Trickle charge??

[Jduv10007]

I am getting ready to pull my 71 charger from the shop for storage till I return from a 3 year tour. I am going to put it in my dads garage. I am asking all of you how the best way to store it. Fuel tank full with an additive or empty. Put it on jacks add a trickle charger for the battery? And what else. Can you guys tell me what you think. Also can someone tell me a good trickle battery charger on Amazon so I can order it to my dads house. One that can be plugged in 24/7. What else should I do or not do.

Jason

[Charger_Fan]

I have three of these for various cars & they work great! This little guy will keep a battery right up for years.


How old is your battery? I have noticed that on older batteries that might be getting weak, they will still continue to get weak. The tender will keep a charge in it for years, and you can go out & crank the engine no problem. But take the tender off & a few days later, the battery is dropping fast.

As far as the gas tank goes, I am of the opinion that it's best to put a bunch of stabilizer in it & fill it to the top. Then remove the tank line at the fuel pump, start it & run the carb and pump out of gas. Or better yet, take the carb off & dump the gas out.

Put it on jacks, but don't let the suspension hang. Put the jack stands under the axle & A-arms.
Give the engine an oil change, so it's got fresh oil in it.

That's my  other opinions will likely vary.

Oh, and thank you for your service!!

[cdr]

Do not leave a battery in the car for three years, take it out, sta bil in the gas tank.

[Jduv10007]

I have three of these for various cars & they work great! This little guy will keep a battery right up for years.


How old is your battery? I have noticed that on older batteries that might be getting weak, they will still continue to get weak. The tender will keep a charge in it for years, and you can go out & crank the engine no problem. But take the tender off & a few days later, the battery is dropping fast.

As far as the gas tank goes, I am of the opinion that it's best to put a bunch of stabilizer in it & fill it to the top. Then remove the tank line at the fuel pump, start it & run the carb and pump out of gas. Or better yet, take the carb off & dump the gas out.

Put it on jacks, but don't let the suspension hang. Put the jack stands under the axle & A-arms.
Give the engine an oil change, so it's got fresh oil in it.

That's my  other opinions will likely vary.

Oh, and thank you for your service!!

Thank you very much.

I was thinking the same thing for the gas tank. Battery in 5 months old. And the engine oil is new. I will put it on jacks and make sure the suspension isn't hanging. Good point. I will clean out the carb. I didn't think about that either.

If anyone has anything else please keep the comments coming.

[71charger_fan]

I have a twin lead Battery Tender between the doors of garage. Easily keeps two cars on charge all winter long and never cooks the battery. Have another one in the other garage for the lawn tractor.

[68X426]

Do not leave a battery in the car for three years, take it out, sta bil in the gas tank.

Agreed.  Best to yank the battery if you are certain no one is going to move the car.

[garner7555]

Do not leave a battery in the car for three years, take it out, sta bil in the gas tank.

I agree.  ANY battery charger can be a hazard.  If a battery charger "goes bad" there is the possibility that it can over charge the battery resulting in acid bubbling out the top of the battery.  This is more common than you think.  I am a farmer so I have dozens of batteries and do a lot of recharging.  Battery chargers do fail and so do batteries.  Acid dripping is a better than the alternative, the charger could set the car and where it is stored on fire.   Why would you risk either one over trying to save a battery.        Put Sta-bil in the gas, run it a while to get the Sta-bil to the carb, then try to sell your battery and forget a trickle charger.   

[69wannabe]

I have three of these for various cars & they work great! This little guy will keep a battery right up for years.


How old is your battery? I have noticed that on older batteries that might be getting weak, they will still continue to get weak. The tender will keep a charge in it for years, and you can go out & crank the engine no problem. But take the tender off & a few days later, the battery is dropping fast.

As far as the gas tank goes, I am of the opinion that it's best to put a bunch of stabilizer in it & fill it to the top. Then remove the tank line at the fuel pump, start it & run the carb and pump out of gas. Or better yet, take the carb off & dump the gas out.

Put it on jacks, but don't let the suspension hang. Put the jack stands under the axle & A-arms.
Give the engine an oil change, so it's got fresh oil in it.

That's my  other opinions will likely vary.

Oh, and thank you for your service!!

This battery tender is the same one I have and it works great!!!

[Jduv10007]

Do not leave a battery in the car for three years, take it out, sta bil in the gas tank.

Agreed.  Best to yank the battery if you are certain no one is going to move the car.

Thanks. I am going to pull the battery but the car is going to be stored at my dads house. And he may need to move it if he ever needs to. So I will pul the battery but still keep it on a charge.

Also great point the the person that was talking about over charging and battery acid drips. All great comments.

[b5blue]

Having been around boats most of my life a 3 year "moth ball" is quite different than a seasonal. I'd look into fogging the engine. It's run and forced to stall by lightly adding oil of some type. This coats the internals to protect it. You'll want the entire fuel system bone dry. I'd say the battery situation is tricky. Even if new now it will be 4 by the time your using it again and that's about how long they last. Last time I stored one that long I was around and would check it and use it some, keep it charged and when put back in service it acted up within 6 months. I'd just figure it's a write off really, not worth the hassle. 

[charger chris]

Put moth balls inside the car and and so on to keep mice out the don't like the smell.

[charger chris]

Make sure you put those mothballs all over the car under the hood and trunk and under the dash and so on mice eat at anything.

[Jduv10007]

Make sure you put those mothballs all over the car under the hood and trunk and under the dash and so on mice eat at anything.

Man didn't even think about rats.

[Charger_Fan]

Make sure you put those mothballs all over the car under the hood and trunk and under the dash and so on mice eat at anything.

Man didn't even think about rats.

At someone's suggestion, I put Downy sheets in a couple of my cars last fall, and so far it seems to have worked. I put a few inside & a bunch under the hood.

[charger chris]

Make sure you put those mothballs all over the car under the hood and trunk and under the dash and so on mice eat at anything.

Man didn't even think about rats.

At someone's suggestion, I put Downy sheets in a couple of my cars last fall, and so far it seems to have worked. I put a few inside & a bunch under the hood.

never heard of fabric softener sheets used before. that's a new one.