Winter storage question

[LouG]

I'd change the oil before so as to get any contaminants out of the oil pan etc. But I'd use cheap mineral oil and do another change after hibernation.
Also, drain the current oil when hot.

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[Starship Enterprise]

All great advice, keeping in mind about starting the car and engaging the gears once every 2 weeks. Apparently from what I read if the car sits for over 2 weeks and the battery goes into sleep mode, the battery tender no longer works on it.

Makes me wonder about disconnecting the ground instead?

 

[Paul's stable]

I do not plan to drive my car over the winter and was planning to cover and hookup a tender to her. My question is I expected to put more miles before storing but life got in the way. I just hit 1k and was planning to do an oil change at 1500. Would you all say change it before or after winter at this point? figure I would be fine with a full tank and no additive as the garage is heated.

Any thoughts on going full synthetic from this point forward? I appreciate any feedback you have. I may not have driven her much but the times I have been able to get out have been great. I want to make sure I hit the spring ready to go.

I take my Dark Horse of the road for the winter. It lives in a rodent free heated insulated garage. I fill up with 94 add fuel stabilizer. Then hook up the battery tender and put the cover on it after I have cleaned and waxed it. Then about every couple of weeks I fire it up let it idle for a few minutes then move it ahead or back a couple of feet just to engage the clutch and keep the tires from sitting in one spot. Then by spring it's time for it's oil change of full synthetic under the extended maintenance warranty program. Paid for it so might as well use it.

 

[SR5BART]

I actually just hit 1k on mine and did the oil change at work with Penzoil ultra platinum 5w30 full synthetic and a motorcraft filter today. Oil came out super clean but I wanted to get all the crap that might be in the engine out of it since I did put the car through its paces a few times. Car will sit as soon as salt hits the roads here and I will drive it right up until that point. And next oil change will be at 5k on the odometer or 1 year from today. Whichever comes first. She will sit on a battery tender in the garage once I know it won’t be moving for a while.

 

[Ewags81]

I try to keep the tank full of fresh 93 with stabil 360 once driving slows down. praying for the next clear dry 35 plus degree day. no tender or battery issues yet. but i do try to sneak it out at least once a month. also increase tire pressure and I've got a set of tire cribs on the way to help keep the tires round while it sits. rodent deterrent under car and cabfresh bags in fenders and kick panels. i prefer lubricant changes in the spring when possible.

 

[Skye]

@Skye why no parking brake when up for storage? Also, do you use your parking brake (ebrake) when, say parked in your garage or around town to keep the transmission off the pawl if you have an automatic?

Those are some topics I should clarify.

I have a 6G car with a manual trans.

As mentioned earlier, one concern is the pads sticking, especially after detailing like a lot of us do for storage prep. To help prevent that any time of year, I do a slow parade lap around the block before parking. Any wetness in the brakes is shaken off and the discs are rubbed dry.

The other concern is I don't like to leave the brake engaged for extended periods. It's kind of like holding your arm up in the air for a week without moving it. You can do it. But it'd tend to lock in-place.

Otherwise, while I don't use my parking brake all the time, I do remember to engage it occasionally, to keep everything working.

With a manual, if there is any stress on the clutch assembly, driving shaft or gears for extended periods, I'd like to remove that. Putting it in neutral lets everything rest. If I had an automatic, it wouldn't be as much of a concern. But I'd probably still chock the wheels, then turn the vehicle off in Neutral. It's my process.

Apparently from what I read if the car sits for over 2 weeks and the battery goes into sleep mode, the battery tender no longer works on it.

About the 13 to 14 day mark, Skye will alert me of sleep mode. I've also noticed my tender will often go from stage 7 (float) to stage 8 (an occasional pulse, to keep the batt topped-up) around this time.

The attachment explains the stages available/used with the Ford Performance (CTEK) tender.

My tender has the negative lead attached to the chassis, the positive lead to the fuse box, and ultimately the battery.

All indications are while the car is in sleep mode, the battery continues to be monitored by the tender and topped-up when needed. Given the car is locked, sleeping and at rest, the amount of draw is probably quite low.

From Day 14, nothing changes. The car just sits. The tender stays in Stage 8 unless I disturb the car.

I've found I can take the car out of sleep by simply unlocking it. Probably any activity will wake the car. After locking and another two weeks, Sleep mode will engage again.

I made a comment about Li batts earlier. For those with Li batteries or considering those, the following links provide details on topics to be aware of. I'm not anti-Li or anything, but the batts are a bit different than what many of us are used to. A new tool, needing some new insight.

https://antigravitybatteries.com/restart-technology/

https://antigravitybatteries.com/help-center/faq/lithium-starter-batteries/#electrical-charging

 

[Starship Enterprise]

good stuff! When you say you connect the neg lead to the chassis...do you mean the ground post, or is yours right hand drive where it's too far away?

 

[Skye]

When you say you connect the neg lead to the chassis...do you mean the ground post

Yes. The main chassis ground, near the shock tower; this allows BMS to capture the current flow from the tender and ultimately to the battery.

The other lead, the "+", is attached to the fuse panel. Attaching here allows for clean runs and lessens the chance of any entanglements.

Here's one thread for a S650:

https://www.mustang7g.com/forums/threads/installed-noco-gen-5-battery-maintainer.162855/

https://www.google.com/search?q=mus...HQYpHw0QrQIoAnoECBoQAw&biw=1453&bih=734&dpr=2

 

[DevilDog]

I've been storing cars for 25 years and I always change the oil before I put them away.

 

[Starship Enterprise]

Yes. The main chassis ground, near the shock tower; this allows BMS to capture the current flow from the tender and ultimately to the battery.

The other lead, the "+", is attached to the fuse panel. Attaching here allows for clean runs and lessens the chance of any entanglements.

Here's one thread for a S650:

https://www.mustang7g.com/forums/threads/installed-noco-gen-5-battery-maintainer.162855/

https://www.google.com/search?q=mus...HQYpHw0QrQIoAnoECBoQAw&biw=1453&bih=734&dpr=2

totally different for 2025...lol.

 

[klopklop]

All great advice, keeping in mind about starting the car and engaging the gears once every 2 weeks. Apparently from what I read if the car sits for over 2 weeks and the battery goes into sleep mode, the battery tender no longer works on it.

Makes me wonder about disconnecting the ground instead?

correct its happened to me. was on vacation for 3 weeks and put the car on a tender before i left. at 2 weeks the ford pass app started telling me the car is in deep sleep mode.

 

[AZ_Ryan]

Delete. Wrong thread.

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