How to "hibernate" my Z

[Arnold]

Hey fellow Z owners,

I'll move abroad for a new job soon and my will probably stay inactive for periods of 2-3 months in a row.
I will put it in a garage during these times. But apart from that any specific advices to avoid the car to "suffer" from this? What about the battery for example?

Thanks!

[The1michael]

Originally Posted by Arnold

Hey fellow Z owners,

I'll move abroad for a new job soon and my will probably stay inactive for periods of 2-3 months in a row.
I will put it in a garage during these times. But apart from that any specific advices to avoid the car to "suffer" from this? What about the battery for example?

Thanks!

I have been on two deployments thus far and both times I had my uncle (old mustang enthusiast) to look after it in his garage. If you have someone that could start it once every about 2-3 weeks, you shouldnt have any issues at all.

*If you are just storing it with no supervision I suggest: Disconnecting your battery, store it FULL with gas, use a fuel additive (ive used EW Fuel Additive Storage Stabilizer before), Place a piece of plastic wrap on the windshield under the wiper blades to prevent the rubber from sticking to the glass (for warmer climates), change your oil if you havent recently with a new filter, release the parking brake (chock wheels instead), fill all fluids, and make sure your car is clean!

Two to three months isnt all that long, these are just easy things I think about when I leave my car. Depending if there are possibly animals around you (Outside or some garages) you might want to put something like a cloth in the tail pipe to make sure nothing crawls in it and makes a home. Have a safe trip man!

[G37Sam]

Wouldn't hurt to have your car sit on jacks either to avoid flat spots

[mults]

Originally Posted by Arnold

Hey fellow Z owners,

I'll move abroad for a new job soon and my will probably stay inactive for periods of 2-3 months in a row.
I will put it in a garage during these times. But apart from that any specific advices to avoid the car to "suffer" from this? What about the battery for example?

Thanks!

Living in Cleveland, this is a yearly ritual for at least 5 months during the winter. I've used a fuel additive (Sea Foam) with a full tank of gas, I place the car on wheel dollies (I have to move the car to the rear of the garage), I make sure the oil has been changed and the battery is fully charged and then I install a battery tender. In the many, many years that I have been doing this with motorcycles and cars, I have NEVER had any issues with the vehicle starting in the spring.

I do wash and throw a good coat of wax on the "old girl" before I put her under the car cover. Once last thing that I do is to place a styrofoam (or similar material) cup in the exhaust tips to make sure no critters get too comfortable.

To me, 2 - 3 months is nothing. If you do have someone start the car every few weeks, make sure they run it long enough to get it to operating temperature. This will heat the exhaust enough to get rid of any moisture and the engine as well. Good luck.

[Arnold]

Great, thanks for the tips!

[kenchan]

get one of these for your battery.

Battery Tender 021-0123 Battery Tender Junior 12V Battery Charger : Amazon.com : Automotive


there are many threads on hibernation, run a quick search. my G and Z have been hibernating since Oct/Nov.

[mayday813]

If I recall there's a small white block-like device in the fuse compartment by the driver's footwell that the dealers use to kill all power to the car (clock, ECU, etc.) while the vehicle is sitting on the lot. I don't recall whether you push it in to kill the power or pull it out. But this procedure would probably eliminate the need for a battery tender.

[kenchan]

updated iggy list.

[IDZRVIT]

Originally Posted by Arnold

Hey fellow Z owners,

I'll move abroad for a new job soon and my will probably stay inactive for periods of 2-3 months in a row.
I will put it in a garage during these times. But apart from that any specific advices to avoid the car to "suffer" from this? What about the battery for example?

Thanks!

Don't do anything. It will start up and run fine.

[Arnold]

Originally Posted by kenchan

get one of these for your battery.

Battery Tender 021-0123 Battery Tender Junior 12V Battery Charger : Amazon.com : Automotive

there are many threads on hibernation, run a quick search. my G and Z have been hibernating since Oct/Nov.

OK thanks, I found this (photo.JPG) in my garage, is it good? I have no clue how to use it :-) Simply plugging it in and connecting the + and - of the battery?

Originally Posted by mayday813

If I recall there's a small white block-like device in the fuse compartment by the driver's footwell that the dealers use to kill all power to the car (clock, ECU, etc.) while the vehicle is sitting on the lot. I don't recall whether you push it in to kill the power or pull it out. But this procedure would probably eliminate the need for a battery tender.

But that would reset the onboard computer and/or GPS memory, for example, no?
Thanks.

[OldGuy]

Originally Posted by mayday813

If I recall there's a small white block-like device in the fuse compartment by the driver's footwell that the dealers use to kill all power to the car (clock, ECU, etc.) while the vehicle is sitting on the lot. I don't recall whether you push it in to kill the power or pull it out. But this procedure would probably eliminate the need for a battery tender.

My dealer says no button on the '09. I question if there's one on the '10, as well.

[kenchan]

Originally Posted by Arnold

OK thanks, I found this (photo.JPG) in my garage, is it good? I have no clue how to use it :-) Simply plugging it in and connecting the + and - of the battery?

no, that's just a traditional battery charger. it might trickle charge after the full charge, but trickle charging can end up over charging your battery as it does not monitor after full charge. typical for battery chargers, when the battery is full they switch to a low amperage charge... aka trickle charge.

battery tender floats after the charge. it monitors the amount of charge in the battery and only when it detects drain does it charge again till full.

a battery left unplugged looses charge over time. does not drain as fast as it being hooked up to the car and security system draining it, so that's the 2nd best option. i personally do not do this though for various reasons.

if you have power where you are parking, it would be smart just to hook up a battery tender.

[mayday813]

Originally Posted by OldGuy

My dealer says no button on the '09. I question if there's one on the '10, as well.

Suggest that you pull the panel off the drivers side kick plate fuse box and look for yourself. It is present on 2011 models.

[Jasonle]

I agree with kenchan. I have a battery tender jr and it works great!

[ZMan8]

Don't put your car on jack stands.

Do put a battery tender on, and flat stoppers are preferred though I have managed without them. Also, its a good Idea is to seal off your exhaust pipes so things like mice don't make a home in there. and put some moth balls or poison around the z to keep the mice away.