Putting it away for the winter, battery tender required?

2WheelDave · 10-24-2019, 11:29 AM

It's time to put the 135 away for the winter. It will be in our unheated garage hanging out with my motorcycles. I imagine I should put it on a battery tender, fill the gas tank, put in some fuel stabilizer and run it enough to get that worked through the system. What else should I look at? Should I hook the battery tender up directly to the battery or to the jump-start connecters under the hood?

N54Yankee · 10-24-2019, 01:57 PM

You have a good plan. I’m about to winterize my Corvette and I add Stabil fill gas tanks and a quick spin to get stabilizer up to injectors but then I remove the battery from car and bring inside the house and put on trickle. I see no need to leave it out in weeks of freezing temps and it only takes a few min to do.

Tenspeed · 10-24-2019, 02:25 PM

I leave my car on a battery tender in this cooler season when I don't get to drive it very often and it appears to work.

It is now 4+ years old to me and still running on battery it had when I bought it at 4 years old in 2015.

Why tempt a dead battery if you don't have to? I even leave my lawn mower on a trickle charger all winter too.

NorthernDancer · 10-24-2019, 03:36 PM

1. change oil about 1 week B4 storage. Clean cabin filter.
2. our cars use premium gas [no ethanol in prem here] but still doesn't hurt to add stabilizer.
3. wash car then drive for about 30 minutes to dry it out, especially brakes [get them warm to hot]. Put a product on your front seats [for leather or vinyl]
4. inflate tires to 3-4 psi over normal
5. protect against rodents, smelly dryer sheets, Irish Spring, many other choices. Put in interior, engine compartment and trunk.Consider blocking off ends of exhaust pipes.
6. Deltran battery tender, CTEK, or Schumacher Battery Maintainer [1 amp to 1.5 amp] either under hood [best] or trunk.
7. I always lift my wipers just slightly off the glass
There may be a couple more things-will add if I remember.
Been doing this for well over 20 years
The battery in my 2008 is now 11 yrs old; in 2020 it'll be 12 yrs old but car is never used in winter.

6ixSpd · 10-30-2019, 07:55 AM

The above is pretty spot on. If you can't use a battery tender, disconnect the negative terminal at the minimum.

I've never done #1 (why put in fresh oil only to have it sit for 4-6 months? I do a fresh change immediately out of storage though.) or #7, and I usually inflate tires to max psi. 12 years of this routine and no issues here either.

tracer bullet · 10-30-2019, 08:32 AM

Tender for sure. I have 2 of these now: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Using it if I didn't drive the car a few days or more is, I think, part of the reason I only just last weekend swapped out my original 9 year old battery - which I did proactively, it was still working.

2WheelDave · 10-30-2019, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 6ixSpd

I've never done #1 (why put in fresh oil only to have it sit for 4-6 months?

I think the logic is that the corrosive combustion by products aren't sitting in the engine for the storage period.

WDE82 · 10-30-2019, 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NorthernDancer

1. change oil about 1 week B4 storage. Clean cabin filter.
2. our cars use premium gas [no ethanol in prem here] but still doesn't hurt to add stabilizer.
3. wash car then drive for about 30 minutes to dry it out, especially brakes [get them warm to hot]. Put a product on your front seats [for leather or vinyl]
4. inflate tires to 3-4 psi over normal
5. protect against rodents, smelly dryer sheets, Irish Spring, many other choices. Put in interior, engine compartment and trunk.Consider blocking off ends of exhaust pipes.
6. Deltran battery tender, CTEK, or Schumacher Battery Maintainer [1 amp to 1.5 amp] either under hood [best] or trunk.
7. I always lift my wipers just slightly off the glass
There may be a couple more things-will add if I remember.
Been doing this for well over 20 years
The battery in my 2008 is now 11 yrs old; in 2020 it'll be 12 yrs old but car is never used in winter.

You're pushing your luck with that battery for sure. It's not a matter of if, but when.

6ixSpd · 10-30-2019, 01:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2WheelDave

I think the logic is that the corrosive combustion by products aren't sitting in the engine for the storage period.

Interesting. Living in the northeast, I don't know anyone amongst a good dozen or so enthusiasts in my circle, that does a pre-storage oil change on their summer cars. Still seems like a waste of $ and good oil but I digress.

WDE82 · 10-30-2019, 01:39 PM

If your car is near needing a change, then I'd do it, but otherwise it's a waste. Good oil should remain basic and non-corrosive. I definitely agree to go out and get it nice and hot before storage (if you've been taking short trips recently), but that's it. Battery tender is a must too.

10-24-2019, 11:29 AM	#1
2WheelDave Private 24 Rep 62 Posts Drives: 2011 135i, 2005 BMW R1200GS Join Date: Jun 2019 Location: Salmon Arm, B.C. Canada iTrader: (0)	Putting it away for the winter, battery tender required? It's time to put the 135 away for the winter. It will be in our unheated garage hanging out with my motorcycles. I imagine I should put it on a battery tender, fill the gas tank, put in some fuel stabilizer and run it enough to get that worked through the system. What else should I look at? Should I hook the battery tender up directly to the battery or to the jump-start connecters under the hood?
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10-24-2019, 01:57 PM	#2
N54Yankee Lieutenant Colonel 2707 Rep 1,916 Posts Drives: N54 135\|Cobb\|M3 control arms Join Date: Sep 2018 Location: USA iTrader: (0)	You have a good plan. I’m about to winterize my Corvette and I add Stabil fill gas tanks and a quick spin to get stabilizer up to injectors but then I remove the battery from car and bring inside the house and put on trickle. I see no need to leave it out in weeks of freezing temps and it only takes a few min to do. __________________ __________________ "The Constitution was never construed to authorize Congress to infringe the just liberty of the press, or the rights of conscience; or to prevent the people of the United States, who are peaceable citizens, from keeping their own arms.” Samuel Adams
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10-24-2019, 02:25 PM	#3
Tenspeed Private 34 Rep 95 Posts Drives: 2011 135i E88 DCT Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Upstate, SC iTrader: (0)	I leave my car on a battery tender in this cooler season when I don't get to drive it very often and it appears to work. It is now 4+ years old to me and still running on battery it had when I bought it at 4 years old in 2015. Why tempt a dead battery if you don't have to? I even leave my lawn mower on a trickle charger all winter too.
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10-24-2019, 03:36 PM	#4
NorthernDancer Colonel 848 Rep 2,276 Posts Drives: 08 Sedona 128 & 06 330xiT 6MT Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Ottawa On Canada iTrader: (3)	1. change oil about 1 week B4 storage. Clean cabin filter. 2. our cars use premium gas [no ethanol in prem here] but still doesn't hurt to add stabilizer. 3. wash car then drive for about 30 minutes to dry it out, especially brakes [get them warm to hot]. Put a product on your front seats [for leather or vinyl] 4. inflate tires to 3-4 psi over normal 5. protect against rodents, smelly dryer sheets, Irish Spring, many other choices. Put in interior, engine compartment and trunk.Consider blocking off ends of exhaust pipes. 6. Deltran battery tender, CTEK, or Schumacher Battery Maintainer [1 amp to 1.5 amp] either under hood [best] or trunk. 7. I always lift my wipers just slightly off the glass There may be a couple more things-will add if I remember. Been doing this for well over 20 years The battery in my 2008 is now 11 yrs old; in 2020 it'll be 12 yrs old but car is never used in winter.
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10-30-2019, 07:55 AM	#5
6ixSpd Save the manuals! 6015 Rep 6,745 Posts Drives: '16 M3, '23 718 Spyder Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: 416 iTrader: (4)	The above is pretty spot on. If you can't use a battery tender, disconnect the negative terminal at the minimum. I've never done #1 (why put in fresh oil only to have it sit for 4-6 months? I do a fresh change immediately out of storage though.) or #7, and I usually inflate tires to max psi. 12 years of this routine and no issues here either. __________________ '16 M3 \| '23 718 Spyder Past: E92 M3, F87 M2, E39 M5, etc
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10-30-2019, 08:32 AM	#6
tracer bullet Brigadier General 2410 Rep 3,544 Posts Drives: '11 135i , '15 X3 35i Join Date: May 2011 Location: Saint Paul, MN iTrader: (1)	Tender for sure. I have 2 of these now: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Using it if I didn't drive the car a few days or more is, I think, part of the reason I only just last weekend swapped out my original 9 year old battery - which I did proactively, it was still working.
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10-30-2019, 01:39 PM	#10
WDE82 Major 815 Rep 1,199 Posts Drives: 2018 440iGC F36 Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Torrance, CA iTrader: (0)	If your car is near needing a change, then I'd do it, but otherwise it's a waste. Good oil should remain basic and non-corrosive. I definitely agree to go out and get it nice and hot before storage (if you've been taking short trips recently), but that's it. Battery tender is a must too. __________________
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