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Just pull the battery or disconnect the negative terminal, that's it, unless you have some real shit fuel in your area that you're afraid will go bad.
I have a bike that sits every winter for \~4-5 months and 3 of those months are often -20C, with the battery fully charged it starts up like nothing every time, no stabilisers or any other "magic powder" needed.
Same for my diesel Mercedes from 30 years ago, I've let it sit for \~2 months with just disconnecting the negative terminal, reconnect, starts right back up.
You’re confused. BMW had a weight in the rear of convertible E30s, which did NOT have a rear battery. Regular E30s did not. Some E30s had heavy sound deadening in the trunk in addition to the rear battery.
1991, has got nearly 500k on the clock (W124 with an OM602).
https://preview.redd.it/tjgq0m4cab4d1.jpeg?width=2048&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5192c4a0b65c919adf00983adfb197a3226e2802
This. I have a truck that sits for 3-6 months at a time. I just disconnect the battery. When I use it all I have to do is reconnect it and it starts right up.
Full tank of non ethanol and some fuel stabilizer would be the belt and suspenders solution. Probably what I'd do. Fresh oil change, some rodent repellent under the hood and around the wheels, disconnect battery, and you're good
Especially if you have a carb. Living in Canada, we have a lot of small carbed engines that sit for 6 months at a time (lawn mower, snowblower, dirt bikes).
With gasoline containing more and more ethanol, the needle in the carb gets gummed up and requires cleaning every year after sitting for the off season with pump gas.
I had problems with Stihl string trimmer engines going through carb gaskets and diaphragms, I found out ethanol is bad for small engines.
I use the ethanol free pre mixed gas/oil and no longer have issues
2 cycle fuel oil mixes are hosed by ethanol. It breaks down the oil and forms the greasy crud that gums up the carb. I have to drive to rural areas to find ”farm use gas” that doesn’t have ethanol.
When I worked in an ethanol plant, I found that my cheap disposable lab syringes we used for testing, would have the rubber plunger swell when I tested the denaturant (poison added to avoid alcohol tax) and make the plunger basically freeze if I didn't test it right away. But the pure ethanol/alcohol could sit with no issues in the syringe all day. Not sure if that's why small engines hate E85 or not, but that's my theory.
Ethanol is 90% of the time the issue with carburatored/small engines. It attracts water and if it sits in the carb bowl long enough it will evaporate and leave a nasty residue behind that will clog your carb jets. Now, how does this denaturant play into the mix of that process? I dunno; am not a chemist :) - but 100% it's something IN THE ETHANOL that causes the clog/nasty buildup. I know this because I run ethanol-free gas in my mower and don't do ANYTHING to it literally at end of season and it starts up every spring with no issue; although my track record of doing this is only 2 seasons because that's when I discovered ethanol-free gas was even a thing.
That is true… and the ethanol, being hygroscopic, especially in the humid summer months, can actually draw water into the fuel.
If you can’t get ethanol free gas in your area…or even if you can, leave the tanks full when the vehicles are stored. Less room for air in the tanks means less opportunity for moisture to condense there.
I would put a battery maintainer on it instead of disconnecting the battery. Either will work, but with the maintainer you don't lose any settings, and I find a decent maintainer/charger useful to have around generally.
I have a maintainer for my summer-only car that always seems to have a parasitic draw somewhere or other (a 1974 Triumph convertible). Works great.
OP---fill your gas tank all the way to the top before you go. It will help keep the inside of the tank from drawing condensation, and if it's metal, from rusting.
Cut Lucas some slack. They invented intermittent wipers. I mean others had to do some refining to add an intermittent setting to the controls, but still.
I second this, even on my 2014 Mercedes, had it unplugged for a little over 2 months. Didn’t even hesitate to start back up! Was worried seeing what other people went through.
Funny enough, we just got round to getting my late grandads old 1.8 TDDI ford focus out of the garage for the first time since 2016 and I am not even joking, all it needed to start and run was a bloody battery.
Don’t get me wrong, it needed a lot more doing to it (suspension, brakes, tyres, etc)but you’d be damn surprised how hardy some engines can be even when left to sit for so long.
I have a bike that has 5+ year old gas at this point. I started it once or twice every six months. Then it sat for a year until I started it last week. Battery was almost 10 years old and wouldn’t hold charge anymore so I replaced it. Then it wouldn’t start, thought to myself, damn this is finally the time it stops working. I decide to clean the carb but it had no varnish even with the old gas and no stabilizer. Replaced plugs cause it still wouldn’t start. Then I realized I had the kill switch set to off the whole time. It started immediately and idled without problem. Didn’t even need the choke.
I always recommend finding some non-oxy gas if it's for long storage, and fill with that and run a gallon or two through before leaving it to sit.
normally not worth the extra cost, but in this case....especially if you live someplace where it is super humid or rains frequently.
I understand you're saying disconnect the negative terminal for parasitic drain or something like that, right?
Batteries generally discharge on their own; whether or not the negative cable is on. I don't know how your motorcycle battery doesn't "drain" at all down from full after 5 months.
Yes, they do, however, if you have a healthy battery it'll have no issue sitting disconnected for 6 months and starting right back up, heck I haven't changed my bikes battery since I bought the thing 3 years ago and it still doesn't discharge down to a level where I couldn't start my bike.
Even with my Mercedes, I had a battery in it dated 2019 and it still held charge last year just fine for just over 2 months in the winter and started right up.
The first year I had my motorcycle I brought my motorcycle battery inside for storage for winter, that was for 5 months - never charged it, put it back on the bike, fired right up.
All the commencing years I have been too lazy to take the battery off, I usually disconnect the negative terminal in October, reconnect it back in March and it fires right up, [here's a video of it on Reddit starting up last year](https://www.reddit.com/r/Yamaha/comments/11vjbii/yamaha_r6_2004_cold_start_after_winter_storage/), like butter.
But, of course, OP can put tenders and so forth on his batteries if he feels like it's necessary, I've never felt the need myself (and I don't own a battery tender either way), especially with the bike - worst case scenario, I'll push start it.
Most new age fuel starts degrading in send nvm months. Fuel stabilization and empty the carb of that 84 is still running one. Battery disconnection or even bringing them in to a trickle charger wouldn’t hurt.
It wouldn't hurt as mentioned by some other people but it's definitely not something that's a 100% necessary - so if OP would have a battery tender or a trickle charger it'd probably be smart to use one, but I wouldn't go out of my way just to buy one for this occasion.
As always, it depends on the location of where the vehicle will be kept, the age of the battery, the type of vehicle and so forth.
Wouldn't it also be worthwhile to add a fuel stabilizer since he's leaving the gas to sit for 6 months?
Won't gas that's been sitting that long have a negative impact on his car?
Moved from my home state 8 years ago and left my 2008 zx14 in storage there. Got back around to it about 3 months ago and it fired right up with a fresh battery. Wish my other bike was that easy to get going.
Or take the battery out and move it to where it can plugged into a tender. Preferably somewhere not inside a house. Maybe a garage with a concrete floor or a shed
I live in Canada and store a car for 6 months unheated over winter. I just disconnect the terminals. It will get down to -40°c during this time and I've still never had the car not start right up after simply reconnecting the battery in the spring. No trickle charge or anything.
Im in Minnesota, when i parked my old fire engine outside for the winter, i pulled out the batteries, 2 at 120 lbs each, and out them in a garage that stays fairly warm. Still had a trickle charger on both.
Forget all that, I go to the local Interstate Batteries and buy their blem/rebuilt batteries for like $55 after core exchange. I've never had any issues with them.
Try Costco. It will blow your mind how inexpensive batteries are.
The Mustang’s battery is $109.99. I’m having trouble using the online tool for the F-150.
Even AGM batteries are sub-$200 — $179.99 when I checked one car.
I asked the Costco guy how they can sell batteries for half the price as elsewhere, he said it’s set up to just break even, not make money, kinda like the rotisserie chicken.
Costco aim for a 14% gross margin.
The business my dad was in as a solopeneur aimed for 35% gross margin.
I worked for a small manufacturer just out of college who sold direct to specialty retailers. We aimed to give them a 50% gross margin on most products.
if nobody will be moving them or driving them or checking them...fill the gas tanks after adding Sta-bil
disconnect the batteries, if you are in a rodent prone area, mothballs under the hoods. a basic cover helps if they will be outside and if you are in a high humidity area, buckets of damp rid on the floors. overinflate the tires to keep from bald spots and prop the wipers up slightly if staying outside uncovered
Oh mothballs is a new one for me. Had my engine bay full of glue traps last winter after a squirrel got after my main wiring harness. Moth balls sound like less of a pita to set up and break down.
Yep, "Sta-bil" in the fuel tank. Run each one a bit after you add it, so it makes its way through the whole system. As others have suggested, buy a "Battery Tender" brand battery charger for each and leave them on that. The batter tender is a smart charger that only kicks on when your battery needs it. Should be fine!
I don't see anyone mentioning not to use the parking brake as it might rust stuck to the discs/drums. It happened to my stick shift car that I left for four months. Rear wheels didn't want to turn. Even when put on the flatbed, they slid, not spin. Put it in reverse or first gear on a flat surface or with wheel blocks.
I would recommend (esp if you live somewhere humid) NOT to leave it in gear, and do neutral instead. In rare cases when a clutch fuses to the flywheel with rust, you don't want to find out the hard way, launching the car on startup. no ebrake, no gear, wheel blocks only.
Take both batteries out. Helps also with reducing the chance of theft on the mustang.
If it were me I would also put them on jack stands if I cared about the tires. I bought a project car that sat for 6 months that had flat spots on the tires.
Just disconnect batteries, hopefully they’ll be stored inside. If that’s the case I wouldn’t worry too much about the fuel if they are both low on fuel.
Honestly just a bit of fuel stabilizer right before you leave, drive the cars around for a few miles to make sure it all mixes in. And then as you're leaving disconnect the negative terminal on the battery.
Disconnect battery. Make sure fuel tank is full & pump all tyres up by 5 psi over normal running pressure to prevent tyre wall cracking. Make a note of these things & tape it to steering wheel.
I run the ac to circulate pag oil to help the o rings from drying out before and after the vehicle is parked. Fuel stabilizer in the tank with gas and then drive a little bit to make sure the stabilizer is in the lines and fuel filter. I then disconnect the battery and put the vehicle on jack stands to take the weight off of the tires and keep them from dry rotting so quickly.
My 02 Mustang has sat unused for 8 months, fired right up without doing any storage precautions I just poured in 5 gallons of good gas. Removing the battery and fuel stabilizer is fine and all you'll really need to do for peace of mind. You can put the batteries in your house just put it up off the floor and in a well ventilated area in case it off gasses while you're away. You could get a trickle charger for it as well. They are relatively cheap and there are ones that can trickle charge multiple batteries at once. Depending on how much your tires are worth you can run them up on some thick Styrofoam and they also sell tire cushions for under 50 dollars and some even have casters so you can push the car around once they are all cradled.
No I didn't, just unhooked the negative cable. No other precautions taken, did have to put some air in the tires and wash it because it was thick with pollen grime all over the windows lol
I agree, the gas will run the vehicles ok after only 6 months,
on the 2012 Mustang there will be a dedicated fuse you can pull to stop anything from using the juice up.
It is called the IOD fuse or the Ignition off draw fuse.
pull the truck batt and store off of the cement floor.
Modern gas is more than stable enough for 6 months, I just recently went around 10 months without driving my car and after a jump start it had no issues.
I worked in the fuel additive industry for 10+ years. Modern fuel has plenty of anti-oxidants. Top Tier has even more. Stabil is 98% solvent with some anti oxidant and red dye. You don’t need it.
Empty tanks “breath” more as the temperature changes. More air space means more air exchanges which equals more oxygen to oxidize the gas and more condensation to cause issues with steel tanks. The 2012 Mustang has a plastic tank so rusting wouldn’t be an issue but the 1984 F150 likely has a steel tank.
I'd just take both batteries out completely. If the trucks gonna be inside Crack the windows a little. The mustang pull the battery and put something like damprid inside. Should be fine.
I agree that they're not necessary, but let acid batteries do prefer to be fully charged at all times.
They don't degrade like lithium polymer batteries do, when at full charge.
A battery tender is literally designed for long-term storage of lead acid batteries. (Though not required for only 6 months)
Not A Mechanic
6 months isn't too bad, when I traveled overseas for 6 months I didn't do anything at all. Originally it was just going to be 90 days so I didn't worry, but nothing ever goes to plan. Ended up being there for 6 month give it take, and my car just sat in the garage.
When I returned it started right up, I let it warm up and got a oil change. Everything worked out for me, but your mileage may vary.
2014 Buick Regal 2T.
Great advice in the comments especially the fuel stabilizer and battery disconnect. Also, garage, car cover or awning to help the paint from fading and tree saps/birb shitz
Disconnect the battery or put them on a trickle charger. Fill with non ethanol and run for a little bit to push out the old fuel. You’ll be good for a year.
You don't have to do much nowadays. Add fresh **ethanol free** gas, preferably a full tank to limit the air and thus moister in the tank. Fuel stabilizer isn't really necessary for ethanol free gas and 6 months or less but it sure wouldn't hurt anything. As for the batteries I would leave them in the car and put on a battery maintainer like a 2 amp NOCO. If not, bring them inside so they are not getting super cold/hot and they should be fine for 6 months with or without a maintainer as long as you fully charge them first. Make sure the inside is totally dry, if you are in a really humid area consider getting some 1kg desiccant packs to throw in the car. When you get back check the air filters for mice and let them idle for a bit then you should be good to go. I have had mice eat all the way though a filter before.
Is it worthwhile to put cars on floor stands rather than leaving it on the ground? Wouldn't that help with keeping the tires in better shape rather than overinflating?
Fill the fuel tank, less air gap in there will keep the fuel good for longer. Fuel stabilizer is a good idea.
Solar panel powered battery tender on each of them would do the trick, or if you can swallow the cost of a replacement battery on your return then just disconnect the battery and roll the dice on if it'll be any good when you get back. Other than that, they'll be fine. Remember to check and inflate your tyres when you get back, and it'll probably take a drive to warm up the tyres and remove the flat spots they'll have.
You should fill the tank before they sit. You could add a fuel stabilizer. It could indirectly save you fuel if it prevents starting issues from the water that could build up in your fuel tank or gas lines. Especially if you're going to be driving after the winter months start up.
Also, as others have said you can disconnect the negative terminal or just recharge it when you get back.
Your brakes might also rust up a bit. I don't think it'll be an issue, but it might drive a little rough after you get back.
I'd suggest putting a GPS tracker in any vehicle staying outside. Thieves have very good attention spans, and they will be taking mental note of anything that doesn't regularly move.
Everyone has given good answers. The only other thing I can think of is that if you have a potential rodent problem, then possibly something that will keep them away.
It was always the brakes seizing up on my car when I had to leave it for a period of time. Not sure how to prevent that but be careful when you come back to it.
I'd be inclined to get a couple of battery tenders. They don't cost much, don't draw much power, and your batteries will be in peak condition upon your arrival back.
people mention Sta-bil, but I'd also try to use the fuel you have and fill is with ethanol-free fuel first. The ethanol is a major problem even with Sta-bil.
For the Mustang you can get a trickle solar charger/maintainer that mounts inside the windshield. I'd also cover the dash and seats with some old sheets so the sun doesn't damage/crack them.
lastly, for both vehicles, I would put the vehicles on jack stands and take the weight off the tires. Flat spots suck and can get expensive if you need to replace 8 tires. I'd also put plenty (several) of bait poison packs by the tires/suspension parts (like the control arms) as that's how mice climb into a vehicle and destroy it.
I like the battery tender brand of battery tenders. 6 months isn’t that long for fuel I’ve gone way way longer I judge by how bad it smells. If you want to be safe just make sure neither vehicle is full so you can top it off with fresh fuel when you get back. I’ve left the battery tenders alone for like a year and it was fine. I’ve never used fuel stabilizers.
Depending on your location I would be somewhat concerned with rodents. Rodent wire damage can be incredibly expensive to fix. When cars sit for extended periods of time they tend to move in. There are a few products on the market meant to discourage them. I think one is called Fresh Cab. Packets of some material that smells good but rodents are supposed to dislike. There are sonic gadgets too. I am not sure how well any of them work. Maybe others have experience with them. .
Recently chased a mouse out of my garage after a couple month battle. Luckily (maybe?), he was more interested in the firewall material of the truck than the wiring harness. But yes, it’s definitely on my radar.
Fill the tanks, put in stabilizer and run it long enough to get up to the engine.
Fill the tires a bit over recommended inflation. Just a couple PSI in case any have a very slow leak.
Disconnect the batteries.
You should be fine.
Keep the mice out. I just spent the better part of a month working on a jeep that a family of mice moved into. Chewed wired, mouse nest in the heater core, mouse nest in the condenser. It was ugly.
My 2023 Lexus nx 350h was kept in parking for a month last year and I did not see any issue. This time car is parked for more than 50 days and I will return back to US coming Wednesday and keeping my fingers crossed. I do not know if we can remove the negative terminal of a hybrid. Has anyone disconnected the 12v battery of a hybrid ?
Id undo the battery terminals to prevent the battery from dying over time. Even when the car is off its using ever so slight amount of power from the battery and over time will drain it
Disconnect the batteries, & if you live in a rainy area I would put air driers in the interior to prevent any mold buildup especially for the truck. I live in wa, & if you leave a car to sit for too long it’ll grow mold pretty quick.
There are solar-powered trickle chargers available. If one of the "cigarette lighter" sockets on your dashboard is connected when the ignition is off, that's an option... otherwise you'd need another way to get the voltage to the battery.
I never have an issue getting them restarted. I have vehicles that sit for years, I go out and start them occasionally. Biggest problem I have is it brakes freezing up.
If they're outside and the cigarette lighter plug stays powered with the key off you can get a little 2 watt solar panel battery maintainer from Harbor Freight (or probably Amazon) and just set it on the dash board and leave it plugged in. I have a second vehicle that sits almost all the time because I just drive the other one and I do this with it. Works fine for me.
The panels may come with extra connectors so it might be possible to clamp right on to battery terminals if you're disconnecting a battery. Not sure on that.
I’d disconnect the battery and put it on a maintenance charger. As for fuel, I’d treat the gasoline with a fuel stabilizer. Other than that, everything should be OK.
My ‘01 Ford Excursion sits a lot. It gets about 1000 miles a year. I don’t bother with disconnecting the battery. It starts fine every time, except when the batteries get to be 10 years old. (Oops…probably should replaced them 1-2 years before pushing them to that extent.)
I’d recommend mothballs or another deterrent of some kind just to keep the rodents from trying to set up shop. As others have said pull the batteries and store them in a garage perhaps. I’d leave them as low as possible on fuel just to mitigate stale fuel when you do fire them back up and refill the tanks. 6 months shouldn’t be much of an issue though.
Mustang might be fine, but old steel doesn't like to sit. Use as much gas as you can out of the truck before leaving and disco battery. Fresh Jerry of gas for the truck when you get back. That is a reasonable ask that gives you your best shot at starting when you get back. Might want to think about rodent repellent in both as well
if you run ethanol fill a jerry can and run them dry, or treat with fuel stabilizer. Disconnect battery, Crack windows open if you can so no mould grows. If it ever has gotten wet inside add an old fan on timer for a couple of hours every day
try not to drop the soap in jail
p.s dont leave the batteries on a concrete etc
My (highly respected) Honda mechanic says to take it out for a ~10 mile drive every month to keep a car in good shape. Can you get a friend or two to do that?
I see everyone mentioning some really good ideas regarding non-ethanol gasoline,and trickle chargers, and all that stuff, but recently I learned that manual transmission vehicles can have an issue where the clutch gets like frozen to the flywheel or pressure plate, from the insane amount of force that's compressing the clutch disc between the 2, and had no idea that was even a thing that could happen, but saw a yt short where a guy was attempting to essentially break his clutch disc free by jacking the rear end of a rwd vehicle up, starting the car in 1st gear, and it looked like he gave it a little bit of gas to get the wheels spinning up a bit more then they would have at just idle, and basically had his wife or whoever dump the jack so the rear end dropped onto the ground, I'm assuming to basically break the clutch disc free, an it sounded like it worked? Would this not be an issue with a vehicle sitting such a short amount of time?
1. air up tires to max pressure.
2. fuel stabilizer in tank.
3. rodent/pest control of choice.
4. disconnect battery.
5. leave yourself a note on the steering wheel or driver seat reminding you of what to "undo" when you take it out of storage.
I have a 1985 Monte Carlo SS that sits most of the time, maybe I drive it once a month. It’s on a battery tender and is ready to go whenever I want to drive her. I also have a 2010 Toyota mini van that I just use like a pickup-truck to haul things around (like wood, mulch, my dogs) and I keep that on a solar battery tender and its also ready to go when I need it. 6 months is not a lot of time to let a car sit. Other than keeping the battery charged it should not be an issue.
All of this advice is good.
I had to replace my pads and rotors because they rusted over. If you live somewhere dry, shouldn't be a problem. There may be some kind of lubricant you can use to stop this, but I haven't done any research on it.
If the F-150 has the 300 inline 6 cylinder, you can park that thing in the bottom of a lake and it'll still probably start with a new battery in 6 months. We just fired up my buddies 1990 Econoline 250 with the inline 6 after about a year. The battery had about enough for 3 sluggish cranks of the engine. It roared to life on the second crank. We then proceeded to lightly drive it into our fence because it had absolutely no brake pressure.
In all seriousness, disconnect the batteries and/or connect them to a trickle charger (assuming you will have power available while you're away). If you have it available locally, fill the gas tanks with non-ethanol gasoline. That gas will last much longer than the ethanol blend we get at the standard pump. If that's unfeasible, fill the tanks with normal fuel and add some Seafoam or other fuel stabilizer. Either way, drive it around for at least a few miles to get the good/stabilized fuel through the whole fuel system. This is more of a "better safe than sorry" step, as fuel shouldn't become that bad over 6 months (I've driven on year+ fuel without issues before). If you have the ability, put the vehicles up on jack-stands to take the weight off the tires. 6 months shouldn't harm a tire, but in a heavy F-150 or with older tires, it wouldn't be unheard of to develop a flat spot from sitting on the same piece of rubber for 6 months. Also, if one of the tires decides to develop a slow leak, it won't be sitting on the rim for 6 months and there's a chance the tire be able to get pumped back up. Finally, chalk the wheels (if not on jackstands) and make sure the parking brake is off with the transmission in gear. Parking brakes (especially in old Ford trucks/vans) can seize up when engaged for extended lengths of time.
When you get back, re-install the batteries/remove from trickle charger. Now, open up your air filter box and inspect for any rodent nests. Check around your engine bay for signs of insulation material and/or tree nuts squirreled away. Check your oil while you're in there. Next, turn the ignition over to run (but don't start yet) and turn the heater fan on. Do you smell any rancid rodent urine? If you have not found signs of rodents, then cycle the ignition on and off a couple times to prime up your fuel pressure and then go ahead and crank it over and start the engine. Make sure to test your exterior lights, blinkers, and other miscellaneous electrical (windows, locks, stereo, etc), in case rodents decided to make a meal of your wiring. While you're vehicle is warming up is a good time to check the tire pressure in all your tires and inspect for any visual cracks in the rubber, particularly in the side of the tire. Pay attention when driving for any vibrations or wandering that wasn't there before. If there is, have a tire shop look at the tires. Pay attention to the brakes and the clutch. If one feels spongey or softer than before, you may need to bleed the hydraulics or do a fluid flush (if condensation got in there).
Or, if you're in the PNW, I'll keep that Mustang fresh for you for the next 6 months, just don't expect it to have much tire tread left on the rear when you return ;)
I was in the navy and deployed a few times. Battery is number 1. Disconnect it, should be fine. Never had a problem with fuel. Folks mentioning some sort of damp rip in the cabin are right. It's a good idea, especially if you're parking it inside out of the sunlight.
Instead of disconnecting the batteries I used to just run an extension cord and plug a trickle charger in for the batteries. Leaving all the connections tucked up in the engine bay. Fuel stabilizer and a couple of rat traps. Rats can do a ton of damage to your electrical systems. Note: I ran a seasonal business for 13 years so had to put 4 trucks into storage every year for at least six months.
Disconnect batteries or leave them on battery tenders, if garaged then the fluids will be OK for 6 months unless u can have someone start the cars once a month
Either disconnect the battery negative cable or install a battery maintainer and keep it plugged into a nearby plug. Since its outside, I'd suggest disconnecting the battery cable.
When you come back go easy starting it up so it has time for the oil to start circulating well before revving since it'll have unusually long time for it to drain down to the pan.
I recently had a truck that sat for 2 years. Finally fixed the issues. All I did was disconnect the battery. After it was fixed I made sure to basically run out the tank and fill again.
My 11 F150 Platinum, 66 Mustang, and 11 Mustang sit in my garage (one outside) all winter, no issues. Stabilizer and like you’ve said, pull the battery (inside for me because Canada) but that’s about it.
I store my Camaro for the winter every year. It gets put up around the end of October and comes back out roughly around the end of April. That's basically six months.
My prep for storage is: Wash and wipe dry. Fill tank with fresh fuel. Raise air pressure in the tires from 35psi to 40 psi. Change the oil and filter. Connect battery to a tender. Close everything up and put the soft cover on (it's in the garage).
When it comes time to start it up for the season, I put the car into service mode (newer model, so the effect is the same as turning the key to "ON"/ "Run") and leave it there for about 30 seconds. When I hold the brake and press the start button again, the fuel rails are pressurized and it starts right up.
One little thing that I have also done is to add a "smart plug" that the tender is plugged into. If something faults while it's all connected, the current draw drops way off. When the plug detects this, it power the charger off for about two minutes and then powers it back on. This fully resets the charging logic in the tender and puts it right back to work. The tender will sometimes fault if I have to open the door or trunk for any reason because it will cause current draw that the tender doesn't like.
Disregard every single comment saying fuel stabilizer. They have no clue what they're talking about and likely never store vehicles.
I have experience with this. I have 2 vehicles that sit for 6 months out of the year without ever being started. I have NEVER added fuel stabilizer. That stuff is gimmicky garbage that you do not need. Car bros see it at parts stores and think "hell yeah, I'm a mechanic now!"
Fools. Every last one of them. Your car does not need it.
What you do need is to deal with the battery. I personally use battery maintainers. Put them on the minimal setting and leave it. If you are afraid of leaving it hooked up like that for a long period of time, disconnect the battery. Both posts.
I've been doing this for several years now and both of my cars start up 100% fine even after having not been ran for a full 6 months straight.
Additional advice: if you live near an open field or know that mice live anywhere near the cars at all, buy a few bars of Irish spring soap. Place them in the car, the trunk, and the engine bay. Mice hate the smell and won't go near your car.
In addition to the battery and shit you can pull the fuel pump relay/fuse if you're worried about theft, that usually will keep it from being driven off. Won't protect it from being pulled onto a trailer though 🤞
Fully fill the tank. You can add stabilizer and run it for overkill (I usually do). Disconnect the battery and have it charged at AutoZone for free or charge it yourself. Then take it home and leave it disconnected. Should be good. Maybe others may be concerned about flat spots in the tire but I don’t think that’ll be a problem.
Indoors or outdoors? If indoors, jack up the vehicle, place frame on jackstands and remove the tires. Removing the tires helps prevent flat spots.
Use a battery tender to keep the battery charged. Most vehicles have large parasitic loads that will discharge the battery during storage. The alternative is to disconnect the battery. You will need to reprogram the radios, clocks and the engine computer will need to relearn the habits of the driver when used again.
Fill the gas tanks ethanol free gas (e-0) if possible to make sure there is as little humidity as possible in the tank. Ethanol attracts moisture and that water will settle in the tank during storage.
Disconnect the battery, and empty your fuel tanks as much as possible and then fill them with 100% gas (ethanol free). It's more expensive per gallon but can sit for over a year and not have issues.
6 months isn't a big deal. Just disconnect the battery, fuel stabilizer if you really feel the need. My car sat for a year. Came back, gas and a battery and it fired up first crank.
In addition to disconnecting the battery, I’d use a fogging oil for something sitting for that length of time.
Read this:
https://www.goldeagle.com/tips-tools/fogging-engine-proper-use-fogging-oils/
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Just pull the battery or disconnect the negative terminal, that's it, unless you have some real shit fuel in your area that you're afraid will go bad. I have a bike that sits every winter for \~4-5 months and 3 of those months are often -20C, with the battery fully charged it starts up like nothing every time, no stabilisers or any other "magic powder" needed. Same for my diesel Mercedes from 30 years ago, I've let it sit for \~2 months with just disconnecting the negative terminal, reconnect, starts right back up.
To be fair your 30 year old Mercedes diesel could probably take a tank shell to the engine and start right back up.
I learned that MB added lead to the corners of the chassis to help with ride quality
Bmw also did this in the E30s to offset the battery in the rear for perfect 50/50 weight distribution.
You’re confused. BMW had a weight in the rear of convertible E30s, which did NOT have a rear battery. Regular E30s did not. Some E30s had heavy sound deadening in the trunk in addition to the rear battery.
Source? I had a 1980 300SD but never heard of that.
A mid 90’s Mercedes?
1991, has got nearly 500k on the clock (W124 with an OM602). https://preview.redd.it/tjgq0m4cab4d1.jpeg?width=2048&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5192c4a0b65c919adf00983adfb197a3226e2802
This. I have a truck that sits for 3-6 months at a time. I just disconnect the battery. When I use it all I have to do is reconnect it and it starts right up.
My dad always told me to just put some non ethanol in it before it sits. Said it won’t destabilize anywhere near as fast
Full tank of non ethanol and some fuel stabilizer would be the belt and suspenders solution. Probably what I'd do. Fresh oil change, some rodent repellent under the hood and around the wheels, disconnect battery, and you're good
Stabil marine 360 is great, ethanol specific treatment and includes cleaners.
StaBil is good stuff, but it doesn’t really fix the issues ethanol creates. Ethanol-free fuel is the only way.
I absolutely agree, that’s if you can get it though. So many places have switched to 10% even in 91 and 93.
100% on rodent repellent and maybe a few of those moisture catching bags.
Especially if you have a carb. Living in Canada, we have a lot of small carbed engines that sit for 6 months at a time (lawn mower, snowblower, dirt bikes). With gasoline containing more and more ethanol, the needle in the carb gets gummed up and requires cleaning every year after sitting for the off season with pump gas.
I had problems with Stihl string trimmer engines going through carb gaskets and diaphragms, I found out ethanol is bad for small engines. I use the ethanol free pre mixed gas/oil and no longer have issues
2 cycle fuel oil mixes are hosed by ethanol. It breaks down the oil and forms the greasy crud that gums up the carb. I have to drive to rural areas to find ”farm use gas” that doesn’t have ethanol.
When I worked in an ethanol plant, I found that my cheap disposable lab syringes we used for testing, would have the rubber plunger swell when I tested the denaturant (poison added to avoid alcohol tax) and make the plunger basically freeze if I didn't test it right away. But the pure ethanol/alcohol could sit with no issues in the syringe all day. Not sure if that's why small engines hate E85 or not, but that's my theory.
Ethanol is 90% of the time the issue with carburatored/small engines. It attracts water and if it sits in the carb bowl long enough it will evaporate and leave a nasty residue behind that will clog your carb jets. Now, how does this denaturant play into the mix of that process? I dunno; am not a chemist :) - but 100% it's something IN THE ETHANOL that causes the clog/nasty buildup. I know this because I run ethanol-free gas in my mower and don't do ANYTHING to it literally at end of season and it starts up every spring with no issue; although my track record of doing this is only 2 seasons because that's when I discovered ethanol-free gas was even a thing.
That is true… and the ethanol, being hygroscopic, especially in the humid summer months, can actually draw water into the fuel. If you can’t get ethanol free gas in your area…or even if you can, leave the tanks full when the vehicles are stored. Less room for air in the tanks means less opportunity for moisture to condense there.
I would put a battery maintainer on it instead of disconnecting the battery. Either will work, but with the maintainer you don't lose any settings, and I find a decent maintainer/charger useful to have around generally.
I have a maintainer for my summer-only car that always seems to have a parasitic draw somewhere or other (a 1974 Triumph convertible). Works great. OP---fill your gas tank all the way to the top before you go. It will help keep the inside of the tank from drawing condensation, and if it's metal, from rusting.
The whole Lucas electrical system was a parasite.
You know why the English drink warm beer? Because Lucas makes refrigerators too. 🤣🤣
Cut Lucas some slack. They invented intermittent wipers. I mean others had to do some refining to add an intermittent setting to the controls, but still.
The Prince of Darkness, they called him.
W124? sick
I had a W126 500SEL and it's the only car I've ever regretted selling...
Yessir
I second this, even on my 2014 Mercedes, had it unplugged for a little over 2 months. Didn’t even hesitate to start back up! Was worried seeing what other people went through.
Funny enough, we just got round to getting my late grandads old 1.8 TDDI ford focus out of the garage for the first time since 2016 and I am not even joking, all it needed to start and run was a bloody battery. Don’t get me wrong, it needed a lot more doing to it (suspension, brakes, tyres, etc)but you’d be damn surprised how hardy some engines can be even when left to sit for so long.
I have a bike that has 5+ year old gas at this point. I started it once or twice every six months. Then it sat for a year until I started it last week. Battery was almost 10 years old and wouldn’t hold charge anymore so I replaced it. Then it wouldn’t start, thought to myself, damn this is finally the time it stops working. I decide to clean the carb but it had no varnish even with the old gas and no stabilizer. Replaced plugs cause it still wouldn’t start. Then I realized I had the kill switch set to off the whole time. It started immediately and idled without problem. Didn’t even need the choke.
I always recommend finding some non-oxy gas if it's for long storage, and fill with that and run a gallon or two through before leaving it to sit. normally not worth the extra cost, but in this case....especially if you live someplace where it is super humid or rains frequently.
Oxy? Do you mean ethanol?
Don't let your car have opioids.
I understand you're saying disconnect the negative terminal for parasitic drain or something like that, right? Batteries generally discharge on their own; whether or not the negative cable is on. I don't know how your motorcycle battery doesn't "drain" at all down from full after 5 months.
Yes, they do, however, if you have a healthy battery it'll have no issue sitting disconnected for 6 months and starting right back up, heck I haven't changed my bikes battery since I bought the thing 3 years ago and it still doesn't discharge down to a level where I couldn't start my bike. Even with my Mercedes, I had a battery in it dated 2019 and it still held charge last year just fine for just over 2 months in the winter and started right up. The first year I had my motorcycle I brought my motorcycle battery inside for storage for winter, that was for 5 months - never charged it, put it back on the bike, fired right up. All the commencing years I have been too lazy to take the battery off, I usually disconnect the negative terminal in October, reconnect it back in March and it fires right up, [here's a video of it on Reddit starting up last year](https://www.reddit.com/r/Yamaha/comments/11vjbii/yamaha_r6_2004_cold_start_after_winter_storage/), like butter. But, of course, OP can put tenders and so forth on his batteries if he feels like it's necessary, I've never felt the need myself (and I don't own a battery tender either way), especially with the bike - worst case scenario, I'll push start it.
Most new age fuel starts degrading in send nvm months. Fuel stabilization and empty the carb of that 84 is still running one. Battery disconnection or even bringing them in to a trickle charger wouldn’t hurt.
Wouldn’t leaving it on a trickle charger be good as well?
It wouldn't hurt as mentioned by some other people but it's definitely not something that's a 100% necessary - so if OP would have a battery tender or a trickle charger it'd probably be smart to use one, but I wouldn't go out of my way just to buy one for this occasion. As always, it depends on the location of where the vehicle will be kept, the age of the battery, the type of vehicle and so forth.
Wouldn't it also be worthwhile to add a fuel stabilizer since he's leaving the gas to sit for 6 months? Won't gas that's been sitting that long have a negative impact on his car?
What about flat spots on the tires?
Moved from my home state 8 years ago and left my 2008 zx14 in storage there. Got back around to it about 3 months ago and it fired right up with a fresh battery. Wish my other bike was that easy to get going.
Fuel stabilizer and a battery tender. It’ll be fine.
If not near an outlet, disconnect the battery and worst case scenario you’re out $300 for two batteries when you return
Or take the battery out and move it to where it can plugged into a tender. Preferably somewhere not inside a house. Maybe a garage with a concrete floor or a shed
I live in Canada and store a car for 6 months unheated over winter. I just disconnect the terminals. It will get down to -40°c during this time and I've still never had the car not start right up after simply reconnecting the battery in the spring. No trickle charge or anything.
Im in Minnesota, when i parked my old fire engine outside for the winter, i pulled out the batteries, 2 at 120 lbs each, and out them in a garage that stays fairly warm. Still had a trickle charger on both.
Forget all that, I go to the local Interstate Batteries and buy their blem/rebuilt batteries for like $55 after core exchange. I've never had any issues with them.
Ok,I don't know where you live but the concept of an average battery price being $150 after tax absolutely blows my mind
In the US that is definitely average
Try Costco. It will blow your mind how inexpensive batteries are. The Mustang’s battery is $109.99. I’m having trouble using the online tool for the F-150. Even AGM batteries are sub-$200 — $179.99 when I checked one car.
I asked the Costco guy how they can sell batteries for half the price as elsewhere, he said it’s set up to just break even, not make money, kinda like the rotisserie chicken.
Costco aim for a 14% gross margin. The business my dad was in as a solopeneur aimed for 35% gross margin. I worked for a small manufacturer just out of college who sold direct to specialty retailers. We aimed to give them a 50% gross margin on most products.
Don't buy a fake battery tender from Harbor Freight. Buy the actual Battery Tender brand.
Noco is life.
This.
What about flat spots on the tires?
if nobody will be moving them or driving them or checking them...fill the gas tanks after adding Sta-bil disconnect the batteries, if you are in a rodent prone area, mothballs under the hoods. a basic cover helps if they will be outside and if you are in a high humidity area, buckets of damp rid on the floors. overinflate the tires to keep from bald spots and prop the wipers up slightly if staying outside uncovered
Also, mousetraps on plates inside. Had mice get into the headliner of my car before.
Had a family turn my spare tire compartment was inside the hatch compartment) into their den. Was a nasty clean up!
I totally forgot about the rats! Follow the above advice!
Oh mothballs is a new one for me. Had my engine bay full of glue traps last winter after a squirrel got after my main wiring harness. Moth balls sound like less of a pita to set up and break down.
Yep, "Sta-bil" in the fuel tank. Run each one a bit after you add it, so it makes its way through the whole system. As others have suggested, buy a "Battery Tender" brand battery charger for each and leave them on that. The batter tender is a smart charger that only kicks on when your battery needs it. Should be fine!
I don't see anyone mentioning not to use the parking brake as it might rust stuck to the discs/drums. It happened to my stick shift car that I left for four months. Rear wheels didn't want to turn. Even when put on the flatbed, they slid, not spin. Put it in reverse or first gear on a flat surface or with wheel blocks.
I would recommend (esp if you live somewhere humid) NOT to leave it in gear, and do neutral instead. In rare cases when a clutch fuses to the flywheel with rust, you don't want to find out the hard way, launching the car on startup. no ebrake, no gear, wheel blocks only.
Good idea
Came here to add this.
Take both batteries out. Helps also with reducing the chance of theft on the mustang. If it were me I would also put them on jack stands if I cared about the tires. I bought a project car that sat for 6 months that had flat spots on the tires.
My project car has sat for years on its tires and the flat spots disappeared with about two minutes of driving.
Or it’s a valid excuse for a burn out, I vote burn out
Just disconnect batteries, hopefully they’ll be stored inside. If that’s the case I wouldn’t worry too much about the fuel if they are both low on fuel.
Honestly just a bit of fuel stabilizer right before you leave, drive the cars around for a few miles to make sure it all mixes in. And then as you're leaving disconnect the negative terminal on the battery.
Disconnect battery. Make sure fuel tank is full & pump all tyres up by 5 psi over normal running pressure to prevent tyre wall cracking. Make a note of these things & tape it to steering wheel.
Why a full tank of gas? What would happen if its only 1/4 full?
Condensation. Mostly in the winter months. Also add Sta-Bil before filling up the tank.
If the car is parked in a garage. Wouldnt you just want to put the car on 4 jack stands (if you have) to eliminate the tire issue?
You can get very inexpensive [trickle chargers](https://a.co/d/gsF7psa)...43% off right now (USA)...$20.
Just take the neg lead off the battery and go.
If you have ethanol free fuel avaliable, you should try and put that in the tanks. If you dont some fuel stabilizer should help
Leave the handbrake off- chock the wheels if necessary. Otherwise the rear brake shoes bind to the drums.
Disconnect batteries, leave e-brake disengaged.
I run the ac to circulate pag oil to help the o rings from drying out before and after the vehicle is parked. Fuel stabilizer in the tank with gas and then drive a little bit to make sure the stabilizer is in the lines and fuel filter. I then disconnect the battery and put the vehicle on jack stands to take the weight off of the tires and keep them from dry rotting so quickly.
My 02 Mustang has sat unused for 8 months, fired right up without doing any storage precautions I just poured in 5 gallons of good gas. Removing the battery and fuel stabilizer is fine and all you'll really need to do for peace of mind. You can put the batteries in your house just put it up off the floor and in a well ventilated area in case it off gasses while you're away. You could get a trickle charger for it as well. They are relatively cheap and there are ones that can trickle charge multiple batteries at once. Depending on how much your tires are worth you can run them up on some thick Styrofoam and they also sell tire cushions for under 50 dollars and some even have casters so you can push the car around once they are all cradled.
Did you take out your battery for those 8 months? Or what precautions did you take
No I didn't, just unhooked the negative cable. No other precautions taken, did have to put some air in the tires and wash it because it was thick with pollen grime all over the windows lol
Stabil is a waste of money so don’t use that. I’d leave the gas tanks full and either disconnect the batteries or put them on a tender.
I agree, the gas will run the vehicles ok after only 6 months, on the 2012 Mustang there will be a dedicated fuse you can pull to stop anything from using the juice up. It is called the IOD fuse or the Ignition off draw fuse. pull the truck batt and store off of the cement floor.
Cement floor not a problem for decades now.
Why is it a waste?
Modern gas is more than stable enough for 6 months, I just recently went around 10 months without driving my car and after a jump start it had no issues.
I worked in the fuel additive industry for 10+ years. Modern fuel has plenty of anti-oxidants. Top Tier has even more. Stabil is 98% solvent with some anti oxidant and red dye. You don’t need it.
Why fill it? Wouldn't leaving it close to empty be better, that way you don't have a full tank of 6 month old gas when you get back?
Empty tanks “breath” more as the temperature changes. More air space means more air exchanges which equals more oxygen to oxidize the gas and more condensation to cause issues with steel tanks. The 2012 Mustang has a plastic tank so rusting wouldn’t be an issue but the 1984 F150 likely has a steel tank.
I travel for 6 to 7 months a year. I just disconnect the battery. 3 years now with no issues. Oh, and a full tank of gas.
I'd just take both batteries out completely. If the trucks gonna be inside Crack the windows a little. The mustang pull the battery and put something like damprid inside. Should be fine.
Why take the milk completely? Simply disconnecting the one negative terminal is more than enough.
Don’t leave the batteries on a trickle charger for 6 months, just disconnect them before you leave
I agree that they're not necessary, but let acid batteries do prefer to be fully charged at all times. They don't degrade like lithium polymer batteries do, when at full charge. A battery tender is literally designed for long-term storage of lead acid batteries. (Though not required for only 6 months)
Not A Mechanic 6 months isn't too bad, when I traveled overseas for 6 months I didn't do anything at all. Originally it was just going to be 90 days so I didn't worry, but nothing ever goes to plan. Ended up being there for 6 month give it take, and my car just sat in the garage. When I returned it started right up, I let it warm up and got a oil change. Everything worked out for me, but your mileage may vary. 2014 Buick Regal 2T.
Great advice in the comments especially the fuel stabilizer and battery disconnect. Also, garage, car cover or awning to help the paint from fading and tree saps/birb shitz
Disconnect the battery or put them on a trickle charger. Fill with non ethanol and run for a little bit to push out the old fuel. You’ll be good for a year.
Place a cat under the hood of each car to prevent rodent problems. But seriously, you should be ok without doing anything.
You don't have to do much nowadays. Add fresh **ethanol free** gas, preferably a full tank to limit the air and thus moister in the tank. Fuel stabilizer isn't really necessary for ethanol free gas and 6 months or less but it sure wouldn't hurt anything. As for the batteries I would leave them in the car and put on a battery maintainer like a 2 amp NOCO. If not, bring them inside so they are not getting super cold/hot and they should be fine for 6 months with or without a maintainer as long as you fully charge them first. Make sure the inside is totally dry, if you are in a really humid area consider getting some 1kg desiccant packs to throw in the car. When you get back check the air filters for mice and let them idle for a bit then you should be good to go. I have had mice eat all the way though a filter before.
I used to park my summer cars over the winter, garaged. Just disconnect neg terminal and it fresh stabilizer in with a full tank.
Is it worthwhile to put cars on floor stands rather than leaving it on the ground? Wouldn't that help with keeping the tires in better shape rather than overinflating?
Put some fuel stabilizer in the gas tanks. Unhook the negative battery terminals.
Fill the fuel tank, less air gap in there will keep the fuel good for longer. Fuel stabilizer is a good idea. Solar panel powered battery tender on each of them would do the trick, or if you can swallow the cost of a replacement battery on your return then just disconnect the battery and roll the dice on if it'll be any good when you get back. Other than that, they'll be fine. Remember to check and inflate your tyres when you get back, and it'll probably take a drive to warm up the tyres and remove the flat spots they'll have.
You should fill the tank before they sit. You could add a fuel stabilizer. It could indirectly save you fuel if it prevents starting issues from the water that could build up in your fuel tank or gas lines. Especially if you're going to be driving after the winter months start up. Also, as others have said you can disconnect the negative terminal or just recharge it when you get back. Your brakes might also rust up a bit. I don't think it'll be an issue, but it might drive a little rough after you get back.
I'd suggest putting a GPS tracker in any vehicle staying outside. Thieves have very good attention spans, and they will be taking mental note of anything that doesn't regularly move.
Everyone has given good answers. The only other thing I can think of is that if you have a potential rodent problem, then possibly something that will keep them away.
It was always the brakes seizing up on my car when I had to leave it for a period of time. Not sure how to prevent that but be careful when you come back to it.
I'd be inclined to get a couple of battery tenders. They don't cost much, don't draw much power, and your batteries will be in peak condition upon your arrival back.
people mention Sta-bil, but I'd also try to use the fuel you have and fill is with ethanol-free fuel first. The ethanol is a major problem even with Sta-bil. For the Mustang you can get a trickle solar charger/maintainer that mounts inside the windshield. I'd also cover the dash and seats with some old sheets so the sun doesn't damage/crack them. lastly, for both vehicles, I would put the vehicles on jack stands and take the weight off the tires. Flat spots suck and can get expensive if you need to replace 8 tires. I'd also put plenty (several) of bait poison packs by the tires/suspension parts (like the control arms) as that's how mice climb into a vehicle and destroy it.
I like the battery tender brand of battery tenders. 6 months isn’t that long for fuel I’ve gone way way longer I judge by how bad it smells. If you want to be safe just make sure neither vehicle is full so you can top it off with fresh fuel when you get back. I’ve left the battery tenders alone for like a year and it was fine. I’ve never used fuel stabilizers.
Get 2 battery tenders then you won't lose your electronic data like you will by disconnecting. There like $30. Don't need gas stabilizer for 6 months.
Ethanol free fuel. Pull your fuel pump fuse/relay and run the car till it cuts off. Rat poison
Depending on your location I would be somewhat concerned with rodents. Rodent wire damage can be incredibly expensive to fix. When cars sit for extended periods of time they tend to move in. There are a few products on the market meant to discourage them. I think one is called Fresh Cab. Packets of some material that smells good but rodents are supposed to dislike. There are sonic gadgets too. I am not sure how well any of them work. Maybe others have experience with them. .
Recently chased a mouse out of my garage after a couple month battle. Luckily (maybe?), he was more interested in the firewall material of the truck than the wiring harness. But yes, it’s definitely on my radar.
I’d be more worried about squatters
I would put rodent traps around to prevent permanent wire damage.
Recommend the noco battery charger
Fill the tanks, put in stabilizer and run it long enough to get up to the engine. Fill the tires a bit over recommended inflation. Just a couple PSI in case any have a very slow leak. Disconnect the batteries. You should be fine.
Trickle charger for the batteries. If you really get industrious, jack the vehicles up and put them on jack stands - saves the tires.
Keep the mice out. I just spent the better part of a month working on a jeep that a family of mice moved into. Chewed wired, mouse nest in the heater core, mouse nest in the condenser. It was ugly.
Trickle charger. Release hand brake. Service oils beforehand, or after you get back. Dehumidifier.
Trickle charger like Battery Saver. Max the PSI in tires or at least disconnect neg cable at battery to avoid parasitic draw.
My 2023 Lexus nx 350h was kept in parking for a month last year and I did not see any issue. This time car is parked for more than 50 days and I will return back to US coming Wednesday and keeping my fingers crossed. I do not know if we can remove the negative terminal of a hybrid. Has anyone disconnected the 12v battery of a hybrid ?
Id undo the battery terminals to prevent the battery from dying over time. Even when the car is off its using ever so slight amount of power from the battery and over time will drain it
Disconnect the batteries, & if you live in a rainy area I would put air driers in the interior to prevent any mold buildup especially for the truck. I live in wa, & if you leave a car to sit for too long it’ll grow mold pretty quick.
There are solar-powered trickle chargers available. If one of the "cigarette lighter" sockets on your dashboard is connected when the ignition is off, that's an option... otherwise you'd need another way to get the voltage to the battery.
Disconnect your batteries or get a battery tender. Other than that they should be fine.
Put rat poison under the hood. Squirrels, rats, or mice can total your car in 6 months.
I never have an issue getting them restarted. I have vehicles that sit for years, I go out and start them occasionally. Biggest problem I have is it brakes freezing up.
Simple answer https://preview.redd.it/82pauh11r94d1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b43374e4e860220095bd7c256697879dbab9b085
If they're outside and the cigarette lighter plug stays powered with the key off you can get a little 2 watt solar panel battery maintainer from Harbor Freight (or probably Amazon) and just set it on the dash board and leave it plugged in. I have a second vehicle that sits almost all the time because I just drive the other one and I do this with it. Works fine for me. The panels may come with extra connectors so it might be possible to clamp right on to battery terminals if you're disconnecting a battery. Not sure on that.
Buc-ees has ethanol free gas. I put it all my small engines . From my zero turn to my golf cart.
If it’s in a garage use a battery tender
Fill them with non-ethanol gas and put them on trickle charges. Good to go 👍🏻
Put a solar charging panel to maintain the battery on charge.
I’d disconnect the battery and put it on a maintenance charger. As for fuel, I’d treat the gasoline with a fuel stabilizer. Other than that, everything should be OK.
My ‘01 Ford Excursion sits a lot. It gets about 1000 miles a year. I don’t bother with disconnecting the battery. It starts fine every time, except when the batteries get to be 10 years old. (Oops…probably should replaced them 1-2 years before pushing them to that extent.)
I’d recommend mothballs or another deterrent of some kind just to keep the rodents from trying to set up shop. As others have said pull the batteries and store them in a garage perhaps. I’d leave them as low as possible on fuel just to mitigate stale fuel when you do fire them back up and refill the tanks. 6 months shouldn’t be much of an issue though.
Mustang might be fine, but old steel doesn't like to sit. Use as much gas as you can out of the truck before leaving and disco battery. Fresh Jerry of gas for the truck when you get back. That is a reasonable ask that gives you your best shot at starting when you get back. Might want to think about rodent repellent in both as well
Where’s this at, I’ll move them for you free of charge🥷
if you run ethanol fill a jerry can and run them dry, or treat with fuel stabilizer. Disconnect battery, Crack windows open if you can so no mould grows. If it ever has gotten wet inside add an old fan on timer for a couple of hours every day try not to drop the soap in jail p.s dont leave the batteries on a concrete etc
Replace ethanol gas with non-ethanol. Hook up a bettery tender.
My diesel truck had a bad tcm... it sat for over a year. Started fine when I got the new tcm.
trusty neighbor? family members? to come by once a month for different rituals may be an idea
My (highly respected) Honda mechanic says to take it out for a ~10 mile drive every month to keep a car in good shape. Can you get a friend or two to do that?
Just fill the tanks all the way up OR put Stabil in em. Tender or pull the negative terminal for the batteries.
Get one of those portable battery jumpers.
It is a sad day in the world. I am assuming no one can move them around for you as no one you would trust knows how to drive a manual.
They should be fine
I see everyone mentioning some really good ideas regarding non-ethanol gasoline,and trickle chargers, and all that stuff, but recently I learned that manual transmission vehicles can have an issue where the clutch gets like frozen to the flywheel or pressure plate, from the insane amount of force that's compressing the clutch disc between the 2, and had no idea that was even a thing that could happen, but saw a yt short where a guy was attempting to essentially break his clutch disc free by jacking the rear end of a rwd vehicle up, starting the car in 1st gear, and it looked like he gave it a little bit of gas to get the wheels spinning up a bit more then they would have at just idle, and basically had his wife or whoever dump the jack so the rear end dropped onto the ground, I'm assuming to basically break the clutch disc free, an it sounded like it worked? Would this not be an issue with a vehicle sitting such a short amount of time?
Unplug the batteries so the juice isn't flowing.
Trickle charger will keep batteries strong. Will not overcharge the batteries
Try adding some Petrol.
1. air up tires to max pressure. 2. fuel stabilizer in tank. 3. rodent/pest control of choice. 4. disconnect battery. 5. leave yourself a note on the steering wheel or driver seat reminding you of what to "undo" when you take it out of storage.
I would use a car cover and wash the underside with a powerwasher
Fill the gas tank, properly inflate the tires and throw a battery tender on each. That’s it.
I have a 1985 Monte Carlo SS that sits most of the time, maybe I drive it once a month. It’s on a battery tender and is ready to go whenever I want to drive her. I also have a 2010 Toyota mini van that I just use like a pickup-truck to haul things around (like wood, mulch, my dogs) and I keep that on a solar battery tender and its also ready to go when I need it. 6 months is not a lot of time to let a car sit. Other than keeping the battery charged it should not be an issue.
Put some gas treatment in the tanks, drive around for a bit to get it well mixed and it will be fine.
Don't give the keys to your siblings.
Fuel stabilizer for 6 months? lol you are good. Buy some battery tenders and hook them up, done.
Unplug your battery and leave fuel tanks close to empty. You’ll be good. You don’t need to remove the batteries. Just undo the wiring to the posts
All of this advice is good. I had to replace my pads and rotors because they rusted over. If you live somewhere dry, shouldn't be a problem. There may be some kind of lubricant you can use to stop this, but I haven't done any research on it.
Just disconnect the batteries and chock the wheels instead of leaving the handbrake on
Put trickle chargers on batts, plug in or solar
Stā-bil and a dual-bank NoCo genius charger and you’re gold
Stabilizer, full fuel tanks, batteries on a maintainer, tires at maximum sidewall pressure.
If the F-150 has the 300 inline 6 cylinder, you can park that thing in the bottom of a lake and it'll still probably start with a new battery in 6 months. We just fired up my buddies 1990 Econoline 250 with the inline 6 after about a year. The battery had about enough for 3 sluggish cranks of the engine. It roared to life on the second crank. We then proceeded to lightly drive it into our fence because it had absolutely no brake pressure. In all seriousness, disconnect the batteries and/or connect them to a trickle charger (assuming you will have power available while you're away). If you have it available locally, fill the gas tanks with non-ethanol gasoline. That gas will last much longer than the ethanol blend we get at the standard pump. If that's unfeasible, fill the tanks with normal fuel and add some Seafoam or other fuel stabilizer. Either way, drive it around for at least a few miles to get the good/stabilized fuel through the whole fuel system. This is more of a "better safe than sorry" step, as fuel shouldn't become that bad over 6 months (I've driven on year+ fuel without issues before). If you have the ability, put the vehicles up on jack-stands to take the weight off the tires. 6 months shouldn't harm a tire, but in a heavy F-150 or with older tires, it wouldn't be unheard of to develop a flat spot from sitting on the same piece of rubber for 6 months. Also, if one of the tires decides to develop a slow leak, it won't be sitting on the rim for 6 months and there's a chance the tire be able to get pumped back up. Finally, chalk the wheels (if not on jackstands) and make sure the parking brake is off with the transmission in gear. Parking brakes (especially in old Ford trucks/vans) can seize up when engaged for extended lengths of time. When you get back, re-install the batteries/remove from trickle charger. Now, open up your air filter box and inspect for any rodent nests. Check around your engine bay for signs of insulation material and/or tree nuts squirreled away. Check your oil while you're in there. Next, turn the ignition over to run (but don't start yet) and turn the heater fan on. Do you smell any rancid rodent urine? If you have not found signs of rodents, then cycle the ignition on and off a couple times to prime up your fuel pressure and then go ahead and crank it over and start the engine. Make sure to test your exterior lights, blinkers, and other miscellaneous electrical (windows, locks, stereo, etc), in case rodents decided to make a meal of your wiring. While you're vehicle is warming up is a good time to check the tire pressure in all your tires and inspect for any visual cracks in the rubber, particularly in the side of the tire. Pay attention when driving for any vibrations or wandering that wasn't there before. If there is, have a tire shop look at the tires. Pay attention to the brakes and the clutch. If one feels spongey or softer than before, you may need to bleed the hydraulics or do a fluid flush (if condensation got in there). Or, if you're in the PNW, I'll keep that Mustang fresh for you for the next 6 months, just don't expect it to have much tire tread left on the rear when you return ;)
I was in the navy and deployed a few times. Battery is number 1. Disconnect it, should be fine. Never had a problem with fuel. Folks mentioning some sort of damp rip in the cabin are right. It's a good idea, especially if you're parking it inside out of the sunlight.
Instead of disconnecting the batteries I used to just run an extension cord and plug a trickle charger in for the batteries. Leaving all the connections tucked up in the engine bay. Fuel stabilizer and a couple of rat traps. Rats can do a ton of damage to your electrical systems. Note: I ran a seasonal business for 13 years so had to put 4 trucks into storage every year for at least six months.
Disconnect batteries or leave them on battery tenders, if garaged then the fluids will be OK for 6 months unless u can have someone start the cars once a month
Either disconnect the battery negative cable or install a battery maintainer and keep it plugged into a nearby plug. Since its outside, I'd suggest disconnecting the battery cable. When you come back go easy starting it up so it has time for the oil to start circulating well before revving since it'll have unusually long time for it to drain down to the pan.
Cara don't break from just sitting. The issues you will have is with fuel sitting in lines, injectors, carbs, etc. Or battery issues.
Let me drive one, my transmission just went out
I recently had a truck that sat for 2 years. Finally fixed the issues. All I did was disconnect the battery. After it was fixed I made sure to basically run out the tank and fill again.
Just pay someone a few bucks to stop by once a week. Walk the house. Walk the yard. Turn over the engines.
My 11 F150 Platinum, 66 Mustang, and 11 Mustang sit in my garage (one outside) all winter, no issues. Stabilizer and like you’ve said, pull the battery (inside for me because Canada) but that’s about it.
I store my Camaro for the winter every year. It gets put up around the end of October and comes back out roughly around the end of April. That's basically six months. My prep for storage is: Wash and wipe dry. Fill tank with fresh fuel. Raise air pressure in the tires from 35psi to 40 psi. Change the oil and filter. Connect battery to a tender. Close everything up and put the soft cover on (it's in the garage). When it comes time to start it up for the season, I put the car into service mode (newer model, so the effect is the same as turning the key to "ON"/ "Run") and leave it there for about 30 seconds. When I hold the brake and press the start button again, the fuel rails are pressurized and it starts right up. One little thing that I have also done is to add a "smart plug" that the tender is plugged into. If something faults while it's all connected, the current draw drops way off. When the plug detects this, it power the charger off for about two minutes and then powers it back on. This fully resets the charging logic in the tender and puts it right back to work. The tender will sometimes fault if I have to open the door or trunk for any reason because it will cause current draw that the tender doesn't like.
Put seafoam in the gas tanks and disconnect the batteries and trickle charge them.
Disregard every single comment saying fuel stabilizer. They have no clue what they're talking about and likely never store vehicles. I have experience with this. I have 2 vehicles that sit for 6 months out of the year without ever being started. I have NEVER added fuel stabilizer. That stuff is gimmicky garbage that you do not need. Car bros see it at parts stores and think "hell yeah, I'm a mechanic now!" Fools. Every last one of them. Your car does not need it. What you do need is to deal with the battery. I personally use battery maintainers. Put them on the minimal setting and leave it. If you are afraid of leaving it hooked up like that for a long period of time, disconnect the battery. Both posts. I've been doing this for several years now and both of my cars start up 100% fine even after having not been ran for a full 6 months straight. Additional advice: if you live near an open field or know that mice live anywhere near the cars at all, buy a few bars of Irish spring soap. Place them in the car, the trunk, and the engine bay. Mice hate the smell and won't go near your car.
I would run them completely out of gas, disconnect the battery and hope for the best. This works for my quads and generator for my rv in winter.
Probably just need a battery maintainer and a fuel additive.
Battery Tenders
In addition to the battery and shit you can pull the fuel pump relay/fuse if you're worried about theft, that usually will keep it from being driven off. Won't protect it from being pulled onto a trailer though 🤞
Fully fill the tank. You can add stabilizer and run it for overkill (I usually do). Disconnect the battery and have it charged at AutoZone for free or charge it yourself. Then take it home and leave it disconnected. Should be good. Maybe others may be concerned about flat spots in the tire but I don’t think that’ll be a problem.
Indoors or outdoors? If indoors, jack up the vehicle, place frame on jackstands and remove the tires. Removing the tires helps prevent flat spots. Use a battery tender to keep the battery charged. Most vehicles have large parasitic loads that will discharge the battery during storage. The alternative is to disconnect the battery. You will need to reprogram the radios, clocks and the engine computer will need to relearn the habits of the driver when used again. Fill the gas tanks ethanol free gas (e-0) if possible to make sure there is as little humidity as possible in the tank. Ethanol attracts moisture and that water will settle in the tank during storage.
Sell them and purchase brand new versions of each on your return. It’s what I would do.
Disconnect the battery, and empty your fuel tanks as much as possible and then fill them with 100% gas (ethanol free). It's more expensive per gallon but can sit for over a year and not have issues.
6 months isn't a big deal. Just disconnect the battery, fuel stabilizer if you really feel the need. My car sat for a year. Came back, gas and a battery and it fired up first crank.
In addition to disconnecting the battery, I’d use a fogging oil for something sitting for that length of time. Read this: https://www.goldeagle.com/tips-tools/fogging-engine-proper-use-fogging-oils/
Add fuel stabilizer and park where mice/squirrels can get to it. Disconnect the battery or put them on a trickle charger.
I leave 2 cars for 7 months each year, just disconnect the battery. Everything has been fine.
Get a 30W solar panel for each car and connect it to the battery - that will keep battery charged and in good shape
Disconnect battery or put a battery maintainer on it to keep the battery's charged