How do you guys “winterize” your Pony?

[NJMike]

I think I need to start looking up battery tenders. Mine is going to be stored this yea.

I saw ford performance. Any other recommendations?

I got a $15 one from Walmart a while back. Works perfectly fine

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[RagmopInKona]

I have a new Mach 1 and I want to have a plan for winterizing my car. I live in New England so realistically I will be garaging her for 5 months out of each year. Should I keep the fuel level high, low, use a stabilizer, battery charger, start her up weekly, monthly, not at all…? I know a quick search can probably answer these questions, but I’m curious what you all do. Thanks.

I start mine every week, but keep the fuel level at 1/8th tank. and add fresh fuel as needed, it goes on stands so I can run it in gear, and not have to drive in the salt covered streets.
I made exhaust plugs. using shopping plastic bags and foam, and a barbed stick. So I can plug the pipes so mice don't try to make it home, and easy to pull before starting.
bounce drier sheets, varments hate. better than mothballs.
Battery tender, and wait till spring.

 

[Sains5]

Fill the tank and use stabilizer, put 5lbs more than the recommended tire press and hook it up to a battery maintainer. I leave mine all winter, problem with starting the car, eats creates moisture and to get rid of it you would have to bring the car up to running temperature and run it for a good half hour. Do yourself a favour and just leave it till spring.

 

[LOL WUT]

Fill tank, add stabilizer, clean car, attach battery tender, cover. Change oil in spring. Send it.

 

[Chomperr]

I drive all year around. Never garaged.

 

[JOKER M1]

I drive all year around. Never garaged.

Blah Blah Blah, no one likes a bragger….

 

[Skye]

This weekend, everything aligned and I brought Skye out of hibernation:

- Cover removed
- Tires brought back to regular pressure
- Tender disconnected

This was my first season storing a car like this. After 18 weeks and 4 days , the car started like it would have if I had driven it just five minutes before. No hesitation, stumbling, smoke, leaks or smells.

I didn't think of the topic of flat-spotting until now. I realize I never felt any ill effects. Throughout storage, I'd inflated the tires to 41 psi / 2.82 bar, chocked the wheels and left in neutral. I did not use tire cradles.

I intended to do something of a shakedown drive, just to get out and check everything. What started as a 30 minute jaunt turned into a 90 minute cruise. I simply didn't want to leave the car.

There are a lot of threads on storage with a lot of great advice. Thanks All. If your car is in storage, hopefully it will be out soon.

 

[JOKER M1]

This weekend, everything aligned and I brought Skye out of hibernation:

- Cover removed
- Tires brought back to regular pressure
- Tender disconnected

This was my first season storing a car like this. After 18 weeks and 4 days , the car started like it would have if I had driven it just five minutes before. No hesitation, stumbling, smoke, leaks or smells.

I didn't think of the topic of flat-spotting until now. I realize I never felt any ill effects. Throughout storage, I'd inflated the tires to 41 psi / 2.82 bar, chocked the wheels and left in neutral. I did not use tire cradles.

I intended to do something of a shakedown drive, just to get out and check everything. What started as a 30 minute jaunt turned into a 90 minute cruise. I simply didn't want to leave the car.

There are a lot of threads on storage with a lot of great advice. Thanks All. If your car is in storage, hopefully it will be out soon.

No one likes a bragger, ….. still in the 20’s & 30’s (hit & miss) around here but will warm up later this week. Gonna start full coverage back on April 1st. Only thing I did different was Sta-Bil and honestly I didn’t think I’ll do that part next year.

 

[Rapid Red]

No one likes a bragger, ….. still in the 20’s & 30’s (hit & miss) around here but will warm up later this week. Gonna start full coverage back on April 1st. Only thing I did different was Sta-Bil and honestly I didn’t think I’ll do that part next year.

Strictly psychological total waste does nothing, maybe if a driver uses shit fuel

 

[Skye]

A detailed post. But for those who haven't used Ford's capless fuel port before, a primer:

Skye is the first Ford I've owned for some time, the first vehicle I've owned using Ford's capless fuel port.

Prepping for storage in 2022, I wanted to use Stabil. Cheap insurance.

On my attempt to put Stabil into the tank, half of it seemed to get there, the other half, down the side of the car. Fortunately, I had some water. A quick rinsing down at the pump and no damage done.

Thinking I should have used a better means, I purchased a long funnel with a skinny snout; it was chucked on the workbench.

Looking ahead, I wanted to use the funnel on a test run and pass a few gallons of gas through it. That's when I discovered the funnel (and the stabil bottle) never actually made it into the filler neck.

To the uninitiated, Ford's capless system has two doors within the port. The first, outside, you can open and close with your finger. The second though, is different; it requires something pushing up against two release buttons on the left and right side.

A standard gas nozzle releases the second port. A typical funnel will not. Neither will the neck of an additive bottle. Or a fuel can.

I'd read a few comments of a funnel supplied with the car, but those that I read didn't describe where it was. I'd never seen it. I was set to buy one from a store, and then had my most recent "duh" moment: maybe the answer is in the Owner's Manual.

Page 154 of the 2022 Owner's Manual. It isn't obvious. I'd been in the trunk several times, pulled the cover where the air pump is stored maybe once or twice. Photos follow. The funnel is covered by a bracket, held in place by a clip and mount.

If you haven't located yours previously or just bought the car used, check to see it's there. I'll purchase an additional one, for the tool box.

https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p...nk-funnel-10719/10658430-P?searchTerm=flotool

 

[MAGS1]

A detailed post. But for those who haven't used Ford's capless fuel port before, a primer:

Skye is the first Ford I've owned for some time, the first vehicle I've owned using Ford's capless fuel port. Last year was my first year with the car.

Prepping for storage in 2022, as a step towards goodness, I wanted to use Stabil. Cheap insurance.

On my attempt to put Stabil into the tank, half of it seemed to get there, the other half, down the side of the car. Fortunately, I had some water. A quick rinsing down at the pump and no damage done.

Thinking I should have used a better means, I purchased a long funnel with a skinny snout; it was chucked on the workbench until recently.

Looking ahead, I wanted to use the funnel on a test run and pass a few gallons of gas through it. That's when I discovered the funnel (and the stabil bottle) never actually made it into the filler neck.

To the uninitiated, Ford's capless system has two doors within the port. The first, outside, you can open and close with your finger. The second though, is different; it requires something pushing up against two release buttons on the left and right side.

A standard gas nozzle releases the second port. A typical funnel will not. Neither will the neck of an additive bottle. Or a fuel can.

I'd read a few comments of a funnel supplied with the car, but those that I read didn't describe where it was. I'd never seen it. I was set to buy one from a store, and then had my most recent "duh" moment: maybe the answer is in the Owner's Manual.

Page 154 of the 2022 Owner's Manual. It isn't obvious. I'd been in the trunk several times, pulled the cover where the air pump is stored maybe once or twice. Photos follow. The funnel is covered by a bracket, held in place by a clip and mount.

If you haven't located yours previously or just bought the car used, check to see it's there. Additive bottles are one need of the special funnel. Fuel cans another. I'll purchase an additional one, for the tool box.

https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p...nk-funnel-10719/10658430-P?searchTerm=flotool

If I remember correctly, the funnel in my 2016 was either red or yellow. Found it when I had a flat, it was tucked under the spare. I haven’t actually looked in my 2022 yet but I assume it’s there. I didn’t check under the spare when I was doing my pre-delivery inspection.

Good post, I wonder how many people actually know it’s there!

 

[Skye]

I wonder how many people actually know it’s there!

Could have just been me not knowing. Unfortunately, I'm afraid more than a few have been on the side of the road, wondering why the fuel can cannot get the gas into the tank. I'm glad I discovered this now, instead of when I'd really need to.

 

[ORRadtech]

FWIW, if you have a real spare, it's not hidden under styrofoam.
If you have a Ford with the capless system you have one somewhere, unless someone lost it.
Amazon sells a two pack for $8.
There are other capless systems out there, I'm curious if they work similarly?

 

[MAGS1]

FWIW, if you have a real spare, it's not hidden under styrofoam.
If you have a Ford with the capless system you have one somewhere, unless someone lost it.
Amazon sells a two pack for $8.
There are other capless systems out there, I'm curious if they work similarly?

My wife’s SUV (GMC) is also capless. It’s very similar to my Mustang. Hers also comes with a funnel, it’s located in a compartment behind the 3rd row of seats

 

[Daryl333]

To prepare my car for a Canadian winter I put a couple of hundred lbs bags of Sand in the trunk.
Change over to my dedicated Snow tires and try to stay out of boost.

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