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12-01-2007, 08:32 AM
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Senior Club Cobra Member
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Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Grants Pass,
OR
Cobra Make, Engine: SPF #2450, Roush 342RE
Posts: 207
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Not Ranked
Winter Battery Storage
How do you keep your battery up during winter...trickle charger, shut off power, removal ???
I have an Optima. They say a trickle charger can be used.
What is your experience?
Thanks, Ivan
__________________
Forget the health food...I need all the preservatives I can get !!!
Last edited by 65cobra1; 12-01-2007 at 08:37 AM..
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12-01-2007, 08:53 AM
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CC Member
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Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Senoia,
Ga.
Cobra Make, Engine: 427SO with big twin autolite inlines on custom intake, jag rear, top loader, wembeldon white, guardsmen blue stripes
Posts: 3,155
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Not Ranked
Just crank up the car once a week..........
__________________
Perry
Remember!, there's a huge difference between a 'parts' changer, and a mechanic.
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12-01-2007, 09:18 AM
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Senior Club Cobra Member
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Join Date: Aug 1999
Location: Ellington,
CT
Cobra Make, Engine: Classic Roadster 351W, T5, Red & White
Posts: 3,478
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Not Ranked
__________________
2014 Porsche Cayman S, 2014 M-B CLA 45 AMG,
Unkown:"Their sweet lines all but take my breath away, and I desire them as much for their beauty as for their use "
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12-01-2007, 09:44 AM
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CC Member
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Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Flower Mound, TX,
tx
Cobra Make, Engine: Lonestar LS 427, Keith Craft 501,Toploader
Posts: 883
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Not Ranked
Yes, use a battery tender.
__________________
" It ain't no big deal" 
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12-01-2007, 10:00 AM
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Senior Club Cobra Member
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Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Grants Pass,
OR
Cobra Make, Engine: SPF #2450, Roush 342RE
Posts: 207
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Not Ranked
Looks like I'll get me a Battery Tender.
Thanks for the info,
Ivan
__________________
Forget the health food...I need all the preservatives I can get !!!
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12-01-2007, 10:30 AM
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Half-Ass Member
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Join Date: Jun 2005
Cobra Make, Engine: ERA #732, 428FE (447 CID), TKO600, Solid Flat Tappet Cam, Tons of Aluminum
Posts: 22,011
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Not Ranked
Or you could just do nothing...
I just let mine sit until Spring... and it starts right up.
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12-01-2007, 01:04 PM
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Canadian Gashole
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Join Date: Mar 1999
Location: Quebec, Canada,
QC
Cobra Make, Engine: Johnex 427 S/C, 351W, 472 HP, 444 lbs. torque
Posts: 2,455
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Not Ranked
My opinion is to not start it up once it has been shut down for the winter. I put the charger on the battery for an hour or so 2 or 3 times during the winter just to keep it topped up.
Wayne
__________________
Don't get caught dead, sitting on your seat belt.
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12-01-2007, 01:06 PM
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Senior Club Cobra Member
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Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Southern Connecticut,
CT
Cobra Make, Engine: SPF - 351W, 944 non-turbo
Posts: 2,105
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Not Ranked
If there is no draw on the battery it will easily go through the winter unattended.
Bob
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12-01-2007, 02:32 PM
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CC Member
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Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Oxford Ct. and Englewood,Fl.,
CT
Cobra Make, Engine: Backdraft 351W Balanced/Blueprinted 360HP / Tremec 5 Speed
Posts: 93
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Not Ranked
Ivan..I have a Cobra and 3 other toys I store during the winter. I use battery tenders on all of them and have had great results and extended battery life on all 4 cars....Gordon
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12-01-2007, 04:14 PM
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CC Member
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Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Thousand Oaks,
CA
Cobra Make, Engine: Classic Roadster
Posts: 1,367
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Not Ranked
I have heard that starting up the car to warm the engine will attract condensation as it cools, thus oxidation. Depending on where you live it might be best to leave it in the garage uncovered and cold while the weather is bad. I'm no expert on this cold weather storage but thought it was worth the mention.
John
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12-01-2007, 05:08 PM
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Senior Club Cobra Member
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Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Covington,
wa
Cobra Make, Engine: Superformance # 532, 466 BB, 560HP
Posts: 3,027
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Not Ranked
Quote:
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Originally Posted by MaSnaka
I have heard that starting up the car to warm the engine will attract condensation as it cools, thus oxidation. Depending on where you live it might be best to leave it in the garage uncovered and cold while the weather is bad. I'm no expert on this cold weather storage but thought it was worth the mention.
John
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You are no expert, but you have the correct answer.
Unless you are planning on driving it, it's best to let it set. Just starting it up generally will not get everything up to operating tempatures and when that happens you do get condensation issues. |
12-01-2007, 05:45 PM
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Senior Club Cobra Member
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Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Glendale,
AZ.
Cobra Make, Engine: Cobray-C3, The 60's body lines on todays chassis technology
Posts: 2,302
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Not Ranked
I would think the benifits of wetting all seals and gaskets plus the change or rotation of open/closed valve springs plus new gas in carb bowls all kinda offset condensation possibilty. Gotta be a break even point or hot enough to burn off most condensate?????
Harbor Freight is selling a battery tender or low charge rat goodie for 3 bucks. Plug it in and let it top off the battery, advertising on box claims to solve all stored battery problems. Off sale price of battery tender is a whooping 7 bucks so cheap enopugh if it does what it claims and great for gel cell batteries. Hell I live in Phoenix what do I know about cold areas ??
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12-01-2007, 09:35 PM
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CC Member
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Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Lehigh Valley, PA,
PA
Cobra Make, Engine: Look-a-like cobra POS
Posts: 955
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Not Ranked
"Battery Tender +".
It works.
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B. Ewing
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12-02-2007, 10:07 AM
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Senior Club Cobra Member
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Join Date: Aug 1999
Location: Ellington,
CT
Cobra Make, Engine: Classic Roadster 351W, T5, Red & White
Posts: 3,478
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Not Ranked
Seems to have worked for me in the past for inside storage:
* Full tank of fresh gas ( winter mix ) w/ Sta-Bil
* Tires inflated to normal pressure
* Use of Battery Tender or removal of battery if no electricity in off site storage facility and then connect the Battery Tender at home
* Tarp on cement floor to block condensation/moisture
* Not covered, limits condensation build up w/ fluctuating temperatures
* Oil change
* Liberal placement inside of dryer sheets such as Bounce . Or, use of moth balls, don't know which approach is more effective. If not screened, block the air inlets to engine and inside.
I vaguely remember from an article , if a vehicle is started in the winter, minimum of 1/2 hour run time @ RPM equal to 20 MPH ?
__________________
2014 Porsche Cayman S, 2014 M-B CLA 45 AMG,
Unkown:"Their sweet lines all but take my breath away, and I desire them as much for their beauty as for their use "
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12-02-2007, 10:55 AM
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Senior Club Cobra Member
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Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Southern Connecticut,
CT
Cobra Make, Engine: SPF - 351W, 944 non-turbo
Posts: 2,105
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Not Ranked
Be careful about leaving car uncovered. If left in an unheated garage at very low ambient for an extended period, the whole car can become covered in water should a warm (moist) weather system move in. Much like a cold can of soda in a warm humid room.
Bob
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12-02-2007, 01:20 PM
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CC Member
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Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Des Moines,
IA
Cobra Make, Engine: SPF 545" stroked 460 - sold
Posts: 239
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Not Ranked
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12-02-2007, 02:14 PM
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CC Member
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Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Cape Coral,
FL
Cobra Make, Engine: 2009 Solbra
Posts: 3,861
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Not Ranked
__________________
Dan Wulff
I carry a gun because a cop is too heavy.
(No doubt, most will blame it on the donuts.)
You're just jealous because the voices only talk to me
Earth is the insane asylum for the universe.
The gene pool could use a little chlorine.
The original point and click interface was a Smith & Wesson.
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12-02-2007, 08:11 PM
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Senior Club Cobra Member
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Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Santa Fe,
NM
Cobra Make, Engine: Cardiac, 428 FE
Posts: 301
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Not Ranked
You can save some money over the Battery Tender by going to Sears and buying their battery maintainer. I've used it successfully on my Optima battery for the last 2 winters (get's pretty cold, but dry, here). I drain the radiator and put in fresh A/F with corrosion inhibitor and a bottle of Redline Waterwetter. Of course, I have added Sta-Bil to the gasoline and ran it a bit to get it through the fuel system.
After all that, I let it sit for the winter. Seems to work OK for me.
I also use an Accumate charger/maintainer for my motorcycle and have found it to be outstanding. Here's a link for it:
http://www.hotrodssuperstore.com/acautcharand.html
Shop around for the Accumate as the price varies and it usually is about the same price as a Battery Tender, but can be found cheaper. These maintainers prevent sulfation in the battery which will short cells out if the battery isn't on a maintainer. Well worth the money and hassle come spring.
Paul |
12-03-2007, 12:16 AM
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Senior Club Cobra Member
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Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: West Linn,
OR
Cobra Make, Engine: ERA #684, 428 FE, TKO600
Posts: 1,378
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Not Ranked
I use a small battery manager from Griot's on my Optima and it has stood me in good stead over the past 3 years. It's a small unit and can be attached with either alligator clips or (as I did) with the supplied hard wire harness.
http://www.griotsgarage.com/catalog....500&L2=L2_4000
DonC |
12-03-2007, 03:35 AM
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Senior Club Cobra Member
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Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Shasta Lake,
CA
Cobra Make, Engine:
Posts: 26,597
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Not Ranked
I have a couple of Battery Tenders that I got from NAPA and have used for 5 years on both Optima and regular lead acid cell batteries. Never a problem.
Ron |
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