Winter storage questions

[bz1mcr]

I bought a 1997 last spring and sadly in Michigan it is time to park it. Other than puting a trickle charger on the battery, what do I need to do?

Is taking the weight off the tires a good idea?
How about seting it up on the frame so the weight is off the suspension also?

Is there a way to check the coolant? I don't know how long it has been in there.

 

[B/STOCK]

First get rid of the trickle charger an hook up a battery tender. If the car is already in storage and you have a air compressor put about 40 psi in the tires. If not don't worry about it. Don't worry about taking the weight off the suspension either its better to just let it sit for the winter. Go to your local auto supply store and pick up a coolant tester. I am sure there is a proper name for it but they will know what your talking about. Its very easy to do. Also do a search on "winter storage" and it will give you a lot of info.

 

[KOPBET]

Hydrometer coolant testers are a waste of money IMHO. They are temperature dependant, very error prone due to several reasons, cannot be used with propylene glycol antifreeze only ethelyne glycol, and thus can give you a false feeling of security or just bad results. Over concentration of antifreeze over 70 % is just as bad as under concentration of antifreeze. Refractometer coolant testers are much better and more accurate, are often temperature corrected and can be used with both types of coolant. Problem is they are expensive. I would find a service outlet or mechanic that has a refractomer and have the coolant tested.

JMHO.

 

[tnovot]

winter storage

I assume you have already done the more obvious like changing the oil and filter and adding fuel stabilizer to the gas tank and then running the car for a few minutes?

 

[bz1mcr]

Thanks guys.

Thanks for the suggeations.

A search on "winter storage" turned up a lot more material, but your stuff hit the high spots. I had washed and waxed the outside and treated tires and interior leather already.

I called it a "trickle charger" but the one I have is voltage regulated and is puting out less than 50 mA. I'm not familiar with the "battery tender" but I don't know what else it can do.

If there is a battery/charger expert out there who can explaine please help.

 

[tnovot]

battery storage

On 12-12-03 there was a thread containing very comprehensive information about battery chargers vs. the battery tender. If you do a search, it should show up.
There is also a related follow-up thread on 12-20 which has additional info.

 

[bz1mcr]

Battery tender links

Here are the links to the posts tnovot mentioned in his message above.

http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=40612&highlight=battery+tender

http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=40807&highlight=battery+tender



I still see no advantage of the $50 battery tender over a $20 or less voltage regulated battery maintainer. I have used maintainer of this type for at least the last 5 years on my boat and personal watercraft batteries. I have never had one loose charge or elecrolite. They are always ready to go in the spring and I have not replaced a battery since I started using them. The tender does come with a nice harness with battery connectors and wires terminating in a polerized plug. That harness remains in the car, and you just unplug it from the Tender when you want to drive away. I planned to make a harness like that for convience anyway.

 

[Tims93]

I like to do all the things mentioned above and I also lay a sheet of 6 mil. plastic under the car. If you don't have a heated garage the moisture can really collect on the concrete, especially towards spring when the temps and humidity are up and down alot. Take care, Tim