Winter Storage Questions
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 34
Likes: 0
From: Utah
Winter Storage Questions
Man, it's cold this morning! I couldn't feel my legs by the time I got to my building (1/2 mile walk from parking lot). The weather guy says it feels like negative 3.
Anyway, now I know I have to put her in storage. I put it off as long as I could. I've been reading all the threads I can find about storage and I've seen alot about having a 'battery tender'. What is a battery tender and how much does one cost? (Keep in mind we have 2 Vettes to put in storage and money is always an issue.) Can't we just disconnect the negative battery cable?
I know we have to use a fuel stabilizer (Stabil?). How is Stabil different from those other fuel additives (i.e Heet, etc)?
If the weather changes some (no snow and ice), I plan to drive her. Winter won't seem so drab if I can go for a spin.
Note: Both Vettes will be stored in the garage and both have covers.
Thanks for your help!
Anyway, now I know I have to put her in storage. I put it off as long as I could. I've been reading all the threads I can find about storage and I've seen alot about having a 'battery tender'. What is a battery tender and how much does one cost? (Keep in mind we have 2 Vettes to put in storage and money is always an issue.) Can't we just disconnect the negative battery cable?
I know we have to use a fuel stabilizer (Stabil?). How is Stabil different from those other fuel additives (i.e Heet, etc)?
If the weather changes some (no snow and ice), I plan to drive her. Winter won't seem so drab if I can go for a spin.
Note: Both Vettes will be stored in the garage and both have covers.
Thanks for your help!
Advanced
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 85
Likes: 0
From: In a 1995 M6 Coupe, speeding through Connecticut
Battery Tender:
http://www.batterytender.com/
Sta-bil:
http://www.goldeagle.com/sta-bil/all_about_sta-bil.htm
Happy reading!
http://www.batterytender.com/
Sta-bil:
http://www.goldeagle.com/sta-bil/all_about_sta-bil.htm
Happy reading!
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 7,362
Likes: 2,281
From: Central Maryland
A battery tender is a good idea. Until you get one, you can connect a regular charger to each car for a couple of hours, every coupla weeks.
Keep the battery connected in your car. Disconnecting it will cause you to lose all of your radio presets, etc, and the alarm system will be disabled if the battery is not hooked up.
Stabil is a good idea, but if the car's only going to sit for a few months, it's probably not an absolute necessity. It can't hurt, and it's inexpensive. If you do add Stabil to the tank, drive the car for a few miles before you park it, so that the stuff gets fully mixed with the fuel and gets pumped all the way through to the fuel rail.
Be well,
SJW
Keep the battery connected in your car. Disconnecting it will cause you to lose all of your radio presets, etc, and the alarm system will be disabled if the battery is not hooked up.
Stabil is a good idea, but if the car's only going to sit for a few months, it's probably not an absolute necessity. It can't hurt, and it's inexpensive. If you do add Stabil to the tank, drive the car for a few miles before you park it, so that the stuff gets fully mixed with the fuel and gets pumped all the way through to the fuel rail.
Be well,
SJW
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 19,149
Likes: 2
From: First to Sign Grumpy's Hat Only 53 miles from Hell
St. Jude Donor '06-'09-'10-'11
I forgot who mentioned it, but someone said to add a little more air to the tires to help from flat spotting. Not sure if it works, but it can't hurt.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 18,727
Likes: 711
From: Bergen County, NJ
Originally Posted by Vet Head
I've been reading all the threads I can find about storage and I've seen alot about having a 'battery tender'. What is a battery tender and how much does one cost? (Keep in mind we have 2 Vettes to put in storage and money is always an issue.) Can't we just disconnect the negative battery cable?
If a battery tender costs $50 and a new battery costs $60, I'll pass on the battery tender.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 34
Likes: 0
From: Utah
Thanks
I'll get some Sta-bil this weekend.
With my Christmas shopping not even started, I'll have to pass on the battery tender until later. I don't think the kids would understand why there was this battery thingy under the tree when they asked Santa for Bratz dolls!
Thanks again!
With my Christmas shopping not even started, I'll have to pass on the battery tender until later. I don't think the kids would understand why there was this battery thingy under the tree when they asked Santa for Bratz dolls!
Thanks again!
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 1,363
Likes: 7
From: 1994 LT1 Coupe 6-speed with FX3 & 2000 LS1 Vert 6-Speed with F45 Hunterdon County, NJ
A couple of other quick thoughts:
do bring tire pressure up, min of 35 psi.
Also place cardboard of carpeting under the tires to help insulate the tires from the the cold temperature of the cement (it reduced the flat-spoting on ours when sitting just 2 weeks).
If mice might be an issue, sprinkle moth ***** around the outside of the building and I've heard dryer sheets in the car also helps.
Also fill up the gas tank, prevents internal condensation.
Change the oil & filter, better to not sit with old oil/acids therein.
Re: battery, if security is not an issue and you would have the time to reinstall when you want to drive them, remove the batteries and store in your basement fully charged, otherwise, the advice of charger every couple of weeks should work fine or disconnect negative cable and still charge every 3-4 weeks nonetheless.
do bring tire pressure up, min of 35 psi.
Also place cardboard of carpeting under the tires to help insulate the tires from the the cold temperature of the cement (it reduced the flat-spoting on ours when sitting just 2 weeks).
If mice might be an issue, sprinkle moth ***** around the outside of the building and I've heard dryer sheets in the car also helps.
Also fill up the gas tank, prevents internal condensation.
Change the oil & filter, better to not sit with old oil/acids therein.
Re: battery, if security is not an issue and you would have the time to reinstall when you want to drive them, remove the batteries and store in your basement fully charged, otherwise, the advice of charger every couple of weeks should work fine or disconnect negative cable and still charge every 3-4 weeks nonetheless.
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Racer
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 264
Likes: 1
From: La Grande Oregon
It's around zero here, I start mine and let it run for twenty minutes every two weeks,(stroking it is optional) clean fluids are a must, oil's still cheaper than parts, and while every body probaby wont agree with this, i keep her on jack stands....cuz i just gotta be able to lay on that freezing concrete and tinker,and no i dont start it on the stands. ...joe
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 34
Likes: 0
From: Utah
Thanks Again
I talked to my husband about the battery tender. He said he'd just take the batteries out and put them in the basement (just what theadmiral94 said).
It looks like the only thing left to do is to change the oil, fill up the gas tank, and cover her up.
Thanks again.
It looks like the only thing left to do is to change the oil, fill up the gas tank, and cover her up.
Thanks again.