Wintering 996 - tips and tricks?
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Joined: Dec 2021
Posts: 68
Likes: 58
From: Wisconsin
Wintering 996 - tips and tricks?
I live in south central Wisconsin and have two 996s to winter this season: a '99 and and an '02. A few questions for the cold-weather 996 drivers:
1) do you all trickle your battery or remove it? I have CTEK battery maintainers and the leads stand up so I would need to keep the front trunk lid open and exposed in my storage garage (unheated).
2) I have irish spring soap bars for the perimeter of the garage, but do any of you put soap bars in the car? If so, where?
3) I have steel wool for the tailpipes but do you put it anywhere else?
4) planning to put large mats under the car for a vapor barrier - good idea? any reason not to?
5) also planning to put the cars on tire savers but read recently that it's not a big deal provided you have the tires inflated to recommended PSI
Any other tips and tricks are very welcome. Thanks!
P.S. I honestly don't know what I'll do now that I can't drive these cars for the next 3-4 months....
1) do you all trickle your battery or remove it? I have CTEK battery maintainers and the leads stand up so I would need to keep the front trunk lid open and exposed in my storage garage (unheated).
2) I have irish spring soap bars for the perimeter of the garage, but do any of you put soap bars in the car? If so, where?
3) I have steel wool for the tailpipes but do you put it anywhere else?
4) planning to put large mats under the car for a vapor barrier - good idea? any reason not to?
5) also planning to put the cars on tire savers but read recently that it's not a big deal provided you have the tires inflated to recommended PSI
Any other tips and tricks are very welcome. Thanks!
P.S. I honestly don't know what I'll do now that I can't drive these cars for the next 3-4 months....
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Dec 2021
Posts: 68
Likes: 58
From: Wisconsin
The soap detracts mice and other critters - they hate the smell.
I'm worried about the salt from the roads spraying up into the unprotected engine which is mainly why I'm wintering them.
I'm worried about the salt from the roads spraying up into the unprotected engine which is mainly why I'm wintering them.
Racer
Joined: Nov 2019
Posts: 357
Likes: 142
From: NH
Route the leads by the windshield. That way you can close the frunk. I have the leads permanently connected to my battery and just stuff the wire harness out of the way in the driving season. Come winter time I take the battery cover off and pull the harness out by the windshield, connect the battery maintainer, and close the frunk. In salty NH my car doesn't see roads until spring time.
Pro
Joined: Jul 2021
Posts: 614
Likes: 588
From: Middle Tennessee
Route the leads by the windshield. That way you can close the frunk. I have the leads permanently connected to my battery and just stuff the wire harness out of the way in the driving season. Come winter time I take the battery cover off and pull the harness out by the windshield, connect the battery maintainer, and close the frunk. In salty NH my car doesn't see roads until spring time.
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Rennlist Member
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 1,235
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From: Central CT
Battery tender, not trickle charger. Leave battery in car. Close frunk so that the frunk light does not stay on.
Inflate tires correctly.
Fresh oil change.
Full tank of fuel with good quality stabilizer.
Inflate tires correctly.
Fresh oil change.
Full tank of fuel with good quality stabilizer.
Racer
Joined: Nov 2019
Posts: 357
Likes: 142
From: NH
I routed the emergency release cable through the tow hook hole. So if for some reason my battery tender fails and the battery goes flat I can remove the bumper plug and grab the cable. Luckily my car is in the garage so I will see if the battery tender stopped charging/maintaining.
Now if someone asks what I am going to do if I need a tow, well, haven't thought that one through yet!
Now if someone asks what I am going to do if I need a tow, well, haven't thought that one through yet!
Rennlist Member
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 318
Likes: 99
From: Connecticut
I started using ‘mice dice’. A cube with cotton inside that you fill up with peppermint oil. One on either side of the battery and I also built a chicken wire frame over the air filter. Works well so far. Also, a trickle charger plugged into the the lighter socket. I also drive mine year round weather pending.
Pro
Joined: Nov 2021
Posts: 683
Likes: 297
From: Southern RI
I live in south central Wisconsin and have two 996s to winter this season: a '99 and and an '02. A few questions for the cold-weather 996 drivers:
1) do you all trickle your battery or remove it? I have CTEK battery maintainers and the leads stand up so I would need to keep the front trunk lid open and exposed in my storage garage (unheated).
2) I have irish spring soap bars for the perimeter of the garage, but do any of you put soap bars in the car? If so, where?
3) I have steel wool for the tailpipes but do you put it anywhere else?
4) planning to put large mats under the car for a vapor barrier - good idea? any reason not to?
5) also planning to put the cars on tire savers but read recently that it's not a big deal provided you have the tires inflated to recommended PSI
Any other tips and tricks are very welcome. Thanks!
P.S. I honestly don't know what I'll do now that I can't drive these cars for the next 3-4 months....
1) do you all trickle your battery or remove it? I have CTEK battery maintainers and the leads stand up so I would need to keep the front trunk lid open and exposed in my storage garage (unheated).
2) I have irish spring soap bars for the perimeter of the garage, but do any of you put soap bars in the car? If so, where?
3) I have steel wool for the tailpipes but do you put it anywhere else?
4) planning to put large mats under the car for a vapor barrier - good idea? any reason not to?
5) also planning to put the cars on tire savers but read recently that it's not a big deal provided you have the tires inflated to recommended PSI
Any other tips and tricks are very welcome. Thanks!
P.S. I honestly don't know what I'll do now that I can't drive these cars for the next 3-4 months....
Last edited by Lady Silver; Dec 13, 2021 at 02:47 PM.
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Dec 2021
Posts: 68
Likes: 58
From: Wisconsin
