Long term storage

[Butch-R-Vols]

I will be out of town for about 3-4 months. What is the best way to put my JT to sleep without using a battery maintainer. The JT will be parked in my garage. What do I need to disconnect so the batteries won't run down?
thank in advance for everyone's help

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[kb5zcr]

I would just disconnect the batteries, both of them.

 

[jac04]

I will be out of town for about 3-4 months. What is the best way to put my JT to sleep without using a battery maintainer. The JT will be parked in my garage. What do I need to disconnect so the batteries won't run down?
thank in advance for everyone's help

It is interesting what can be found in your Owners Manual. For example, there is a section entitled "Storing the Vehicle":

 

[Butch-R-Vols]

It is interesting what can be found in your Owners Manual. For example, there is a section entitled "Storing the Vehicle":

I guess I should read every now and then! Thanks Jeff, I'll check it out.

 

[Butch-R-Vols]

I would just disconnect the batteries, both of them.

I had thought of that Tim. Just was thinking of pulling some fuses, but.............

 

[Mr._Bill]

There is a significant parasitic draw. You would come back to dead batteries, which shortens their life.

I would add a can of Sea Foam and top off the fuel tank, add about 5psi extra to the tires, and disconnect both batteries.

When you return, charge both batteries, reset the IBS, and then reconnect everything. Depending on the Head Unit in the vehicle, it can take up to 24 hours for normal operation to return.

 

[sarguy1941]

Our JK sits months at a time. I just throw a Battery Tender on it and leave it. Simple and fast.

 

[Casique]

I have left mine for four weeks at a time hooked to the battery tender with no issues!

 

[Flyboy2109]

Fill your gas tank, I use Sta-bil but at 3-4 months that is not necessary. I leave my Jeep for 6 months. I do take my battery inside and use a maintainer with a timer, just one hour a day. I also make my last two fill ups with alcohol free gas.

I have had troubles at 6 months with poor running, hard starting, and having to spray WD 40 into the intake until the truck would run in its own (that was an S-10). That surely was a result of separation in alcohol fuel. When it separates you may also get corrosion in the injectors and throttle body.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Did no one read his post??????

What is the best way to put my JT to sleep without using a battery maintainer.

Best way - disconnect batteries, separate the two black ground cables from each other.

Also - depending on the "maintainer" you use, many only maintain at a current voltage - so if they are sitting at 12.6 - it will keep them there, which is low.
Best to fully charge them with a good AGM charger and disconnect them.
Refer back to the OP's post - "without" - in Iowa, the word still has meaning LOL

Fill your gas tank, I use Sta-bil but at 3-4 months that is not necessary.

Depends on what's in his tank. I store classics and absolutely I use Stabil - the Stabil made for ethanol blends. These aren't totally sealed tanks. The 4xe tank is different but these can still vent meaning loss of lighter parts, which can mean loss of octane. If it's a SEALED container, it's not as big an issue. 3 to 4 months yes, I would add Stabil. Cheap insurance and if an ethanol blend at all - necessary.

Ethanol doesn't separate out - what happens is it absorbs water. The corrosion is from the affinity for water that ethanol has - not separation.
(being in Iowa, studied those fuels for years - and been using them since the 80s)

 

[Butch-R-Vols]

My JT has the 3.0 Diesel engine. Looks like the best way, is to disconnect the negative leads from the battery and separate them.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

My JT has the 3.0 Diesel engine. Looks like the best way, is to disconnect the negative leads from the battery and separate them.

Yeah, diesel is a different thing and apparently we didn't take note of your profile on the left side.
Yes, take the cables off the top of the negative post and yes, separate them from each other.
One cable goes to the body ground, the other goes to the aux battery negative.
I'd frankly put something over them so they can't touch ground and thus end up "reconnecting" the aux battery.
And then move on and get to whatever you are doing that needs to see your JT stored for a while.
It really should be as simple as that.
I store, and have stored, vehicles for months due to my addiction to classic cars, antique tractors and so on and there's really no need to go crazy with other stuff - like any spraying of anything into an engine or so on. It's just not necessary. Myself, and in fact a lot of us in the hobby I'm in, see engines sit for a few months and never have any issues.
Longer term I sometimes add something extra to lube things up before shutting down, but not often. BTW - WD40 isn't a lube. You'll find a lot of manufacturers out there of "other things" warn against using it to lubricate anything. WD stands for water displacement. It's a piss-poor lube. The power steps we have on our Jeeps, my wife's high-end quilting machine, sewing machines and so on say "WD40 is not a lube, do not use it to do anything other than clean..............." Some companies go so far as to say make sure to remove all traces of it before using oil to lubricate.

 

[Butch-R-Vols]

Yeah, diesel is a different thing and apparently we didn't take note of your profile on the left side.
Yes, take the cables off the top of the negative post and yes, separate them from each other.
One cable goes to the body ground, the other goes to the aux battery negative.
I'd frankly put something over them so they can't touch ground and thus end up "reconnecting" the aux battery.
And then move on and get to whatever you are doing that needs to see your JT stored for a while.
It really should be as simple as that.
I store, and have stored, vehicles for months due to my addiction to classic cars, antique tractors and so on and there's really no need to go crazy with other stuff - like any spraying of anything into an engine or so on. It's just not necessary. Myself, and in fact a lot of us in the hobby I'm in, see engines sit for a few months and never have any issues.
Longer term I sometimes add something extra to lube things up before shutting down, but not often. BTW - WD40 isn't a lube. You'll find a lot of manufacturers out there of "other things" warn against using it to lubricate anything. WD stands for water displacement. It's a piss-poor lube. The power steps we have on our Jeeps, my wife's high-end quilting machine, sewing machines and so on say "WD40 is not a lube, do not use it to do anything other than clean..............." Some companies go so far as to say make sure to remove all traces of it before using oil to lubricate.

Thanks ShadowsPapa. I think that is the best way. Thanks to everyone with their input. I really appreciate the help from everyone!!

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