What's the one thing most people forget to do that causes the biggest problem in the spring?

Is it okay to start the car occasionally during storage, or is it better to just let it sit?

If I have to drive the car once or twice in the salt, what's the most important thing to do afterwards?

 

. . . .What's the one thing most people forget to do that causes the biggest problem in the spring? Is it okay to start the car occasionally during storage, or is it better to just let it sit? If I have to drive the car once or twice in the salt, what's the most important thing to do afterwards? . . . .

You should avoid driving a collector car even a short distance with roads wet with salt brine. Even a short distance will allow salt water and thus corrosion to start in places where it should NOT be. If you do drive it in wet salt laden streets, I guess a power wash of the undercarriage might help (???) but the salt attack has started and is irreversible.

Letting an engine sit unused with methanol gasoline can cause problems. It is best to run the engine once a month and let it reach operating temperature so condensation inside the engine and exhaust system is vaporized and removed. Keep only a small amount of fuel in the tank so that it gets replenished every 2 - 3 months with fresh fuel. Starting an engine infrequently and not letting it reach operating temperature creates unnecessary wear. Most of the wear on an engine occurs during cold start and during the time period that the engine reaches operating temperature.

You can exercise the entire power train by using jack stands. Get sturdy jack stands and raise the rear / drivng wheels off the driving surface. Get in the vehicle and drive it through the gears as if you were on street / highways. Accelerate, cruise, stop as if you were driving on the street. Get everythng including engine, transmission, and power train up to operating temperature. Do this for 20 - 30 minutes.

Another calamity that seems to affect collector cars is failing or leaking brake system components. All cars whether driven frequently or infrequently should have the hydraulic brake system to include ABS / antilock braking system fluid flushed every 2 - 3 years. This removes excess moisture and helps prevent corroiosion in brake master cylinders, wheel cylinders and caliper pistons.

 

If you cannot run the car until it is fully warm (and that takes a lot longer than people think while the car is sitting) it is far better to let it sit without starting during storage.
Either store the car with some Stabil (or other such additive) or use pure gasoline with no alcohol. For a collector car that doesn't see the gas tank filled once a month the additive or pure gas should be what is used in the car anyway to prevent fuel system varnish (which affects carbs much worse than fuel injection).

 

One additional suggestion - pull the IOD fuse (Ignition Off Draw) in the TIPM. This will prevent any drain of the battery. Pulling the fuse will result in the clock and any radio presets or anything that has memory needing to be reset. The owner's manual for my '06 Ram 1500 recommends this if the vehicle is expected to be undriven for over 18 days.

Alternatively, you could disconnect the battery.

Or connect it to a battery tender.

Ignition Off Draw (IOD) refers to the electrical current drawn from a vehicle's battery when the ignition is turned off. Here are some key points:

• The IOD fuse is located in the Total Integrated Power Module (TIPM), usually near the battery.
  
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• The IOD circuit monitors the normal draw from the vehicle's electrical components when the ignition is off.
  
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• Removing the IOD fuse can prevent battery drain by shutting down the entire electrical system after about 90 seconds.
  
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• The IOD fuse feeds memory and sleep mode functions for various electronic modules, including the clock.
  
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• Normal IOD levels range from 5 to 35 milliamperes; anything higher may indicate a problem.
  
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  This information can help you understand and manage the electrical draw in your vehicle when the ignition is off.