Owners manual storage question

[F1Fan]

So I will be putting my 2017 GT away for the winter this weekend. I’ve got my tarp to park on, bounce sheets for the mice, steel wool for the pipes, fuel stabilizer, four stage battery tender, etc. Put it to sleep until the spring, right?
Here’s the thing....
The manual right from Ford says nothing about fuel stabilizer. It says to start the car and run it for 15 minutes every 15 days. No tender for the battery. On top of that, the top service manager at Meadowvale Ford told me not to even think about changing the oil now or in the spring as I only have 1900 kms on the car. (10,000 kms recommended schedule for oil changes). Manual says to change it?

My idea is to leave the battery hooked up so I don’t mess up the computer and let the float program in the battery tender take care of things until the spring. It worked for my bike for 10 years. I think I will skip the oil change also.

What do you fine people think about all of that?

[ZR]

IMHO

Fuel stab = yes
pump up tires = yes
battery tender = yes
start car over winter = strong no
change oil early = yes (+ at half of suggested mileage moving forward)
steel wool for tail pipes = yes
Bounce sheets = yes (hit or miss as to how effective though but at least car smells nice)

Most if not all storage spots require battery disconnected. Reasoning, if critters do get at your car n start chewing wires, no fire.

[Ponyryd]

^Agreed.
Although personally I never use a battery tender, just disconnect negative and reconnect in the spring.

[F1Fan]

So if I disconnect the battery what does that do to the computer in the spring

[Armen]

So if I disconnect the battery what does that do to the computer in the spring

Everything returns to normal when you hook it back up. I have a 2015 GT convertible and I did this last season. I haven't done anything this season because I just drove the car a few days ago before the weather turned bad, lol.

I did have my oil changed recently but only because it was time to do it. If it wasn't, I'd leave it till spring. I also do the bounce sheets. I don't do fuel stabilizer (Shell 91 in the tank - no ethanol). I don't over inflate the tires.

You'll hear lots of different advice on this topic. Honestly, you're not gonna hurt the car just parking it and disconnecting the battery. Some guys go the extra mile and that's not gonna hurt it either.

[F1Fan]

Yes it’s funny how the people who built the car say one thing and so many other people say differently, even a Ford service manager. So many of the ideas make sense but really, is there not one clear solution? It’s very confusing

[Armen]

Yes it’s funny how the people who built the car say one thing and so many other people say differently, even a Ford service manager. So many of the ideas make sense but really, is there not one clear solution? It’s very confusing

The service manager might be concerned because you're still breaking in the motor. But with almost 2K on the odo, I think the parts have done all the meshing they're gonna do at that point, in a modern motor.

Do what makes you feel good. Wanna change the oil? Do it. Do you want to start it twice a month, leaving the battery connected? Do it. Wanna put bounce sheets everywhere? Go ahead.

Basically, unless you're sneaking into your garage in the winter and taking a sledge hammer to it, it will be completely fine with just some of the tips mentioned in this thread.

A lot of the stuff done is for people's own peace of mind and prolly makes very little difference to the car.

Personally, with mine, I filled the tank with Shell 91, disconnected the neg cable on the battery, threw in a couple of bounce sheets and covered it. I checked it a couple times over the winter looking for any sign of rodents and found none. Come March, I reconnected it and it started right up. Some will do more. Others will do less. In the end, we were all driving around last season looking good, lol.

[WTF]

the problem as I understand with occasionally starting the motor is you won't get it up to proper operating temps before you shut it down.....so it creates moisture

not sure how long it takes an idling car to get up to proper operating temps versus driving it under load....but likely way longer than most folks would start and let it idle in the garage

bump the tire pressures...add fuel stabilizer before the last short drive....park it with something between the tires and concrete floor.....disconnect and/or remove battery....clean it....put a cover on it and forget about it until spring

[Ponyryd]

Yes it’s funny how the people who built the car say one thing and so many other people say differently, even a Ford service manager. So many of the ideas make sense but really, is there not one clear solution? It’s very confusing

I don’t know the manager at your dealership, but my service manager knows very, very little about cars, and even less about engines.

When I store my stuff, sadly it stays outside, but I do a good wash in and out, full tank of fuel with stabilizer, (although I didn’t this year) disconnect battery and some bounce sheets under the seats, then put the cover on, and steel wool in the tails, done.

I don’t touch the tires, or any of that other stuff, I change the oil in the spring after a good long run.

[F1Fan]

Ya, a short motor run I believe is bad for condensation in the motor. That I believe.
I’ll go with what I know I suppose, and what I’ve learned from here. I’ll disconnect the battery use the battery tender and hook it back up in the spring. Tarp and styrofoam pads I have to park on, so I should be good to go.
It’s the first time of ever stored a vehicle so I’m not quite sure of the pros and cons to it all

[RedSN]

It’s only going away for a few months, not a few years.
I disconnect the battery, and that’s it. I’m OBD1 tho, so don’t have to worry about testing the computer in the spring. If I was OBD2 is would likely keep it connected and put a tender on it.

[F1Fan]

Sorry, OBD1& OBD2?
Ok, Google was just my friend!
Got it

[Ponyryd]

Actually obd2 is barely affected by losing battery voltage, whereas obd1 needs to relearn after losing battery voltage. Either way it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t disconnect your battery, the only thing that sucks about it is needing to reset your clock.

[F1Fan]

I need to reset my clock???
That’s it! Mustang for sale😜

[Ponyryd]

^Lol. But if it has nav it should sync to the gps clock, no for sale ad needed :)

[F1Fan]

Just thinking, I did not do anything with the battery yet and will for sure tomorrow.
As I am a bit worried about using the Tender hooked to the battery in the car, in the garage where I can’t see what is going on all the time, I will just disconnect this winter to see how things go.
Is just disconnecting the negative terminal
good enough or should I take both off.
And if only the neg. do I need to wrap it with something non conductive? Will it short if the negative cable touches something?
Thanks again people.

[94stang87]

I always pull my battery out and put it on charge in my basement

[Ponyryd]

Negative only, no need to wrap.

[NickD]

My car has the stock battery from 2005, since I've owned it, per ricks recommendations I disconnect the neg and leave the battery in the car, every year its started first crank when I take it out of storage in the spring, it sometimes sits for weeks without driving in the spring and never had a tender on it once.

Sent from my Nexus 9 using Tapatalk

[F1Fan]

Done. Negative disconnected. Drivers window in the dropped position and now dreaming of spring.
Thanks to all! Happy New Year!