winter storage

[CarolinaTKE]

Re: winter storage

On the hardtop battery drain, my car used to do that until I had the dealership take a look at it. They found a faulty climate control module that was trying to be helpful by turning on my rear defroster automatically--even if the car was off! They replaced it (and messed up my radio, which resulted in another repair), but she doesn't run her battery down with the hard top in place anymore.

[Chuck]

Re: winter storage

I’ve been storing my bird over the winter since its 1st winter in 2004. Here’s what I do:

*) Full tank of gas with Stabil fuel stabilizer
*) Hard top on
*) Battery tender
*) Raise each tire and place it on a 2x12
*) 42psi of air in each tire (came from the factory like this)
*) California Car Cover on
*) Windows left open a crack
Ok here’s the “Chuck over the top part”:
*) Car is in a bag - http://www.hvaa.com/carbag_concept.htm
*) 5 desiccant packs (1 in the trunk, 1 under the hood, 1 on the console, 2 on the floor under the car)
*) Hood & trunk propped open with a piece of PVC plumbing pipe.

Desiccant packs in the trunk, under the hood & on the console are on news paper. PVC pipe has a 2x2 on top and bottom as to not leave little round circles – of course the 2x2s are sitting on newspaper

On the rear defroster draining the batters, I believe this is a known problem and there is a TSB for it

[Chuck]

Re: winter storage

I forgot to mention, I think it was JohnnyGumBalls that found a solar powered “battery tender” which he used last season. Don’t know how effective it was, you might want to shoot him a PM

[Bond #578]

Re: winter storage

Don't forget to put wool socks on the exhaust pipes (keeps any varmits out).
Do not lock car (perimeter security drains battery).

[gp97]

Re: winter storage

Hers's my take on winter storage - I've stored for 2002 since new, first year in cold storage, then in heated storage.

• Soft top up
• Be sure that the car is clean and dry
• Full tank of fuel, then add Stay-Bil
• Disconnect the battery (be careful to keep your window down just enough to open the door in the spring). I don't remove the battery, actually a little easier on the battery if stored in cold storage. You will lose the electronics when you disconnect it. If you don't disconnect it, it will go dead without a battery tender and you will lose the electronics anyway. I don't have access to a electricity where it is stored, not an option to use a battery tender
• Cover the car with a car cover. If you are just keeping dust off, most car covers will work.
• Place a number of dryer sheets in the interior of the car and in the trunk. We used to store our boat and other cars with a retired farmer who always said that the dryer sheets will keep mice out. I don't know if this is true, only that we never had mice in our boat or other cars that we stored there.
• I also put a piece of carpet under the car. Buy a remnant, foam backed, about the size of the car, lay it on the concrete and drive the Thunderbird on it. If there is any moisture that comes up from the concrete, the carpet will absorb the moisture and keep it away from the car.
• Change oil when you take it out in the spring.

Gary

[Guest]

Re: winter storage

I completely agree with your steps, Gary. Only difference is that I have electricity so I use a battery tender.

[Blue Heaven]

Re: winter storage

Like Chuck, I’ve been storing my bird over the winter since new back in '02. Here’s what I do:

*) Full tank of gas with Stabil fuel stabilizer
*) Soft top up
*) Battery tender connected, trunk propped open with a short piece of 4x4 wrapped in microfiber and sitting on a towel.
*) Raise each tire and place it on 3/4" MDF
*) Windows left open a crack
*) Car cover on
*) Car sealed in Ze-Rust storage bag

Never had an issue of any kind in the spring, she starts right up and looks like the day I put her away!

[Johnny Gumballs]

Re: winter storage

I never bought the solar powered tender. I am gonna try and keep her in the storage spot without it. I will just start it a couple of times per week. That's where I have my gumball storage and shop so I am there every day. I cover the car with the soft top up and that's about it. Oh yeah, I put the tires on some wood. I may try the fuuel stabilizer additive this winter though.

[RQTBIRD]

Re: winter storage

I do store mine only for inclement weather. If we get a nice dry road day I may take it for a short drive.

Warning:
One thing I have found is if you do store it make sure there is no big temperature swings. I had it covered one winter and on a spring day the garage warmed up faster than the concrete floor or the metal in the car. When I removed the Ford cover it was full of moisture. It now gets stored in a garage with a heated floor.

[Chuck]

Re: winter storage

Gary, you may want to reconsider disconnecting the battery. As was posted earlier and is documented in the owner’s manual, the car "learns" and "remembers" stuff - I've yet to uncover what that "stuff" is. I believe that with each year (02 - 03 - 04 & 05 - 04 & 05 being the same) Ford increased the memory in the PCM to remember more and more "stuff". Disconnecting the battery causes this "stuff" to be lost. From some of the R&D I've done, it takes 3 - 7,000 miles to relearn the parameters.

[UncleTurbo]

Re: winter storage

Spike, I read most of the posts and there is a lot of good advice. I know how cold and nasty winter can be in S. St. Marie so good luck! I used to make sales calls in Newberry, and S. St. Marie while living in Traverse City, MI years back. Now I live in the mountains of NE PA and we get a good amount of snow here too, but nothing like the cold "clippers" that hit you. Mainly I don't want to expose the body and undercarriage to all the salt and gunk they spread on the roads in the winter. Therefore I park my bird in the garage for the winter. I do add some stabil to the gas tank sometime in Dec. I don't have a hardtop. Prior to the Dec. parking I wash and wax the bird and give it a good general cleaning. My yearly inspection is due in Oct. so I get an oil change then too. Over the winter on "good days" I'll fire it up and take it out for some errands just to get the fluids moving and make sure the brake calipers don't "freeze" up. Then I park it again. Most winters I get it out of the garage once every 5 to 6 weeks for a short spin. This routine seems to keep the battery charged without need of a battery tender (which I do own) and protects the seals in the power steering, brakes, transmission, motor, and differential. I offer this as an option to sealing the car up completely and not driving it for 6 months. I feel it is better to drive the car, even a little, rather than letting it stand for 4 to 6 months. I have had bad experiences with other cars that I have stored for long periods. Things like an alternator that froze up on a Honda and brakes pads "stuck" to the rotors, and mice infestation. In the spring all I need to do is another oil change based on 6 months rather than mileage and we are back in business. The spring oil change is a quick do it yourself job and I don't even bother changing the filter. Today we are getting 4 to 6 inches of snow. Tomorrow I've got the bird scheduled for COP issues at the local Ford dealer. I'm hoping the snow melts fast so it is not too sloopy on the roads. Winter seems to be early this year!

[FUN X 3]

Re: winter storage

Wow, reading all these posts sure makes me glad I drive my car year-round!

[RMF1960]

Re: winter storage

Hi All,
I have had several collectible cars over the years, and I live in the Chicago area, which is NOT AT ALL hospitable to cars in winter. That said, there is no need for an elaborate storage process. Assuming your garage is not heated, just make sure the tank is full (Stabil is a good idea). I usually change my oil before storage, check coolant level and make sure it is good. I also use two "auto / boat sized" dessicants, and toss these into the passenger compartment to ensure dryness.
Most importantly, I fire it up every couple of weeks, back it out of the garage, let it get up to operating temp if it's dry out (and no salt dust blowing around), I spin it around the block once or twice to keep the tires in shape.
That's about it. I'm sure we'll see varying opinions on this, but I believe in a "semi-storage" state. You're asking for problems by disconnecting the battery, etc. Not necessary.

[Lindy]

Re: winter storage

Hi! From Wisconsin. Hey, a couple of you mentioned storing your T-bird on carpeting or cardboard (as a precaution). Maybe I'm just a dummy, but why cardboard? Also I was wondering if there is any risk (such as a power surge) to the car's computer, when using a battery-tender? (got mine through Amazon.com on sale) Will probably be using the battery-tender if we get frozen-in this winter, or slushy-salty roads, so that the bluebird can't air out around the block. Right now we are enjoying a balmy Indian Summer in Manitowoc County. Tempted to take the hard top off!

[MATBird]

Re: winter storage

Lindy: We certainly all have different opinions so allow me to offer mine....Do not use carpet or cardboard. They both absorb moisture and areas above them will be affected.
Two potential solutions, I use a full plastic sheet under the entire car. That keeps miosture below it and 4 pieces of 2' x 4' plywood under the tires.
You would be surprised in the spring when you remove the plastic how much moisture is under there.
BTW, I've been using Battery Tenders for over 30 years now and I'm sure there have been a couple of electric surges in all of that time - Just never had a problem though.