How long can a new 85 300D battery sit undriven at the airport?
I'm nervous because I left my car in longterm parking. The battery is a new Bosch and I won't return for a while. All too many times you see people come back and unable to start their vehicle.

long is long? a week 2 weeks a month 4 months a year?

To remove any possibility of parasitic drain, its a good idea to disconnect the negative cable if you are going to park the car for more than 2 weeks.

A new battery in moderate to cold weather (<75% F) has a fairly low rate of self discharge... you should be good for at least 20-24 days... approaching a month, things get kinda iffy.

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Cheers,
Robert

I park mine for the winter, begining of November. The last two years it started right up in March. The old diesels have no drains on power that I know of. Not even radio presets.

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1959 Gravely LI, 1963 Gravely L8, 1973 Gravely C12
1982 380SL
1978 450 SEL 6.9 euro restoration at 63% and climbing
1987 300 D
2005 CDI European Delivery
2006 CDI Handed down to daughter
2007 GL CDI. Wifes

Probably a month. Unlike my later W126 you guys don't have anything that really draws power. Just the clock if it works and the radio.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

My Grandfather has always left his batteries hooked up when he goes to florida every winter. The cars sit for 4 months and they have always (amazinly) started right up. Ive told him to unhook the neg. cable but he is stubborn and never listens.

If you have a good battery, certainly 60 days should be no problem. My 85 300D sat for a month in quite cold weather but in an unheated garage from December 23 until early February. When I did want to start it, I did plug in the block heater for a couple of hours. You probably can't do that at the airport. I couild tell that my battery was a bit on the down side. It didn't give it that real "kick start". You might say it sounded a bit under the weather, but it started quickly. My battery is not exactly "new out of the box" but is probably a couple of years old. My clock and radio were both drawing current all the time.

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Junqueyardjim
Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important. C.S. Lewis



1983 Mercedes W123 240D 4 Speed 285,000 on the road with a 617 turbo, beautiful butter yellow, license plate # 83 240D INDIANA

2003 Jaguar Type X, AWD. beautiful, good mileage,
Mom's car, but I won't let her drive it!

I'm coming up on 6 months now. I've cycled the glow plugs 5 or 6 times and spent 30-40 minutes with the headlights on while I was wiring the city lights. Who wants to take bets? I'm betting that it starts. These batteries are huge and even with it 35 F outside my bet is with the battery.

I'll be sure to post back in a day or two when I try to start it. I have the EGR valve off still so I'm not ready to crank it over.

-Tad

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1995 G320
2003 C230 Kompressor Coupe
2005 ML500
2007 ML350

Something like this could work nicely assuming you are somewhere where sunlight gets to the car.

http://www.batterystuff.com/solar-chargers/SE-2.html

Maybe if you parked under a bright light in a parking structure...could get a little bit of current out of that thing

I'd just disconnect it, bring a 13mm with you. Should take all of 5 min to do.

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I'm not a doctor, but I'll have a look.

'85 300SD 245k
'87 300SDL 251k
'90 300SEL 326k

Six others from BMW, GM, and Ford.

Liberty will not descend to a people; a people must raise themselves to liberty.[/IMG]

With a good battery and no abnormal drain, at least 4 months.

Good luck,

as long as no there are no drains and the top of the battery doesnt have electrolite all over the top joining the terminals

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have no worries.....President Obama swears "If you like your gun, you can keep it

Remember if you do leave a battery hooked up to a car for long term storage to charge it up once in awhile. Leaving a battery half dead for a few months is a great way to kill them.

Battery tenders are dirt cheap now, wire one into any car that sits for a long time and just plug it in and forget it.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200