Winterizing the 996

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OceanBlue2000
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Winterizing the 996

Post by OceanBlue2000 » Tue Oct 20, 2020 12:42 pm

It looks like I'll be driving the wee bairns to school, when they do their hybrid thing. I am not interested in driving the 996 in the salt and garbage that will soon be on the roads. So i'm going to be buying a junk car to take them back and forth, and for the first time ever I'll be winterizing the 996.

So, questions:

I assume I should use a trickle charger. What does everyone use? I think I'd prefer one that connects to the battery terminals, but I have seen ones that connect to the cigarette lighter. The issue there is leaving a window open in a musty garage.

I have a car cover. Anything else? Fuel treatment? I'll be changing the oil just before I put it away because it's been 6 months. I'm worried about flat spots on the tires but I'm not putting the car in the air though.
Mike
Strange things I have in head, that will to hand.
2000 Ocean Blue 996 Carrera 2
1982 928 (sold)

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Dr_Strangelove
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Re: Winterizing the 996

Post by Dr_Strangelove » Tue Oct 20, 2020 1:00 pm

Desert guy gets to go first! :P


I use this for a trickle charger. https://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-0 ... 4302&psc=1

Very small and discreet, fits in the frunk or just outside of it with the frunk closed. I haven't had any issues with crimped wires or anything after closing the frunk. It has the connections to bolt directly onto the battery like you're looking for.


Fuel treatment: modern fuels will be able to sit for 6 months no problem, as they are all pre-treated nowadays.

Flat spots: In the springtime when you're ready to drive the car again, inflate your tires to max PSI and drive 15-25 miles, then let the air back out to your desired setting when you park it after the shakedown. So long as the tires are healthy you may not even get any flat spots, or if you do, this trick will knock them out right quick.


Oh and if you get too cold come give me a visit and we can hop in the pool with a cocktail. :lol: :D
2003 Carrera: Dark Teal Metallic

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32wildbilly
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Re: Winterizing the 996

Post by 32wildbilly » Tue Oct 20, 2020 2:07 pm

OceanBlue2000 wrote: Tue Oct 20, 2020 12:42 pm It looks like I'll be driving the wee bairns to school, when they do their hybrid thing. I am not interested in driving the 996 in the salt and garbage that will soon be on the roads. So i'm going to be buying a junk car to take them back and forth, and for the first time ever I'll be winterizing the 996.

So, questions:

I assume I should use a trickle charger. What does everyone use? I think I'd prefer one that connects to the battery terminals, but I have seen ones that connect to the cigarette lighter. The issue there is leaving a window open in a musty garage.

I have a car cover. Anything else? Fuel treatment? I'll be changing the oil just before I put it away because it's been 6 months. I'm worried about flat spots on the tires but I'm not putting the car in the air though.
I too use the Battery Tender brand of maintainer as Dr. S. I use the cigarette adapter and here is a clue: On the passenger side door in the bottom weather striping about 8" from the back edge of door there is a cutout area in the weather striping that allows you to place the wire on the threshold and close the door without pinching. Window down problem solved. I do put in fuel treatment in a full tank and drive it around the block to get it circulated throughout the system just because...Dr. S. is right about airing up the tires. I put a good brand of dryer sheets inside the car, mothballs in the frunk and engine compartment, and mouse traps around the garage to discourage the little bastards!

Strange that a desert dweller knows about car storage! :?
Never gonna make you cry...

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Dr_Strangelove
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Re: Winterizing the 996

Post by Dr_Strangelove » Tue Oct 20, 2020 2:17 pm

Grew up in WI and educated in CO, life-long car guy :D
2003 Carrera: Dark Teal Metallic

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32wildbilly
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Re: Winterizing the 996

Post by 32wildbilly » Tue Oct 20, 2020 2:55 pm

Dr_Strangelove (whew!) wrote: Tue Oct 20, 2020 2:17 pm Grew up in WI and educated in CO, life-long car guy :D
A Cheesehead that has been oxygen deprived. Well that clears up a lot of questions. ;)
Never gonna make you cry...

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02TX996Cab
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Re: Winterizing the 996

Post by 02TX996Cab » Tue Oct 20, 2020 2:56 pm

Ctek 3300 as a battery maintainer -- I have 3 of them and they meet my needs.
https://www.autogeek.net/ctek-multi-us- ... arger.html

I'm not a fan of using the cigarette lighter outlet so I hard-wired a pigtail from the battery leads to a convenient spot in the frunk to make using the quick-connect super easy. For the 996 that's a nice-to-have. For my GT4 and more modern P-cars it's a must-have; the in-car power outlets are automatically deactivated by the car's brain if they don't detect current after a period, as would occur if the power to your home went out for a while. You only find out that's happened when you try to restart the car and the battery's dead.

Regardless of how you connect the maintainer, I recommend leaving the frunk unlatched. Should all preventative measures fail and your battery croaks you can easily jump the car and/or replace the battery with zero hassle. If the frunk's closed and the battery dies it can be quite the adventure...

Not much else to add...living in TX I don't have to lay the cars up for months on end.
Proud owner of a Flat6-powered 2002 996 Cab, 2016 GT4, 2019 Ford F-150 "Country Cadillac", and 2005 Ford Focus (not so hot hatch) daily driver. And a Wright ZTO 52" to keep several acres of grass-like substance neat and tidy!

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Dr_Strangelove
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Re: Winterizing the 996

Post by Dr_Strangelove » Tue Oct 20, 2020 3:00 pm

32wildbilly wrote: Tue Oct 20, 2020 2:55 pm
Dr_Strangelove (whew!) wrote: Tue Oct 20, 2020 2:17 pm Grew up in WI and educated in CO, life-long car guy :D
A Cheesehead that has been oxygen deprived. Well that clears up a lot of questions. ;)
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2003 Carrera: Dark Teal Metallic

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32wildbilly
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Re: Winterizing the 996

Post by 32wildbilly » Tue Oct 20, 2020 4:01 pm

Dr_Strangelove (whew!) wrote: Tue Oct 20, 2020 3:00 pm
32wildbilly wrote: Tue Oct 20, 2020 2:55 pm

A Cheesehead that has been oxygen deprived. Well that clears up a lot of questions. ;)
Dan one of my favorite characters from the old version of the show.
Never gonna make you cry...

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OceanBlue2000
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Re: Winterizing the 996

Post by OceanBlue2000 » Wed Oct 21, 2020 2:02 pm

Thanks, fellas. I think I'll order the CTEK as I've seen that name around before. Other than that, I should be set.

Now to buy a beater that embarrasses the hell out of my kids when I go to drop them off.
Mike
Strange things I have in head, that will to hand.
2000 Ocean Blue 996 Carrera 2
1982 928 (sold)

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JohnIreland
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Re: Winterizing the 996

Post by JohnIreland » Wed Oct 21, 2020 3:43 pm

OceanBlue2000 wrote: Wed Oct 21, 2020 2:02 pm Thanks, fellas. I think I'll order the CTEK as I've seen that name around before. Other than that, I should be set.

Now to buy a beater that embarrasses the hell out of my kids when I go to drop them off.
What did you drop them off with last year? By the way, wheel bearings don't like to sit with the weight of the car on them. The lubrication can get dry, and yes metal can develop "flat spots". Why not just put if off the ground, on jack stands. You could then periodically run the car without having to take it out of the garage, How do all those Porsches in Europe survive being used 12 months out of the year?

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