Long Term Storage Preperations. What should I do? (1 Viewer)

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San Diego, CA
Hi all,

I am deploying very early January for about 8 months. What are some preparations I should make before leaving my cruiser in the garage? I was told by a few colleagues that I should treat the gas? I have my parents looking after it, and my dad offered to do anything to it while I was gone (ie starting it once a week or adding fluids). What are some things he should do? I really appreciate the help! Thanks!
 
Having your dad drive it to the grocery store once every week or two and keeping it stored in a garage will be the easiest.

If it is going to be sitting for the entire length of your deployment than there is no end of things you can do for storage. I will let others detail their storage techniques.

Goodluck on your deployment and thanks for your service!!!!
 
I’d have your dad drive it every week or two and make sure he gets everything up to temperature.

Engage 4-Low and lockers occasionally too.

Change the oil after 6 months

I wouldn’t recommend storing it without use for 8 months.
 
mousetraps
The voice of expriance right there! LOL

The best thing that your dad can do is use it as the "grocery getter".
Vehicals don't like to sit.
 
The voice of expriance right there! LOL

The best thing that your dad can do is use it as the "grocery getter".
Vehicals don't like to sit.
yep - and don't forget to put one in the engine bay, preferably on a harness section
 
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To me storing it anytime between 4 to 12 months do not make that much difference. I store my cruiser every single winter since a while. 2 for 4.5 months and the other for 8 months. I use my BJ42 only from June to end of September.

My best recommendation is

Good deep clean and wax it
Fill the gaz tank to the top
Add gaz stabilisater in it
Change motor oil before. Drive train oil could be done after.
Unplug the battery and charge it a 2A one or 2 times during the storage.
Slightly over inflate the tire and put your Cruiser on candles jack stands if you can.
Put your ventilation duct at recirculating


Don't start it and don't run it if you can't get it to the normal operational temperature for at least 30 min to avoid condensation into the exhaust system.

Don't put mousetrap or poison (rodonticide) as they can die into your cruiser and make things way much worst. Instead, make sure there is no entry point. If there is no historic rodents activity in the garage there is no need to worry.

Call you insurance as you can save some $$ because you don't use it and make sure you still have protection again fire, steal of other damage that could hapen during the storage. I don't know how it work in your state but you can also «remove» the licence plate so you don't pay for that too.
 
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Agreed with the others that it would be much better to have the truck used every few weeks and not just started in the driveway.

If there's any doubt the fuel tank won't be fully used within 3 months, I would completely fill it with nothing but ethanol-free gas. If I had time, I would run 1-2 full tanks of that in advance. Then add stabilizer. Any fuel top offs will need more stabilizer down the road.

Some states ban or don't have ethanol-free gas but you might be able to get it from a marina. It will cost more but I have tried it both ways in the past. This will decrease the odds of the injectors getting stuck or gummed up.

If your cooling system is a slushy mess, I would flush it before going.
 
To me storing it anytime between 4 to 12 months do not make that much difference. I store my cruiser every single winter since a while. 2 for 4.5 months and the other for 8 months. I use my BJ42 only from June to end of September.

My best recommendation is

Good deep clean and wax it
Fill the gaz tank to the top
Add gaz stabilisater in it
Change motor oil before. Drive train oil could be done after.
Unplug the battery and charge it a 2A one or 2 times during the storage.
Slightly over inflate the tire and put your Cruiser on candles if you can.
Put your ventilation duct at recirculating


Don't start it and don't run it if you can't get it to the normal operational temperature for at least 30 min to avoid condensation into the exhaust system.

Don't put mousetrap or poison (rodonticide) as they can die into your cruiser and make things way much worst. Instead, make sure there is no entry point. If there is no historic rodents activity in the garage there is no need to worry.

Call you insurance as you can save some $$ because you don't use it and make sure you still have protection again fire, steal of other damage that could hapen during the storage. I don't know how it work in your state but you can also «remove» the licence plate so you don't pay for that too.
I second this ☝️ . I've left vehicles sitting for up to 12 months without issue and only unhooked the battery, put some HEET in the gas tank, and changed the engine oil. In fact, as of right now, my 80 hasn't been started or moved since May of this year and I ain't worried about it. Eight months isn't long enough to cause detrimental consequences, IMO.
 
As for the engine or drivetrain perspective there is a no issue at all considering that myself and a lot of other person while restoring their vehicle do not run their engine for a while. I’ve personally didn’t run 2 Diesel engines for up to 20 month without issue.

My winter beater 2000 Camry sitting in a gravels driveway for 8 months every summer 🤷🏻‍♂️
 
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Well… even though I consider myself quite good in English, I still make dumb translation.

In French it is Chandelle de mécanique and I should used … Jack Stand !

1D9C6533-4467-48FD-B756-E7D912DE1DA1.jpeg



Chandelle is candle 🕯

🤪
 
#1 most important thing, run the tank really low and fill it to the top with ethanol free gas. If you can’t get ethanol free, add some sta bil and fill the tank to the top.

#2 most important, battery tender or disconnect the battery. If it goes 6 months without being started, you will most likely need a new battery. Every vehicle has a small parasitic drain, the battery will be flat

6 months is not that long for storage, definitely have someone drive it every few weeks if possible.

I have 7 vehicles and don’t drive that much, so most of mine sit for a few weeks or months, at a time. I start them once a month at least to flush the ethanol plug out of the injectors and keep a battery tender on the ones I don’t drive in the winter
 

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