Storage Question

[mrkbbd]

I'm going out of town for a month on Wednesday and need to know what precautions I should take for storing the X. I don't have access to a trickle charger.

[Last5oh]

If its parked indoors (not sub-zero temps) and if your battery is in good condition to begin with, you should be fine parking it for just a month.

[993turbo]

should not be an issue, if its not freezing.

[primetime]

Should be ok. Any longer and it might not be. Make sure you lock it and arm the alarm...The car uses more battery juice when its left unlocked...sounds crazy but its true..

[mrkbbd]

The thing is that it is freezing outside, I'm in DC and it has regularly been getting down in the 20s

[TwinsPoppa]

Originally Posted by mrkbbd

The thing is that it is freezing outside, I'm in DC and it has regularly been getting down in the 20s

Well, the weather has been up and down ... it actually was in the 60s one day recently.

Jan & Feb are usually the most brutal months around here.

Ya got PM.

[primetime]

Originally Posted by mrkbbd

The thing is that it is freezing outside, I'm in DC and it has regularly been getting down in the 20s

Oh..I don't know about leaving the X for a month outside in the winter. My gut says that it will still start when you get back. But the chances are reduced because of the temp outside. If I had to guess, it would still start up. But if it does start up...it won't like it...

[Last5oh]

Originally Posted by mrkbbd

The thing is that it is freezing outside, I'm in DC and it has regularly been getting down in the 20s

I'm assuming its freezing OUTSIDE but the car is INSIDE.

I have 1995 Mustang that hasn't been used in the winter. During the first 2 years I've had the car I kept it in a garage in winter (non-heated but temperatures ABOVE freezing) with the battery IN the car. I'd start it up once a month. I never had issues with it NOT starting. Toronto weather is not too different from DC weather. This is similar to your 'going on vacation' situation.

Just for the record after the first 2 years: the Mustang is still stored winters but the battery is taken OFF the car and stored in the basment. It gets trickle charged monthly. The fuel in the car is treated with a fuel stabilizer. The car rests on its regular wheels (pressure increased to 5 psi below tire max). The car has always started in the spring, no bald spots on the tires.

[primetime]

Originally Posted by Last5oh

I'm assuming its freezing OUTSIDE but the car is INSIDE.

I have 1995 Mustang that hasn't been used in the winter. During the first 2 years I've had the car I kept it in a garage in winter (non-heated but temperatures ABOVE freezing) with the battery IN the car. I'd start it up once a month. I never had issues with it NOT starting. Toronto weather is not too different from DC weather. This is similar to your 'going on vacation' situation.

Just for the record after the first 2 years: the Mustang is still stored winters but the battery is taken OFF the car and stored in the basment. It gets trickle charged monthly. The fuel in the car is treated with a fuel stabilizer. The car rests on its regular wheels (pressure increased to 5 psi below tire max). The car has always started in the spring, no bald spots on the tires.

But this is the X we're talking about...And they're notorious for sucking battery juice up when they've been sitting. And I believe the OP is saying he's going to leave it outside...You can't really compare it to another vehicle...

[motordavid]

Late to the thread, but it will be a toss-up for the batt., imo.
I would rec'd a $40 Battery Tender for future month long park
situs. A bottle of Stabil in the gas, while topping up the tank
and driving home to park, would not hurt either.

I disagree with Primetime that a locked/alarm on car uses less
batt than an unlocked/unalarmed car, but not worth the wrestle.

I park mine, some winters, for 4-5 months and all I do is use Stabil,
pump the tires to ~40 psi, use Battery Tender with a 3 times a week
appliance timer, and put a few moth balls in the tail pipes and under
the hood to keep the creatures out...It has never failed to fire and
run well, upon our return.
GL,mD