http://action.publicbroadcasting.net/cartalk/posts/list/12202.page Public Action
There were also oilers, guys who sprayed used crankcase oil to the underside of your car. It worked well, but had to be redone every year. Although illegal now for environmental reasons, I understand there are areas in the US where it is still done.

Although rust protection is much better now, cars in the dry araeas of the West still last twice as long as those in the humid East.]]> http://action.publicbroadcasting.net/cartalk/posts/list/795209.page#891630 http://action.publicbroadcasting.net/cartalk/posts/list/795209.page#891630 GMT
Some thoughts:

1. If there are long stretches between snowfalls in your area, and the salt dries on your car, as long as it doesn't get wet, there will be very limited corrosive effects. It takes a decent amount of moisture to activate the corrosive features of road salt.

2. When you get your car washed in the winter, be sure to get the underbody spray. Getting the salt off the fuel and brake lines is more important as they are less protected than the body panels.

3. If you have some sort of guard over your fuel and brake lines, consider removing it. On my Corolla, there is a plastic guard that covers the fuel and brake lines as they run inside of a frame rail. That guard, despite its drain holes, traps salt and moisture and advances fuel line corrosion. I removed mine and cleaned all of the fuel lines. There were some spots that were pitting with corrision already! (The car is a 2002).

4. Consider getting underneath your car and coating the fuel and brake lines with heavy grease when they are clean. This will delay the corrosion process and prolong the life of these lines which are a pain and expensive to replace. You will need to recoat the lines with grease about once a month, best after a wash with an underspray.]]> http://action.publicbroadcasting.net/cartalk/posts/list/795209.page#891211 http://action.publicbroadcasting.net/cartalk/posts/list/795209.page#891211 GMT http://action.publicbroadcasting.net/cartalk/posts/list/795209.page#885816 http://action.publicbroadcasting.net/cartalk/posts/list/795209.page#885816 GMT http://action.publicbroadcasting.net/cartalk/posts/list/795209.page#885617 http://action.publicbroadcasting.net/cartalk/posts/list/795209.page#885617 GMT http://action.publicbroadcasting.net/cartalk/posts/list/795209.page#885222 http://action.publicbroadcasting.net/cartalk/posts/list/795209.page#885222 GMT
Most Fairbanks garages must know how to install a block heater in a Toyota.

I have used vehicles in the Arctic in temperatures as low as -55F, and with synthetic oil (oW30) and with battery, engine, and oil pan heaters we managed OK.]]> http://action.publicbroadcasting.net/cartalk/posts/list/795209.page#882850 http://action.publicbroadcasting.net/cartalk/posts/list/795209.page#882850 GMT http://action.publicbroadcasting.net/cartalk/posts/list/795209.page#882813 http://action.publicbroadcasting.net/cartalk/posts/list/795209.page#882813 GMT
When I lived in North Dakota, which also has extreme temperatures, I learned that in climates of extreme prolonged cold the mechanicals of the car wear out before the metal rusts. Rust doesn't grow when temperatures are below zero, but all the mechanical parts suffer. They change size and shape, and lubricants including the tranny and differential (we all had RWD cars back then) turn to the viscosity of wet concrete mix.

I also learned what it's like to sit on a frozen solid block of what was designed to be seat foam every morning at temperatures well below zero. So I guess I really couldn't argue with the relative comfort of a heated garage.]]> http://action.publicbroadcasting.net/cartalk/posts/list/795209.page#882639 http://action.publicbroadcasting.net/cartalk/posts/list/795209.page#882639 GMT I've lived all my life in the NorthEast. And now where have I ever seen them use just sand and crushed rock. Everyplace I've lived used some kind of salt to MELT the snow. Usually potasium or magnesium chloride. Area's in upstate NY use Calcium chloride because of the amount of snow they get and the very very cold winters. I lived for 3 months in Messena NY where temps have been known to reach -40. It did a few times I was there.....And Calcium was used a LOT...]]> http://action.publicbroadcasting.net/cartalk/posts/list/795209.page#892833 http://action.publicbroadcasting.net/cartalk/posts/list/795209.page#892833 GMT
If you care to travel to any of these places you can se for yourself. Coastal Alaska with higher temperatures would benefit from salt.]]> http://action.publicbroadcasting.net/cartalk/posts/list/795209.page#884017 http://action.publicbroadcasting.net/cartalk/posts/list/795209.page#884017 GMT High temperatue in Fairbanks in January is -2F and the mean low is -20F. Salt is not effective at these temperatures 

Says who??? CalciumChloride works fine down to -30. Most of the snow melt they use arund here is MagnesiumCholoride which only is only effective down to about 0. But I'll bet that Alaska uses CalciumChloride.]]> http://action.publicbroadcasting.net/cartalk/posts/list/795209.page#883843 http://action.publicbroadcasting.net/cartalk/posts/list/795209.page#883843 GMT
In that kind of cimate indoor parking is by far preferred. The best way to avoid engine condensation is to not let it happen in the first place; I would even plug in the block heater in inside the garage, so as to have a warm engine right off. Then run it enough during the day to have it warm before parking it at night. That way the excess moisture is dispelled from the PCV sytem. At the office during the day I would have the car plugged in all the time.

In summary, ehelme, I think your problems were most likey due to not getting the engine warm enough during your daily driving. As mentioned in my previous post, the problem occurs in the Lower 48 as well. If you keep the engine warm by plugging in the block heater, and running it enough to get rid of the condensation, you will be OK.

As others mention, parking outside will make your whole car wear out much faster.]]> http://action.publicbroadcasting.net/cartalk/posts/list/795209.page#882647 http://action.publicbroadcasting.net/cartalk/posts/list/795209.page#882647 GMT http://action.publicbroadcasting.net/cartalk/posts/list/795209.page#882624 http://action.publicbroadcasting.net/cartalk/posts/list/795209.page#882624 GMT
The cost to heat the garage, on the other hand...]]> http://action.publicbroadcasting.net/cartalk/posts/list/795209.page#882427 http://action.publicbroadcasting.net/cartalk/posts/list/795209.page#882427 GMT I don't like putting a car in a heated garage. It really promotes rust. Having grown up in the Rust Belt I've seen it many times. Best is to keep the car in a UNHEATED garage. Far better for the body of the car.]]> http://action.publicbroadcasting.net/cartalk/posts/list/795209.page#882223 http://action.publicbroadcasting.net/cartalk/posts/list/795209.page#882223 GMT ]]> http://action.publicbroadcasting.net/cartalk/posts/list/795209.page#881628 http://action.publicbroadcasting.net/cartalk/posts/list/795209.page#881628 GMT http://action.publicbroadcasting.net/cartalk/posts/list/795209.page#882425 http://action.publicbroadcasting.net/cartalk/posts/list/795209.page#882425 GMT http://action.publicbroadcasting.net/cartalk/posts/list/795209.page#881621 http://action.publicbroadcasting.net/cartalk/posts/list/795209.page#881621 GMT http://action.publicbroadcasting.net/cartalk/posts/list/795209.page#881612 http://action.publicbroadcasting.net/cartalk/posts/list/795209.page#881612 GMT
Doing this allows the engine to cool down more slowly after shutdown. This gives more time for any moisture in the crankcase to evaporate. Where when parked outside during cold weather, the engine cools much faster. This can cause any moisture still evaporating from the crankcase to freeze inside the PCV system.

As far as the body rusting? Todays vehicles are pretty well protected from rust. Just wash the thing every once and awhile.

Besides, you like scrapping windows in the morning?

Tester



]]> http://action.publicbroadcasting.net/cartalk/posts/list/795209.page#881416 http://action.publicbroadcasting.net/cartalk/posts/list/795209.page#881416 GMT http://action.publicbroadcasting.net/cartalk/posts/list/795209.page#881412 http://action.publicbroadcasting.net/cartalk/posts/list/795209.page#881412 GMT http://action.publicbroadcasting.net/cartalk/posts/list/795209.page#881249 http://action.publicbroadcasting.net/cartalk/posts/list/795209.page#881249 GMT
Thanks again.]]> http://action.publicbroadcasting.net/cartalk/posts/list/795209.page#882840 http://action.publicbroadcasting.net/cartalk/posts/list/795209.page#882840 GMT
When you park outside this consdensate will form ice, and plug up your PCV system and blow the crankcase seals or pop the oil filler cap. A car with piston blowby is better off inside than outside. Other items on the car age much quicker outside, and in really cold weather you will have to heat the engine, transmission, and even the oil pan to ensure smooth starts and minimize wear.

This condensate even forms in the lower 48 from short trip stop & go driving, mostly by senior citizens.

If I were you, I would:

1. Check the engine compression; if you have excessive blowby, the engine should have new rings.

2. Drive the car until the engine is thoroughly warmed up before shutting it off.

3. Change oil frequently; use the "severe service" interval for changing oil & filter.

4. At work, plug the car in, I assume you have a block heater to keep the engine warm.

Your condensation problem will not disappear by parking outside; it might be worse. My mother-in-law lives near Buffalo, NY, parksa outside, and her son drives the car fast on the freeway on a regular basis to blow out the condensation. So your problem is not unique to Alaska; it's just that the condensation is more likely to plug the PCV system and blow your seals.

Hope this helps you decide!
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Heard from my brother who's visited there several times...

Alaska doesn't have a SINGLE Mosquito

They're all married with LARGE families.

]]> http://action.publicbroadcasting.net/cartalk/posts/list/795209.page#882215 http://action.publicbroadcasting.net/cartalk/posts/list/795209.page#882215 GMT http://action.publicbroadcasting.net/cartalk/posts/list/795209.page#881223 http://action.publicbroadcasting.net/cartalk/posts/list/795209.page#881223 GMT http://action.publicbroadcasting.net/cartalk/posts/list/795209.page#881216 http://action.publicbroadcasting.net/cartalk/posts/list/795209.page#881216 GMT Parking in a heated garage will accelerate the rusting process, so I would advise against putting a car in a heated garage.

But, how about putting it in an unheated garage? At least that way, you don't have to scrape the windshield in the A.M., you don't have to clear snow off of the roof, hood and trunk, and it is slightly warmer in there if the garage is attached to the house. If it is raining, you just walk from the house to the car without getting wet, as long as it is an attached garage.

I am really glad that I don't have to park my car outside!
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