Winter storage question…
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2021
Posts: 123
Likes: 40
Winter storage question…
Relatively new owner here looking for some winter storage tips
I’ve got a c7 Z51 convertible, no garage so car will be parked in the driveway. I live in VA, plan to drive it pretty regularly in December and March, so the storage window is basically just Jan and Feb
- I have the OEM battery tender, but as I said no garage. Do I use the tender in the driveway? Or just let the battery die and jump start it spring?
- how much fuel should the car have for storage?
- any other tips / suggestions are appreciated
I’ve got a c7 Z51 convertible, no garage so car will be parked in the driveway. I live in VA, plan to drive it pretty regularly in December and March, so the storage window is basically just Jan and Feb
- I have the OEM battery tender, but as I said no garage. Do I use the tender in the driveway? Or just let the battery die and jump start it spring?
- how much fuel should the car have for storage?
- any other tips / suggestions are appreciated
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 6,884
Likes: 2,884
From: Toronto
Put the tender on, once a battery dies it will never be the same. You can close the hatch on a thin extension cord.
Consensus generally is keep the tank at a quarter so the fuel gauge sender doesnt get tainted. For two months storage I wouldnt be too concerned if you use Top Tier gas.
Consensus generally is keep the tank at a quarter so the fuel gauge sender doesnt get tainted. For two months storage I wouldnt be too concerned if you use Top Tier gas.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2021
Posts: 123
Likes: 40
Thanks for the info!
how should I set up the tender for outdoor use? I assume the box itself would have to be in the trunk to stay out of the rain - although I’ve heard it also gets very hot and most folks prefer not to have it in the trunk?
but presumably I could keep the box in the trunk and connect it to an outdoor extension cord?
how should I set up the tender for outdoor use? I assume the box itself would have to be in the trunk to stay out of the rain - although I’ve heard it also gets very hot and most folks prefer not to have it in the trunk?
but presumably I could keep the box in the trunk and connect it to an outdoor extension cord?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 3,340
Likes: 2,084
From: Lehigh Valley PA
Im super **** and some may consider my "winterization" steps overkill...but I let the condition of my Vettes speak for themselves:
1) Absolutely put your battery on a tender - you can close the trunk on a thin cord
2) Get an outdoor cover (soft underside - so it won't scratch anything and a waterproof top)
3) Use Meguiars Protectant (or similar) on all weatherstripping
4) Use Adams or Meguiars Leather conditioner on all leather surfaces
5) Add 3 to 4 lbs of air to all tires
6) I'm in the camp of filling the tank to FULL - add a can of Stabil
1) Absolutely put your battery on a tender - you can close the trunk on a thin cord
2) Get an outdoor cover (soft underside - so it won't scratch anything and a waterproof top)
3) Use Meguiars Protectant (or similar) on all weatherstripping
4) Use Adams or Meguiars Leather conditioner on all leather surfaces
5) Add 3 to 4 lbs of air to all tires
6) I'm in the camp of filling the tank to FULL - add a can of Stabil
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 25,008
Likes: 2,707
From: Far NW 'burbs of Chicago
St. Jude Donor '13
If OP will be driving frequently except for Jan/Feb, fill it up with Top Tier Premium, alcohol-free if you are lucky enough to find that combination. Refill when it gets below 1/2, just like most people do all year round in nice weather.
Our Corvette CTek tender gets rather warm, but I'd run the thin extension into the trunk and set the tender on top of a loop of the thick cord. The air circulation provided by the cord underneath helps cool everything, and our cord shows no deterioration after four years of use. There have also been times when I forgot to do that, and the warm tender was sitting directly on our Lloyds trunk mat for a week or so. Neither the mat nor the tender suffered for it. Sometimes the tender will look connected but lose the connection with the trunk socket, so look inside at the tender lights every few days and push/twist if necessary to get reconnected.
I'm not a fan of outdoor car covers unless you will be exposed to something unusual. It's too easy for dust/grit or moisture to get trapped under the cover and cause more problems than it prevents. Others may have more experience about this.
Our Corvette CTek tender gets rather warm, but I'd run the thin extension into the trunk and set the tender on top of a loop of the thick cord. The air circulation provided by the cord underneath helps cool everything, and our cord shows no deterioration after four years of use. There have also been times when I forgot to do that, and the warm tender was sitting directly on our Lloyds trunk mat for a week or so. Neither the mat nor the tender suffered for it. Sometimes the tender will look connected but lose the connection with the trunk socket, so look inside at the tender lights every few days and push/twist if necessary to get reconnected.
I'm not a fan of outdoor car covers unless you will be exposed to something unusual. It's too easy for dust/grit or moisture to get trapped under the cover and cause more problems than it prevents. Others may have more experience about this.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 2,279
Likes: 550
From: Pittsburgh PA
St. Jude Donor '10-'11-'12-'13-'14
If you choose to not use a car cover, put a sunshield in the windshield and throw some towels or whatever over the seats. Even in VA winters the sun can damage the interior.
Pro
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 587
Likes: 51
From: Shanghai
Put the tender on, once a battery dies it will never be the same. You can close the hatch on a thin extension cord.
Consensus generally is keep the tank at a quarter so the fuel gauge sender doesnt get tainted. For two months storage I wouldnt be too concerned if you use Top Tier gas.
Consensus generally is keep the tank at a quarter so the fuel gauge sender doesnt get tainted. For two months storage I wouldnt be too concerned if you use Top Tier gas.
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Instructor
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 199
Likes: 92
From: Wynnewood Pennsylvania
I'll be storing my car this Saturday, in the driveway under a cover, until end of February. Inside the car is the cigarette plug into the trunk outlet, then drape the cord over the spoiler (using a clean gym sock as padding), with a Battery Tender Jr. dangling at the license plate. The extension cord runs up under the car cover to connect to the charger. While others might keep the charger plugged in all the time, I plug it in on Saturday mornings when I get the paper. All charged in about 90 minutes. BTW, my outdoor circuit is GFI protected.
Washed, waxed, and totally detailed before covering. I'm in the 1/4 tank school, with Stabil Storage per instructions, dryer sheets inside, plus coffee cans with mothballs and mousetraps under the car.
Washed, waxed, and totally detailed before covering. I'm in the 1/4 tank school, with Stabil Storage per instructions, dryer sheets inside, plus coffee cans with mothballs and mousetraps under the car.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2021
Posts: 123
Likes: 40
I'll be storing my car this Saturday, in the driveway under a cover, until end of February. Inside the car is the cigarette plug into the trunk outlet, then drape the cord over the spoiler (using a clean gym sock as padding), with a Battery Tender Jr. dangling at the license plate. The extension cord runs up under the car cover to connect to the charger. While others might keep the charger plugged in all the time, I plug it in on Saturday mornings when I get the paper. All charged in about 90 minutes. BTW, my outdoor circuit is GFI protected.
Washed, waxed, and totally detailed before covering. I'm in the 1/4 tank school, with Stabil Storage per instructions, dryer sheets inside, plus coffee cans with mothballs and mousetraps under the car.
Washed, waxed, and totally detailed before covering. I'm in the 1/4 tank school, with Stabil Storage per instructions, dryer sheets inside, plus coffee cans with mothballs and mousetraps under the car.
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 199
Likes: 92
From: Wynnewood Pennsylvania
Well, there's lots of opinions to be found here and lots to learn from others, just like you're doing. One chooses what seems best to you. So, the summer I got the car I was on this site daily, and had been searching threads for car covers, battery chargers, and all the associated tips for winter storage. To answer you directly:
- Some might suggest the dryer sheets keep pests away, they don't. They just smell nice.
- Moth ***** are napthalene, not a safe product for people or wildlife, Since the scent keeps outdoor cats and squirrels away (lots in my neighborhood, and all the dogs are leashed), I put a few moth ***** in several coffee cans with a hunk of broken concrete on top, behind the wheels and other places where they're not visible. The scent comes out, but cats, squirrels and mice can't eat the mothballs. Happy to learn of a better solution here.
- Mouse traps are an obvious solution for small rodents. Last winter, seven field mice were caught under the Vette. Happy to learn of a better solution here, too.
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 26,228
Likes: 4,355
From: Chirper Island
Relatively new owner here looking for some winter storage tips
I’ve got a c7 Z51 convertible, no garage so car will be parked in the driveway. I live in VA, plan to drive it pretty regularly in December and March, so the storage window is basically just Jan and Feb
- I have the OEM battery tender, but as I said no garage. Do I use the tender in the driveway? Or just let the battery die and jump start it spring?
- how much fuel should the car have for storage?
- any other tips / suggestions are appreciated
I’ve got a c7 Z51 convertible, no garage so car will be parked in the driveway. I live in VA, plan to drive it pretty regularly in December and March, so the storage window is basically just Jan and Feb
- I have the OEM battery tender, but as I said no garage. Do I use the tender in the driveway? Or just let the battery die and jump start it spring?
- how much fuel should the car have for storage?
- any other tips / suggestions are appreciated
Where do you live?
CF Community Team
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 14,114
Likes: 7,406
From: Pittsburgh
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2 months of storage is no big deal, keep the battery tender on it though, cover it with a quality outdoor cover
Advanced
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 83
Likes: 44
From: Tyrol
winter storage
You are all right.
In my opinion, all advices will help. But they don't have to be. I did all of that in the beginning.
Now I have come to the realization that it is a plastic car and not an atomic submarine.
I bought my former C6 convertible in Austria in 2012. Production date 2008. 3 years stored in an imported seaport parking lot, 1 year at the dealer. Sometimes these are new US-cars for us.
No problems apart from a rusty key in the 2 remote controls.
Today I just increase the air pressure in the tires and connect a charger (the C7 can do 6-7 weeks without it). Tank full, half, quarter full, I didn't notice any difference.
Because of our climate, 6 months winter, 6 months cold, the corvette is 6 months in the garage.
I envy drivers who can only not drive their car for 2 months.
Greetings from snowy Tyrol / Austria Dietmar
Excuse my english, I`m from Austria and not from Australia
In my opinion, all advices will help. But they don't have to be. I did all of that in the beginning.
Now I have come to the realization that it is a plastic car and not an atomic submarine.
I bought my former C6 convertible in Austria in 2012. Production date 2008. 3 years stored in an imported seaport parking lot, 1 year at the dealer. Sometimes these are new US-cars for us.
No problems apart from a rusty key in the 2 remote controls.
Today I just increase the air pressure in the tires and connect a charger (the C7 can do 6-7 weeks without it). Tank full, half, quarter full, I didn't notice any difference.
Because of our climate, 6 months winter, 6 months cold, the corvette is 6 months in the garage.
I envy drivers who can only not drive their car for 2 months.
Greetings from snowy Tyrol / Austria Dietmar
Excuse my english, I`m from Austria and not from Australia
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2021
Posts: 123
Likes: 40
Thanks to all for the help.
It sounds like the battery tender is a must, although I’m still unsure how I’ll set it up outdoors. If I leave the tender itself inside the trunk (I have a convertible so not a hatch), then presumably where the plug from the tender connects to my outdoor extension cord will be outside and exposed to the elements. Is that safe? I suppose we do the same thing with our Christmas lights, but those are slightly less expensive to replace than a C7 should something go wrong haha
It sounds like the battery tender is a must, although I’m still unsure how I’ll set it up outdoors. If I leave the tender itself inside the trunk (I have a convertible so not a hatch), then presumably where the plug from the tender connects to my outdoor extension cord will be outside and exposed to the elements. Is that safe? I suppose we do the same thing with our Christmas lights, but those are slightly less expensive to replace than a C7 should something go wrong haha
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,405
Likes: 481
From: NY
^^Given possible concerns of running an extension cord (including tripping hazard), I'd consider pulling the battery.
Or perhaps someone will comment on the option to simply disconnect the battery during the down months.
Or perhaps someone will comment on the option to simply disconnect the battery during the down months.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 2,279
Likes: 550
From: Pittsburgh PA
St. Jude Donor '10-'11-'12-'13-'14
