I know all of you in the southern regions can laugh, but some of us in the great white north have to store our cars for the winter. So....I was wondering what to do with battery given all the electrical issues. The manual says that if you plan not to drive your car for more than 25 days that you should disconnect the black (-) wire from the battery.

Is this a wise thing to do ? I realize that most of your information will be store in flash memory and disconnecting constant power shouldn't be a problem. However, might it be better to leave the battery connect and fire it up once a week.

Any thoughts...

 

You bought it, you are paying for it, it is depreciating, drive it!!!

 

Deltran Bettery Tender. I have their quick connect harness wired to the battery. Just a quick connect and its ready for the winter. Keeps the battery charged without over charging.

 

Get the Battery Tender Plus. It's a hair more $ than the smaller models, but worth it. I've got one that I've used on numerous toys for years. I've seen problems with the small ones - jrs. The Plus is flat out reliable as heck, I've dropped mine countless times and it still ticking.

Leave the battery connected. Start it and let run at least 20 minutes or so a couple times a month. Drive it around the block once in a while weather permitting.

I put the eyelet connector right on the battery hold down bolt with a nut. Then hang the connector out the corner the hood. Then you don't even have to open the hood to plug it in.

I have a bunch of those connectors and rotate my Tender Plus around 5 or 6 different toys throughout the winter. My batteries all last a long time. I've got a 12 year old Craftsman lawn tractor that just got it's first battery replacement.

Other storage tips.

Stabil
Couple mouse traps in the garage
wipe all the rubber trim with silicone/weather strip treatment
Fresh oil change
After first cold spell, air up the tires to 35, they'll be low

 

Get the Battery Tender Plus for sure and put Stabil in the gas tank (use a long neck funnel to pour it). If it's Mag Red you don't have to drive it because it stays fast and hot looking even while sitting.

 

No way...just turn it over once in a while, and sit in it and dream of warmer days.

 

 

[QUOTE=Michrider]Get the Battery Tender Plus. I've got one that I've used on numerous toys for years. The Plus is flat out reliable as heck, I've dropped mine countless times and it still ticking.

Other storage tips.

Stabil
Couple mouse traps in the garage

I agree. A climate controlled garage helps too.

 

Actually I believe you'd be better off to pump the tires up to 50 psi when you store it, and deflate them come Spring when you want to put it back on the road. At 50 psi you will prevent the tires from flat-spotting.

 

I'm not laughing, I just feel sorry for those who don't live in a climate that allows them to enjoy their cars all year round.

 

What is this winter storage thing? Always some nice days in the winter. Enjoy your car.

 

Nobody HAS to store their Vette. Some folks choose to do it.

We choose to enjoy it all year even in the winter. Only snow keeps it in the driveway.

 

I do 40 psi wich is under the max 44psi reading on the tire sidewall...never had any problem

I would not start the car during cold weater unless you can let totally warm up otherwsie you will build condensation that will stay

I personnaly remopve the battery and bring it inside..I use a tickle charger with an automatic shut off once a month...once again never had problem

 

Exactly. Enjoy it all year round.

 

Is it better to store it with recently changed oil, or just store it and change it when it is due.

 

I am a Goodyear supplier and during my last conversation, the buyer said not to store your car on a concrete driveway/garage without a piece of carpet since the concrete pulls moisture from the tires. That said...put a few strips of old carpet under each tire.

 

Agreed, but you can use plywood as well. A 2'x2' piecve under each wheel works well, Keeps moisture from collecting on the brake parts.

 

That depends on how long it's been since your last oil change, and what kind of driving you've done. If it's been a while since your last change and you've been taking short trips (less than 5 miles), it's likely that you have combustion byproducts in your crankcase that you may be harmful to your engine.

Generally, if you plan to change your oil either before or after storage, do it before.

 

I drive my Corvette year round, but I do have other cars/trucks which are driven infrequently, sometimes they'll sit for a year before I drive them again. Here's what I do with them. Clean the car thoroughly (wash, wax, clean interior), fill the gas tank, change the oil, make sure the tires are inflated to the pressure recommended by the factory, warm the car up thoroughy, then park in a dry covered area. Once a month or so, check battery charge, and charge only if needed.

My 1966 98 Olds gets this treatment twice a year. It still looks and runs like it did when it was new, 39 years and 63,000 miles ago. Ignore the old wives' tales about flat spotting tires. Modern radials don't do that. The Olds sports a set of 10 year old Michelins, and it never flat spots. Neither do the mud and snows on my trucks, which may also sit for months between uses. Batteries tend to last their expected span, 5 to 8 years, as long as you don't let them fully discharge. Etc.

The one thing you do need to keep an eye on with vehicles that are stored for long periods is the condition of the rubber items, hoses, belts, weather seals, etc. Ozone attacks them, and they will check and crack over time (dry rot). Pay special attention to them when preparing the car for storage, use an ozone protectant, and inspect them carefully when you get it back out to drive. Replace anything that appears dubious.

When you do get a car/truck back out to drive it, run at least one full tank of gas through it before storing it again. Gas goes bad over time, even with Stabil, so you always want to start a storage period with fresh gas in the tank. (Don't store a vehicle with a partially filled tank, moisture will condense in the fuel and cause problems. Always fill the tank before storage.) I do use Stabil. It does prolong the useful life of the fuel and reduces problems with varnish. But that first tankful when you start driving again may stink, and performance may suffer a bit until you get some fresh gas in there. Ideally, I'd like to be able to drain and discard the storage gas before driving again, but that's difficult to do with most vehicles. (Expensive too, nowadays.)

 

Thanks for all the good info.