[jamesaronson]

I just thought I would share this with the group. I expect some to tell me that the way I am handling this could be better, but the results speak for themselves. I have a battery trickle charger hooked up to the terminals. The battery trickle charger was purchased at Auto Zone for around $35 and is not the brand that Maserati uses (C-TEC). The trickle charger has done exactly what is was supposed to do and I have had no problems with the battery or starting up the car. The charger has been on since December 1st and I just started the car and drove it to warm it up. The 2004 Coupe started right away and drove beatifully. I half expected that the tires might be out of round since the car has been stored for 51 days without being moved, but the Goodyear tires were fine. I have 12,000 miles on the Maser and purchased it new in July 2004. This is the second year that I have stored the car at Public Storage in this manner and even through the spring, summer and fall months I have had no problems with the original OEM battery, either in voltage or start up. Some might say that the trickle charger hook up could cause a problem, but the box has an automatic shut off when fully charged and it works. Some may say that these charges are poorly made and I am risking a battery problem. Some even say the car could blow up. I am curious to hear your opinions and would like some comments between what is ideal and what is practical.


2004 Maser Cambiocorsa (fun car)
2006 325i BMW (spouse car)
2004 530i BMW (daily driver)
1974 XKE 3-serier V12 convertible (another fun car housed in Florida)
1992 740 trubo volvo (for hauling stuff around)

 

[GrndLkNatv]

I think what you are doing is fine. It's good to get the car out every two weeks and let it warm all the way up, take it around the block and get all of the oil flowing.... I would also get a can of Stabil-Store to put in the fuel tank and keep it topped off.. If you are going to let it sit for more than a month or so you should fog the engine down, but it sounds like you turn it over every few weeks...

 

[jamesaronson]

What does "fog the engine down" mean? Yes, I do try and take it out every couple of weeks and drive 60 miles, although I was not able to move the car from 12/1 - 1/24. I was also out of town and was not able to start it, so your gas stablizer might be a good solution. I just hate to put anything other than gas in the engine for fear that sometihing in the additive may "goop" up the fuel injectors. One comment I received from a friend it to add to the battery a desulferizer system. I have not done this. My intention is to hope and pray that I can get through each winter knowing that the Maser will have a smile on its face again when the warmer weather comes back.

 

[QP Sport]

Fog and Stabilize?

...I would also get a can of Stabil-Store to put in the fuel tank and keep it topped off.. If you are going to let it sit for more than a month or so you should fog the engine down...

I am curious too! What is "fogging the engine"? Also, I understand why one would keep fuel tank filled, to keep moisture to a minimum, but why the stabilizer? What happens to the fuel with age? Do the manufacturers not add stabilizer to their gas? i.e. what happens to gas when it sits in the gas station's buried tanks? Does it get turned over fast enough so there are no worries, or are there stabilization issues for them as well?

 

[MCV73]

No Worries!

I am curious too! What is "fogging the engine"? Also, I understand why one would keep fuel tank filled, to keep moisture to a minimum, but why the stabilizer? What happens to the fuel with age? Do the manufacturers not add stabilizer to their gas? i.e. what happens to gas when it sits in the gas station's buried tanks? Does it get turned over fast enough so there are no worries, or are there stabilization issues for them as well?

It is well known that gasoline like many alcohols losses the octane in time so let's say a 92 octane gasoline, best you can get in USA, might turn a 90 octane in a few months but from what I know it has to be very long periods of time for this process to take place.
I've found once gasoline in metal canisters that was 4 years old and used it no problem, not on a maserati but worked fine on an old motorcycle I used to have.
I did check other forums and they all say there isn't anything to worry about but take it easy once out of the storage until the next fill-up.

 

[GrndLkNatv]

Fogging Down....

So in the boat industry when you put a boat up on the craddle for an extended stay for the winter you do the full LOF (Lube Oil Filter), then warm the engine up to operating temperature, slowly drizzle 2 cycle oil down the intake until the engine starts to smoke good, then turn off the engine. Don't pour oil, but drizzle it. The reason to do this is to coat engine parts, like valves, pistons, rings, cylinders with a film of oil for the extended period of non use. No matter where a engine stops, the position of the crank, etc, will cause valves to remain open on a cylinder or cylinders and the air in the cylinders will sweat as temperature changes, thus causing the rings, cylinders to rust unless coated with a thin film of oil. Another way to do this is to take out the plugs, pour in a slight amount of oil and spin the engine over then put the plugs back in. Anyway, after fogging down the engine all of the block plugs would be taken out of the engine, the oil cooler drain plugs, and the water pump plugs and then boat put on the cradle and held their until spring. Since we have seen 52 below F in Grand Lake without wind chill this is what we always do to keep those old mahogany Chris Crafts in running shape...

 

[jamesaronson]

Obviously, it is best to run the Maser engine for a while every week or two so you don't have to go through the "boat" process.

 

[GrndLkNatv]

Obviously, it is best to run the Maser engine for a while every week or two so you don't have to go through the "boat" process.

Yes but if you were to leave it sit for a couple of months sometime, the boat process will ensure that your engine will be ready to go when you are. Some of those old Chris-Crafts, like the Ruth J originally owned by H. Everest with the old model T 4 cylinder, was worth about the same as a good MC12 and the engine in it still runs perfectly today because of this process.

 

[jamesaronson]

Is this what you do with your car? I have done some of what you say with my snowblower in the summer months. Where is the intake valve? I did have the car lub/oil/filter before putting it away. I also do drive it occassionally during the winter when the roads are clear. This would defeat the purpose of fogging the engine. Also, not more than 3 weeks usually goes by without driving the car at least 60 miles. I am in the Northeast and travel to Florida in the winter. I do not want to take the car to Florida. I wonder if the dealer in the area who offers storage for Masers, Ferrari, etc. does this service or just plugs in the car, keeps it in a warm garage, and starts the vehicle once a week. My garage is not heated. I really do not want to go to the trouble of pulling plugs.

 

[GrndLkNatv]

Is this what you do with your car? I have done some of what you say with my snowblower in the summer months. Where is the intake valve? I did have the car lub/oil/filter before putting it away. I also do drive it occassionally during the winter when the roads are clear. This would defeat the purpose of fogging the engine. Also, not more than 3 weeks usually goes by without driving the car at least 60 miles. I am in the Northeast and travel to Florida in the winter. I do not want to take the car to Florida. I wonder if the dealer in the area who offers storage for Masers, Ferrari, etc. does this service or just plugs in the car, keeps it in a warm garage, and starts the vehicle once a week. My garage is not heated. I really do not want to go to the trouble of pulling plugs.

James you are fine! I didn't do it to my car this year ( I am driving it every two weeks), but last year I removed the plugs, poured a slight bit of two cycle oil down the cylinders, turned it over for about 30 seconds, put the plugs back in, the tank was full, had stabil - stor in the gas and I let the car sit for 3.5 months...

 

[jamesaronson]

Thanks, I will save the blog for future reference.