Its that great crappy time of the year again.


I usually leave my battery conected though the winter and start the car every 2-3 weeks to let the engine run and charge the battery. Someone told me me that I should disconnect the battery (the negative cable).

Any ideals?
Should I or shouldn't I?
Is it the negative cable or the positive that should be disconnected?


Thanks.

 

If you start it every few weeks, why bother diconnecting anything?

BTW - when you start it, make sure you let it get up to operating temp (at least 180 degrees) before shutting it down. You don't want any condensation building up in the exhaust.

 

but if you do only start it once every couple of weeks that will mess up your new battery, because i just got a new battery, repeated not starting it up for a while and now the new battery dies more often, and im gonna have to trade it in for a new one...

 

I would just get a battery float charger....but not a trickle charger, that will just overcharge the battery

 

Up here in Timmins I have to take the battery out and put it in the basement or it will freeze. (-40 can be common)

I put fuel stabilizer on a full tank when I park it, pull the battery and leave it until spring. There are two sides to this story but I feel that one long time dry start up per year is enough, as the worst wear any engine sees is on a normal start never mind one where all of the oil has draing back to the pan (long time). I don't block mine up as it is sitting on a concrete pad in my insulated garage.

I do not start mine until the first time in the spring.

If you plan to start evey 2 or 3 weks yes I agree with Scott Chab make sure you get it up to operating temperature including your exhaust as you want to dry the system out.