Long-term storage of a Honda

I may be staying overseas for upto 6 months and I wonder how to leave my
car so I can use it again without any lasting damage. I know as much to
leave it on some blocks to prevent tire damage but what else?

 

Reposting of the answer I gave to an identical question back on the 14th of
this month (but for a 2010 Honda):

The trickle-charger is an excellent idea. That way you don't need to
disconnect the battery.

Adding Sta-Bil to the gas is an imperative these days, so you MUST use it.
And use it according to the label on the bottle. Do not add more than
specified because you think "more" must be "better".

Other things you need to do:
1) Change the engine oil.
2) Pump-up the tires to the maximum shown on the sidewall. This will
minimize flat-spotting.
3) Make sure the gas tank is completely full.
4) After changing the oil and adding Sta-Bil, take the car for a half-hour
drive, preferably with some highway involved. This gets the engine good and
hot, plus it helps distribute the Sta-Bil throughout the gas in the tank,
and helps make sure Sta-Bil ends up in the fuel lines and the injectors.
5) Park the car, shut it off for good, and do not drive it any more.

Given that you're working with a car this new, there should be no need to
raise the tires off the ground unless you've noticed a slow leak in any of
the tires. If you suspect the tires may go flat during your absence, place
jack stands under the control arms, NOT under the rocker panels or subframe
rails. You need the suspension to stay under normal compression while the
car is idle.

 

but not any trickle charger - the old ones will soon dehydrate the
battery. it needs to be the modern "intelligent" type that knows when
the battery is charged, then reduces current accordingly. the better
modern ones have a "desulfate" mode which will not only keep charged but
also condition the battery during storage.

if not done recently with a quality product, i would suggest changing
the antifreeze. use a modern long-life product, and dilute only with
distilled, or deionized water. do NOT dilute with tap or softened water
- it introduces chemicals that can increase or start corrosion.

 

Thanks, Tegger, and sorry for missing the original post. What Subject
was it under? Anyway, I'm glad you wrote that the car can be left on
fully inflated tires and I'm glad I read about Sta-Bil for the first
time right here from you.
In my case the only problem is the oil change that I just can't do at
home.
As to the trickle charger, do you or Jim have any suggestion as to the
brand?

 

Oops! I just realized I've sent my reply from a different server that
still has my old user ID "Dabbler." My bad ...

 

Tegger, the trickle charger could actually turn out to be a bad thing. Many
are made with no automatic shutoff when maximum charge is reached. I left
one such trickle charger on a ford one winter. The battery was ruined and
dried out when spring arrived. Even a single amp of charge over months of
charging will ruin a battery. Any battery charger with an automatic shutoff
will work for him. I know. I have used one since the trickle charger
incident. It is a 12 amp automatic charger. It keeps the battery good all
winter. If you go out in the garage and look at it, you will see no charge
going on. If you wait long enough, you will see the meter snap up and right
back down. It is maintaining the charge without overcharging.

Michael

 

The only thing I can suggest is going to an auto parts store and asking for
an automatic charger. Any amperage value is OK as long as it is automatic.
Do no go to Walmart. I did that and had to bring their great little digital
readout charger back to them. It would automatically charge up the battery
and the shut off. It would never turn on again unless you unplugged it and
started it over each time. Piece of $#@*

I have two automatic chargers. Both are 12 amp. You can usually return a
charger to an auto parts store if it does not shut off when charging is
complete or turn back on in a few minutes to pulse a tiny bit more energy
into the battery.

Again, The size of the charger is not important. The automatic sensing
circuitry will make all the difference in the world for the health of your
battery.

Michael

 

Your description is better than mine. Any charger left attached for long
periods /definitely must/ have a reliable shutoff. All it needs to do is
return the battery to its fully-charged state, then stop until needed
again.

Modern cars have large parasitic draws, and their batteries will go flat in
about two weeks without regular top-up, so the charger is necessary if the
battery is not to be disconnected.

Leaving the battery connected preserves the radio anti-theft codes, the
engine idle-learn, and the transmission's grade-logic, so that's better
than disconnecting it.

 

I have had a trickle charger from this outfit maintaining the battery
on my "Hurricane" generator for the past 10 years. Same battery, same
charger. Unit has never failed to start, though genertor is rarely
used rarely. Last started last month when the last storm threatened.
Yes, I use stabil and change oil, etc.
http://batterytender.com/automotive/battery-tender-plus-12v-at-1-25a.html

 

Don't use deionized water. It will accellerate corrosion. This is a
major problem in live steam model railroading, where some noobs think
that "if distilled water is good, deionized water is gooder"

But yes, distilled water. Actually, always distilled water if you
have to cut your antifreeze. The less crap (minerals) you put into
your system the less that will find a permanent home.
--

- dillon I am not invalid

Toby (Tri-Umph That's the Sweet Truth)
March 1998 - June 2010
What a dog. What a dog!

 

you seem to be confusing "deionized" with "softened". softened water
will indeed accelerate corrosion. deionized will not because -
amazingly - the ions that cause the electrolytic corrosion process have
been removed.

http://www.eetcorp.com/antifreeze/antifreeze-faq.htm#q20

distilled or deionized.

correct. but don't confuse deionized and softened.

 

google for "battery tender" and you'll get suggestions. it's the ones
that "maintain" offer the ability to keep connected long term.