Anyone done winter prepping for their Evos?
Inaddition to winter tires, did you do any rust prevention work for underbody engine components?

For us here in mid-atlantic states, salt and road chemicals can rust out a car faster than your payment coupons! My previous Mitsu Eclipse GST had tons of rust from road salt spray after just few years of moderate winter driving.

We just had season's first road salt spray and they laid it on thick! We only had an inch of snow and little freezing! Now I see white powder all over the car! Instead of going berzerk with that chemical spray everywhere that should teach the dumbasses on the road to drive slower!

I am planning to give it a decent power water spray but is there anything that we can do as prevenative measure?

 

I hear ya man. They put so much salt on the roads here.. it's more dangerous than what little bit of snow we get.

All I can tell you is to try to claybar and get plenty of wax on before the winter months...

During winter take your ride to a car wash and wash underneath the car.

I'm sure you can get some additional undercoating but in my opinon the EVO comes with more than any car I've owned in the past.

I'm not to far from you.. it's cold as hell here! Most of the snow we got these past few day is already gone or has turned into ice. There is way more salt on the roads than there ever was snow.

 

Yeah, it's freaking freezing here too....the wind is what gets you though.
As far as winter prep, I just bought a set of mudflaps to help keep some of the salt/snow/slush from kicking up and scratching the paint too bad...and I try to make it to the carwash once a week to spray off all the salt that's accumulated on the underside/wheelwells.

 

do generic size mudflaps work on Evos?

 

There is some good one floating around.. let me find the link.. its like rally amour or something like that.

Edit: here they are check them out

https://www.evolutionm.net/forums/sh...ight=mud+flaps

 

The salt (here in DE) is blowing like dust through Kansas!

I bought a 2nd car to avoid the abuse - My car still has many wounds from last years winter months; especially inside the engine bay. The paint will not/cannot handle the salt & assorted sh*t they lay all over the roads.

Good luck

 

Make sure you spend your first $800 on some snow tires. Paint protection and undercarriage washing don't mean squat unless you can stay between the ditches!

 

U can get some blizzaks for around 600.. I'm very happy with them.

 

winter tires are standing by for mounting. I got some Hankook winter tires mounted on stock rims. these tires feels so soft, I don't think it's gonna last!

 

I'm in the process of winterizing right now. Yesterday it was around 8 degrees.

I've got a set of Pirelli SnowSports mounted to the OEM Enkei wheels.

I bought a bottle of Klasse All-In-One and Sealant from www.autopia.carcare.com It's an acrylic that goes on essentially the same as wax but even easier. Not having put it on yet, from what I've read this is the top product for year round protection and enhancement. I've also read it looks the best as far as waxes go. Only one wax supposedly looks deeper, Souveran (it's VERY expensive, something like $40 per ounce) Klasse was developed by German chemists in the 80's and has been improved ever since then. People swear that one or two coats per year is all you need. Water continues to sheet off and bead up 6-8 months after the application some say. The product is expensive compared to the run of the mill Mothers/Armor All/Turtle Wax stuff, $40 for two small bottles. If it's good enough for Ferrari's, Lamborghini's, and Porsches at the world's biggest auto shows it's good enough for my Evo.

I'm going to get a set of AutoTech winter rubber mats (they hold TONS of water) since our carpet and mats suck from the factory.

I'm also going to get a set of Trico Winter Teflon wipers. They're rubber jacketed so the spring doesn't ice up. I haven't done any first hand benchmarking and couldn't find any online so this is my first guess. If they suck I'll try some PIAA's, Bosch's, or Anco's.

www.autopia-carcare.com also has a good OXO ice scraper/brush. I wound up getting one from a gas station. Porsche has a cool telescoping tool but I couldn't wait for it to ship.

Lastly I'm doing some research for some non-alcohol based winter washer fluid. Alcohol is bad for finishes from what I understand. Prestone's might work but haven't had a chance to check. RainX stuff is bad from what I've read, it stains finishes. I guess BMW has some clear alcohol free washer fluid which is my next call to check on.

That should cover it. If you're worried about fogging I'm sure there is something on the website I mentioned. Beware though, I went on a shopping spree there the other night $100 easy on goodies.

 

This will be my second season on a set of Pirelli SnowSports and I'm extremely happy with them. They don't have the sidewall integrity that the advans do, (pretty obvious I would guess), so anyone whose putting them on for the first time should be aware that on clear roads if you try to corner really hard you'll get some give in the tire. But as far as snow traction they're top notch. I love driving around in inches of snow in my little "ricerocket" looking import, having people around me think I must not have any traction what so ever. Little do they know that I CAN DRIVE THROUGH ANYTHING!! Those tires, all wheel drive, and growing up in Maine. Watch out rally sweden, here I come.

 

So far I'm impressed by the Pirelli's too. They seem quieter than the Advans. The advantage is they're not as stiff, and the disadvantage is they're not as stiff. Soaks up bumps better but turn in is very sluggish compared to OEM. I've had them up to 100mph effortlessly and felt totally confident. If they wear well and handle the deep nasty snow well I'd definately consider buying them again.

 

Also, if you don't have them on your EVO already, then pick up the clear vinyl rear door jam protectors.

 

I had my car rust proofed for around $200, it was my first mod. This baby will never rust now! Of course snow tires and better floor mats are a given. Protect the EVO!

 

Hey Joe, Where around mid-mi did you get the rust proofing done? I'd like to do that sometime soon.

Anyone think it's necessary to put rubbing alcohol in the intercooler sprayer & washer fluid reservoirs to keep the water from freezing?

Also, does anyone know why the turbo would seem louder when it's cold out? Just an observation...