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Tips & Tricks

De-winterizing a seasonal car

How to get your tuning car out of the garage in top shape!
by
Jerôme Vogel Pro tuner

How to bring your seasonal car out of hibernation professionally

Have you ever wondered if pistons always look the same whether they are used in turbo engines or naturally aspirated engines?

We have been looking forward to this moment for months: the first spark after winter is more than just a fleeting moment of excitement for us as tuning fans and motorsport enthusiasts. The start of the season means the awakening of a beloved tuning project from hibernation. We show you how to “de-winterize” your seasonal car and get it ready for the road!

For months, the seasonal vehicle has been dry, cool and safe - and terribly stationary. Now it's finally time to breathe life back into the engine and step on the gas for the first time. Before that, however, we need to put a little love into it to prepare your car for the hot phase.

Especially with your tuned vehicle, which has been customized with high performance, special components and a lot of passion, winterizing is more than just “tires on and go”. If you value performance, safety and value retention, you should proceed systematically - from the oil change to the brake system to the spark plugs.

In this guide, we show you how to bring your seasonal car out of hibernation professionally.

CONTENT
Raus aus der Garage und bereit für die neue Saison! Saisonauto professionell auswintern!

Battery check: Getting the power supply back in shape

Nothing kills the anticipation faster than a lifeless start button. After months of inactivity, the battery is often the first weak point when winterising. Even if it was disconnected or removed before winterising, you need to check the battery status once.

What you should do:

  • Measure the voltage: Use a multimeter to check whether the battery still has enough juice before the first journey. A healthy 12V battery should have at least 12.6 volts when not in use. If the voltage drops below 12V, you need a new battery.
  • Charging: If the voltage is low, it is best to charge gently with a charger. Ideally, this should have a maintenance function (smart charger).
  • Clean terminals and contacts: Corrosion often occurs at the terminals. You should carefully clean them with a wire brush and then protect them with terminal grease.
  • Connecting the battery correctly: When connecting the battery, always connect plus first, then minus. Also make sure that everything is tight.

Professional tip from Bartek:

Modern vehicles with control units and tuning ECUs react sensitively to voltage fluctuations. Error messages or faults can occur even at the first attempt to start the car. It is therefore worth going through the electronics immediately after connecting and checking any error messages.

Fresh lubricant: check engine oil and filter

Öl prüfen beim Auswintern des Saisonautos
Saisonauto auswintern und Öl prüfen

Oil is the elixir of life for your engine and every drop counts, especially in performance-optimised vehicles. After the winter break: checking is good, fresh oil is better. Because even if your car has only been parked, condensation can collect in the oil, additives can degrade and the lubricating film can be impaired.

What you should do:

  • Check the oil level: Check with the oil dipstick (when the engine is cold or lukewarm). If the level is too low or too high, it is better not to start the engine.
  • Change the oil (recommended by Bartek ): Even if the oil has not been in motion for a long time, fresh oil is worth its weight in gold after several months of inactivity. This will protect the bearings, piston and turbocharger from the very first start.
  • Change the oil filter: Is part of the change. Particularly important for high-performance oil circuits or if you use racing oils.
  • Gaskets check: Especially with older engines, the elasticity of O-rings and gaskets can suffer due to long periods of disuse.

Professional tip from Bartek:

Just as with fuel, there is also a difference between winter and summer when it comes to engine oil. For warmer temperatures, you need oil with a higher viscosity, for example our GTX oil.

And very important: After starting for the first time, let the engine idle briefly, check the oil pressure gauge and only accelerate gently after a few minutes. No full throttle yet - even if your toes are tingling.

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Air filter and suction: A clear path for fresh air

The best performance is useless if your engine cannot breathe properly. The suction is an often underestimated point when winterising tuned vehicles with open air filters and intake systems.

What you should do:

  • Check the air filter: With open air filters (e.g. Sports air filter from K&N, Pipercross etc.), always check for dirt or moisture. Simply tapping or blowing out often helps, you may have to wash out the filter and re-oil or even replace it.
  • Remove the air filter sock: If you are using our air filter sock, you can also remove it now.
  • Inspect the housing and intake tract: Leaves, dust or, in the worst case, small animals can become trapped, especially during long downtimes.
  • Check connections & clamps: You should check all gaskets and transitions for cracks and leaks so that the engine does not draw in secondary air. This leads to lean running and error codes.
  • Check MAP/MASS sensor: Some systems have a mass air flow sensor or pressure sensor located directly on the filter. This must also be nice and clean. If in doubt, you should treat the sensor carefully with electronics cleaner.

Professional tip from Bartek:

If you drive with a turbo or compressor, you should pay very close attention to loose parts - in the worst case, a foreign object sucked in can ruin your turbo. And if you have heatsoak problems in summer, it helps to optimise the suction with a heat shield or cold air duct.

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Check fluids & wearing parts

Even if you have done your best when winterising your seasonal car and have mothballed your car flawlessly and free of all defects, all wearing parts and fluids must be checked again when winterising. This is particularly important for high-performance vehicles, as some materials simply age over time and due to temperature fluctuations, even if the car has only been parked.

You should do this:

  • Coolant: Check fill level, colour and leak tightness. Top up with suitable coolant if necessary. If discoloured, it may need to be flushed. Also check all hoses, clamps and connections. Look for damp spots, especially around the radiator, thermostat and water pump.
  • Brake fluid: Check the water content, colour and function. If the water content is too high, the fluid must be changed, as well as if the colour is very dark. If braking feels too soft, there may be air in the system.
  • Power steering & clutch: Check the fill level, hoses & connections and noises.
  • Windscreen washer system: Even the most powerful car needs a clear view.
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Wear parts:

What you should look at:

  • Spark plugs and ignition coils: The importance of spark plugs and ignition coils is often underestimated, especially with tuned engines. However, it is particularly important to install cold spark plugs during the warmer months of the year. Standard spark plugs can burn out in a tuned engine or even cause a hole in the piston and thus cause serious engine damage. So if your spark plugs/ignition coils are badly worn or even sooty or oily, you absolutely must replace them.
  • Belts & pulleys: V-belts, timing belts, idler pulleys and tensioners must be checked for cracks, play and noise.
  • Thermostat & sensors: Keep an eye on the temperature display. If the values are atypical, you should check the thermostat or temperature sensor straight away.
  • Fuel system: If there are still old fuel residues in the tank, you should top up or drain it, as modern fuel loses its ignitability over time. This is particularly important with E85 or race fuel! You should also take the opportunity to replace the fuel filter.

Professional tip from Bartek:

If you have installed additional components such as catch can, additional cooler for oil and water, boost controller etc. , then you should also check these systems. Leaks and old hoses can also be hidden there. It never hurts to check the fuses and relays, especially if you have complex additional wiring!

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Zündkerzen prüfen beim Auswintern des Saisonautos

Underbody & brakes: check corrosion and function

Even if your car has been parked indoors: moisture, temperature fluctuations or road salt residue can have a negative impact, especially on the brake system and underbody. To avoid unpleasant surprises, you should check your car thoroughly underneath.

What you should do:

  • Check brake discs and pads: Flash rust is normal after a long period of standing - it usually disappears after the first few brake applications. However, deep, uneven rust or grooves indicate problems.
  • Check brake pads: You should check whether there is still enough material and whether it is worn evenly.
  • Inspect brake lines & brake hoses: Check for leaks and cracks - especially in older rubber lines and steel flex lines.
  • Check the brake fluid: You should measure the age, fill level and, if necessary, the water content of your brake fluid. Guide value: replace every 2 years (annually if used on the racetrack). Underbody check:
  • Corrosion & rust: Particular weak points are the sills, axle mounts, tank area and exhaust suspension.
  • Loose parts: Heat protection plates, plastic panelling or clamps tend to come loose over the winter.
  • Exhaust system: Check for tight fit, cracks, clamps and dampers. For sports systems, you should also check the flap control.

Professional tip from Bartek:

If you have installed coilover suspension, you should also check this at the same time! Check the shock absorber housing, springs, height adjustment and all moving parts for ease of movement, rust or adjustment.

Don't forget to brake! After winterising, brake smoothly and in a controlled manner, don't hit the brakes straight away. The material must first free itself up again.

Electronics & diagnostics: Start the season fault-free

Sometimes a little extra patience is required: Tuned vehicles with additional control units, chip tuning, extra displays, self-laid cables and the like can sometimes cause problems, especially after long periods of downtime. Moisture, voltage peaks when changing batteries or loose contacts are usually the cause of malfunctions. The only thing that helps is to check everything!

What you should do:

  • Read out & document error messages: Even if no lamp is lit, there are often sporadic errors stored that indicate defects (e.g. lambda sensor, boost pressure control, sensors).
  • Check plug connections & cables
  • Check battery monitor or power tap: Are additional consumers properly fused? Is there leakage current draining the battery?

Special cases:

  • CAN bus systems: If you are working with retrofitted control units (e.g. digital speedometers or displays), a voltage reset can help. To do this, disconnect the battery once, wait ten minutes and restart.
  • Alarm systems & GPS trackers: Is the connection still working? SIM card active? Replace batteries or rechargeable batteries if necessary.

Get the chassis, paint and tires ready for the season

It's not just under the hood that everything should be fresh. To make sure your car is ready for spring and the next season, you should also check all the exterior details. This includes the paintwork as well as the tires and suspension. This applies in particular to special setups such as lowering, special wheel sets, etc.

What you should do:

Check the tires:

  • Check & adjust tire pressure: Tires continuously lose air even when stationary, so don't forget to inflate them if necessary.
  • Check tire tread & condition: Even if they are “only” show tires - minimum tread depth (1.6 mm) is a must. Look out for cracks, flat spots or porous sidewalls.
  • Inspect the rims: Check for kerb contact, hairline cracks or oxidation.
  • Check wheel bolts/nuts: Check torque! Tighten again after a few kilometers after a longer period of inactivity (or tire change).

Chassis check:

  • Check strut bearings, wishbones, track rods: Check for play, cracks or worn rubber bearings.
  • Adjust the coilover suspension: If you raised the car before the winter, bring it back to the right level now.
  • Check toe/camber: A clean wheel alignment is especially important when racing.

Dirt from the outside:

  • Cleaning: Carefully remove all remnants of the winter period without damaging the paintwork.
  • Look at the paintwork: Check the paintwork for scratches, resin stains, flash rust and small dents.
  • Polish & seal: Depending on the condition, now is the time for a polish Then you should seal the paintwork or apply a coat of wax for protection & shine.
  • Clean windows & headlights: Use gentle cleaners, especially for tinted or coated windows. Also check the lights for function and clarity.

Don't forget plastic & rubber:

  • Maintain door rubbers & seals: The best way to do this is to use rubber care (e.g. silicone-based). This prevents creaking and sticking.

Professional tip from Bartek:

Take the time to check the air lines, valves and the function of the controls. A leak in the system often only becomes apparent at low temperatures or sudden load changes.

First start & test drive: Back on the road

Now you really have almost made it! After all the preparation, the moment has finally come to turn the key, start the engine and feel the sound. To ensure that your vehicle stays healthy for a long time, the first drive of the season should not be at full speed, but should be deliberate and systematic. Here's how it works::

First engine start:

  • Ignition on - but don't start it yet: let the fuel pump run ahead so that the fuel system can build up pressure.
  • Check the indicator lights: Does everything come on and go off again after a few seconds? If anything stays on, check again immediately.
  • Starting - without gas: Let the engine start normally. Once it is running, leave it idling. Do not rev it up straight away!
  • Check the oil pressure: If present, pay attention to the indicator. For older vehicles: The indicator light must go out after 1-2 seconds.
  • Observe exhaust & engine running: Is it running smoothly? No smoke? No unusual noises or smells? A little condensation at the rear is okay - everything else: Check again!

The first test ride - with sensitivity:

  • Warm up slowly: No high revs, no hard load changes. The engine, transmission, differential and brakes must get up to temperature.
  • Test the brake function: Does the pedal feel direct and firm? No grinding noises or pulling on one side?
  • Observe the chassis and steering: Can you feel vibrations? Does the vehicle steer smoothly? Does anything rattle? If so - stop and check.
  • First kilometers in ear mode: Listen for unusual noises when changing loads, when stationary or when cornering. Your ears are now your best diagnostic scanner.

After the first drive:

  • Check the fluid levels again: oil, coolant, brake fluid - everything still in the green zone?
  • Tires & rims: Everything tight? Tire pressure okay? Tighten the wheel bolts again with a torque wrench.
  • Read out the fault memory again: Just to be on the safe side - has anything crept in?

Professional tip from Bartek:

We like to keep a record of everything so that we always have a complete overview. Make a small season checklist with the date of the first start, mileage, noticeable noises, planned to-dos (e.g. changing brake fluid or adjusting the track), important values, etc. This will not only help you with maintenance, but also with any discussions with the TÜV or garages.

And honestly: after the first successful ride - treat yourself to the ritual. Fill up the tank and pedal through, feel and enjoy. Welcome back to the road!

Conclusion

De-winterizing your seasonal car is not something to do in between, you need a little time and patience. But with our complete guide, you have a great guide to getting back on the tarmac stress-free. And the more carefully you carry out the individual steps, the fewer problems, or even damage, you will have afterwards!

Jerôme Vogel
Pro tuner
His first car was a G60 Corrado, followed by several VW models, which did not remain untouched. Currently Jerôme is focused on the conversions of the VW and Audi models at BAR-TEK®. After his school career, which he finished with a technical high school diploma and then did his apprenticeship as a car mechanic, Jerôme worked in the DTM for 12 years. In over 100 races, Jerôme was responsible for Mercedes-Benz as well as for Audi-Sport as a gearbox mechanic and chief mechanic for race cars. Since mid-2021, he is now wrenching in the BAR-TEK® workshop and takes care of customers' vehicles, specialized development/special conversions as well as various implementations of Bartek's ideas.
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