their cars and let them run for a while during the winter, but from what I’ve read it’s better to not even start the car as starting it and running it but not getting it up to normal operating temp (like it would get if you drove it for a while) results in moisture building up in the exhaust system when then contributes to rust. I didn’t start my cougar for several months last year and I’m guessing I won’t start it for 3 to 4 months this winter.
Sounds like a rag in the intake is plenty then. That’s what I’ll do unless someone makes a good case on why to not do it.
Thanks guys. And please keep it coming. The more input the better
depends on what the guys on your pit crew drink! Take the box they “toss” and use your carb to cut a template with it…works like a champ! LOL That’s how the guys in the field do it! (I like the colors of the Sam Adams ones…) but it’s green and recyclable that way!
Ill possibly be doing the same thing and a rag is what Ill be useing.
Get some of the pink insulated foam board cut it in 4 pieces, jack up your car and put it under your tires - you wont get that flat wear spot on em since the foam will compress and cradle the tire.
I have my cat back on the road after the carb rebuild this winter, running great so far but I’m only 12 miles into the season so who knows.
As usual I was over-thinking it, so I ended up just putting a plastic bowl lid over the intake and putting a weight on it to keep it from moving, seemed to be fine.
