Do I do anything special to start after sitting for a while?

the better thing is to disconnet the battery with the jack that every Ferrari 308-328 has starting at least from 1982 (maybe the 2v' cars have it too, I don't know), and charge the battery just one time (or even never if the stop is three months or less).

I'm always worried to have the battery tender on for a long time: I charge the battery every two months and I see that a small battery conditioner refill it in just from three to five hours, if the battery was diconnected. I installed a battery tender socket on the cars, to connect the battery tender in few seconds without having to remove anything from the car

ciao

 

I totally agree. I absolutely will not do "unattended" battery charging - regardless of how "smart" the charger is. I have had several instances of destroyed batteries and damaged surrounding parts. If the charging is not occurring in the garage of my house where I can easily check things regularly, I don't do it. I just disconnect the batt. As I stated, I have had my Ferrari batt disconnected for as long as 7 months with no problem starting the car when reconnected.

 

This is what you want (this is just a quick link- I've seen them cheaper on ebay and whatnot):

https://www.amazon.com/Deltran-Battery-Tender-021-0128-Charger/dp/B00068XCQU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1481895874&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=deltran+battery+tender&psc=1


Put the pigtail on the battery and just plug in the car if you know you won't be using it for a while (then just leave the pigtail attached to the battery- makes it easy to plug in and unplug). I feel comfortable leaving this plugged in for months at a time- it's only 1.25 amp so nothing big. In fact, when you plug in the car, it often takes 24+ hours or so to get up to a full charge as its safely bringing the charge up- its a battery tender, not a "battery charger" that charges a battery in 20 mins.

In more modern cars, there is draw from computers, etc. So for my 360 for example, I wouldn't feel as comfortable leaving the car for much over a month without it on the tender...whereas, my VW beetle (not really any draw from the car, so more like the battery just sitting on the shelf) in the past could sit the whole winter and then start right up in the spring! Your QV is probably more similar to my VW vs my former 360 that had computers and such.

Years ago a Ferrari mechanic recommended the battery tender I attached above when I first bought my 360... I then bought 3 since I liked them so much- for the beetle, my ferrari (now a 355) and my wife's weekend fun car that sits in the winter 2006 BMW. I'd recommend you get one- in addition to taking the worry out of not being able to start, another benefit of keeping a car on it when you won't be driving it for a few weeks (or longer) is the battery life will probably be a decade or more. All 3 of our non-winter cars are now plugged in and I can leave them that way without worry for the next 4 months if need be (although I'll probably take the ferrari out if there is no salt on the roads...my wife I think is done with the BMW until spring and the beetle is on a car lift so more hassel to bring down until the spring when I can put the top down to fully enjoy the sounds of the 48 HP motor )

 

Why a special socket? I simply use the cigarette lighter socket. Of course only works with the later cigarette lighter not woth the old Brico style. Otherwise one could use the emergency light socket on the underside of the dashboard left of the steering wheel.

I connect a device called 'Accu-Jogger' all the time via the cigarette lighter. This device simulates a charging/discharging cycle similar like driving the car. I use this since twenty years. Never had a problem. Battery lifetime around 7 years.

Best Regards
Martin

 

Maybe he means the "pigtail" wire that you attach to the battery and can then leave in the car and easily attach to the batter tender wire?

I had a "porsche charge o mat" that plugged into the cigarette lighter when I had my '93 911- those work too if your cigarette lighter is always connected to the power...not sure if that is the case with all cars however?

 

Wow, started right up. I can't believe someone did not suggest you change the timing belts first.

I have a 308 QV it has sat for upto 2-3 months. If the battery was dead, I charge it, turned the key and it started right up - owned for 15 years

I owned a 65 Jag and it would sit for 3 months sometimes. It had 3 SU carbs and it would start right up. Owned for 14 years. Gone now.

I had a TVR Vixen and it would sit for upto 6 months. It had 2 Weber 40 DCOEs and it would start right up. Owned for 32 years. Gone now.

I think people really overthink the situation. If you are going into true long term storage, I would look into doing some precautionary things, but a few months is nothing.

 

No. Indeed it's not the case with all cars. Even today on modern cars there are differences.
On my Alfa, Ferrari, Fiat 500 (Nuova) the cigarette lighter is always connected to the battery. On my last VW Golf not.

Best Regards
Martin

 

Indeed, Martin, but the cigarette lighter doesn't work if the battery is disconnectet: I don't want old cars in the garage with the battery connected, so I installed a socket directly connected to the battery and I can charge the battery even with the battery disconnected form the car.

It's safer

ciao

 

I have a battery cutoff switch bypassed with a 5amp fuse. These 5amp are more than enough to feed the clock, keep the radio settings, but would melt before any serious things would happen.

Best Regards
Martin

 

Yes, this is correct and works.

ciao

 

I think there's too much ethanol in your system (or your wife got the house and you got the car.)