Any tips for winter storage?
 

I'm probably going to be putting my Crossfire away for the winter in the next few weeks. It's going to a 10'x15' semi-heated (doesn't get below 50 degrees) storage unit for $129/mo. I couldn't heat my own garage for less than $100/mo. so I think it's pretty reasonable.

Right now I'm driving off the tank of gas I put in about a month ago so I can fill it halfway with fresh gas and let it sit on that. I don't intend to add fuel stabilizer unless somebody tells me it's necessary.

I don't think I'll leave a battery tender on it full-time either. I'll probably stop by at least once a month and charge it.

I heard you're not supposed to start the car occasionally while storing either. Anybody have any opinions on that?

Any suggestions?

Re: Any tips for winter storage?
 

Kind of goes against everything I have been taught. Even though I live in a warm climate I drive my baby a lot less in the winter. I fill my tank and add stabilizer. I do use a battery tender and I do start me car no less than every 30 days to keep the internals lubricated and discourage any condensation in the oil. I also move it about 6" every time I start it to lube the trans. and avoid flat spots on the tires. I did the same with my collectibles as a young man in the Midwest. Just makes sense to me.:confused:

Re: Any tips for winter storage?
 

Rather than repeat what has been said before I suggest you put 'storage' in the search box and see what has been suggested before. Lots of useless info but also all the suggestions ever made.

Re: Any tips for winter storage?
 

Ditto, VERY subjective. 50°, I see no problems with your plans but as you will see, others may.

Re: Any tips for winter storage?
 

Move down here and don't worry about it.

Re: Any tips for winter storage?
 

I'm probably going to be putting my Crossfire away for the winter in the next few weeks. It's going to a 10'x15' semi-heated (doesn't get below 50 degrees) storage unit for $129/mo. I couldn't heat my own garage for less than $100/mo. so I think it's pretty reasonable.
Agreed. Mine sits in such a unit year round!

Right now I'm driving off the tank of gas I put in about a month ago so I can fill it halfway with fresh gas and let it sit on that. I don't intend to add fuel stabilizer unless somebody tells me it's necessary.
Fill it to about 90% with 100% premium gas (no damn ethanol) and add 6-8 ounces of this stuff:
https://www.goldeagle.com/product/st...uel-stabilizer. Drive the car 5 or 10 miles to make sure the fuel rail and injectors get gas in them with the stabilizer in it.

I don't think I'll leave a battery tender on it full-time either. I'll probably stop by at least once a month and charge it.
Just go start the engine every month and let it run -- no charger needed, unless you have some awful drain going on.

I heard you're not supposed to start the car occasionally while storing either. Anybody have any opinions on that?
Its your average foolish 'wives tale" kind of advice. Very common these days.

Re: Any tips for winter storage?
 

Ha! Then I could just drive it too.

Re: Any tips for winter storage?
 

Alright, you convinced me to add stabilizer. I'm on the fence about about the battery tender. This will be unattended and it seems like a fire risk to me.

My Viper also gets stored and it does it stabilizer added but is also goes to a monitored facility and gets the battery and tires removed. The Viper is far less electronically sensitive than the Crossfire so there is no annoying concerns about the SCREEM erasing itself, etc.

One thing the Viper groups are adamant about though is NOT starting it periodically unless it can be driven 30 minutes.

Re: Any tips for winter storage?
 

Re: Any tips for winter storage?
 

Electronics on these cars used to scare the hell out of me. Battery tenders work if you can keep an eye on them. Mine shut off and on, until one day they shut off for good. So, I now just unhook the battery. I haven't had any problems to date doing this. But I do start them a couple of times a month during winter. If winter is mild like last year, they will go for a short drive. I keep the tanks full and not longer use stabilizer in them. My garage stays at 50 or above, and like I stated, they do get driven a little. In your case, I would use the stabilizer, but would forego the tenders...

Re: Any tips for winter storage?
 

Or you do what I did Move to Florida.

Re: Any tips for winter storage?
 

Totally scary. We've seen the stories here of people that had electronic problems after just unhooking the battery for a few minutes. My Viper doesn't have any of those problems and sits at least half a year with no battery.

Re: Any tips for winter storage?
 

I'm storing mine in a friend's lake house garage next weekend and am going to skip the battery tender this year and just try unhooking the negative battery cable.

Will also run the A/C prior to storage; wash/wax exterior; treat conv top, leather & all rubber trim; park it on a plastic sheet with tranny in neutral/chock wheels with handbrake off; car cover on; tennis balls in exhaust tips & dcon at each end (mice); overinflate tires; add Stabil & top off tank; prop windshield wiper arms away from windshield (per Owner's Manual).

Other than skipping the battery tender, been doing this routine for 9 years without a Spring start-up problem yet. Will drag it back out into the light of day April 1st.

P.S. Snow flurries in Michigan today :( .......BUT pushing 70 next week :cool:

Re: Any tips for winter storage?
 

:) Unhooking the battery should not cause problems UNLESS you unhook the POSITIVE terminal first (alarm goes nuts). Long term, if you disconnect it, just make sure the battery top does not have any dirt/scum on it. This dirt/scum has enough 'continuity' to drain the battery some over time. Once a month hook up a trickle charger. :)


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Re: Any tips for winter storage?
 

I'm just curious what so many seem to have against battery tenders? I have used them for years with no problems. Of course I don't buy the $9.99 specials. Has anyone actually had a short, fire or ???:confused: I use one in my garage and one in my storage building. Please give some feedback. The Crossfire has such a touchy electrical system and I also set my alarm which drains the battery over time. I assume those that disconnect their batteries do not have a security system?

Re: Any tips for winter storage?
 

I think that the worry is that however little the chance of a fire is it could happen and obviously when something can happen it will happen one day. Also should the system that turns off the current fail then the battery could be cooked.

Re: Any tips for winter storage?
 

;) A disconnected battery will not discharge due to any load connected. It will only need a trickle charge (minimum) about every three months and at the most once a month. If the car is stored, no need for an alarm system anyway. ;)


;) Exactly, have a friend who uses 'battery tenders' of various sizes/prices (jetskis, pontoon boat, zero turn JohnDeer tractor, 2 four wheelers, and a couple of dirt bikes), he had one go up in smoke. Battery had to be replaced. I have maintained all my wet cells out of the equipment (lawn tractors) for the 4-5 month down seasons, and those tractor batteries have lasting well beyond the three to four years most of my neighbors have lasted. Took out at the end of season, cleaned the case, and trickle charged once every month or two until reinstalled in the equipment. Last battery bought was back in 2007 and it still cranks the tractor. If anything goes into 'storage' (not like the XF D/S airbag FCA fiasco), the battery is removed and kept separate. Works for me, isn't for everyone. I remember one picture posted long ago showing a XF burned up in a driveway, don't remember why but know it is a possibility when anything plugged in goes defective to the extent it catches on fire. Could also be said of anything plugged in so like I said, removing the cable, cleaning the top, and throwing a charge on it as advised might not be for anyone else. ;)

Re: Any tips for winter storage?
 

This will be my first time storing an SRT Jan-March but it will be a warm garage. I am going to try a tender that will run 4hrs on a 24 hour timer on a surge protector. I intend to run it on the car on the road 30 minutes every 30-45 days When it is dry up here in KY. I firmly believe it has to run long enough to temp up and dry the exhaust out. Acid water is hell on exhaust.
I don't know how to protect my Crossfire any better.

Re: Any tips for winter storage?
 

I do, but it is a bit of over-kill :
14' Indoor CarCapsule - CarCapsule

Re: Any tips for winter storage?
 

So far so good on storing my XF. I've started it every 3 weeks and ran it for at least 15 minutes each time. Unlikely I'll get a dry and salt-free day to actually drive it a bit anytime soon.

I did notice something though, a couple drops of oil on the floor. It's never leaked before. Believe me I'd notice even a single drop in my driveway if it had ever leaked before.

Have not done further diagonsing yet though. Slipped a sheet of cardboard under it to identify the location of the leak. To be clear the transfluid is red on these cars? This leak seemed to be toward the rear of the engine and was a very clean engine oil color.

Hoping it's just minor weaping due to the seals being cold and contracted. It's never leaked in the summer.