Those of you who live in areas where there seasons actually change, what do you do to your trucks to prep them for extended periods in storage? Do you drain the gas tank or simply add Sta-Bil or other additive? I have a trickle charger for my battery and will be pulling that. Just wondering what you guys have done to minimize the work once the weather turns again in the spring.
This will be the first winter since I got my Town Wagon where it wont be in a thousand pieces and I want to ensure I'm not overlooking any simple methods to ensure I can get it out of storage relatively easy come spring. There may also be a few days mid winter where the temps warm up and the roads dry where I likely will want to take it for a drive... They don't salt the roads here so I don't have to worry about that!
Let me know what you guys have done in the past! Thanks as always for the input!
Winter storage suggetions
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- Sweptline.ORG Pioneer
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Re: Winter storage suggetions
Drain gas, remove battery. If it has bias-ply tires setting truck up on 4 jack stands (unless located in high theft area ) helps them from getting hard spots.
Bucky
Bucky
1966 W500
1975 W600
1978 W200 club cab
1975 W600
1978 W200 club cab
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- Sweptline.ORG Pioneer
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Re: Winter storage suggetions
All I ever do with my car in Alaska is fill the tank to the absolute top so there is no air in it at all. (I top it with a jerry can). I disconnect the battery so the stupid electronics don't drain it (ie remote key sys, etc). It sits outside from Aug thru Jul, (11 months), buried in snow for about 6 of those. Starts up when I get there without charging the battery and never had any problems whatsoever.
Do the same with my boat and the marine battery in it is now almost 20 yrs old!
Ive seen temps as low as -55F
The bad thing about an empty tank is as temps rise and cool, air expands and contracts. That means all winter long damp air will suck in and out, condensing the moisture inside the tank. Tank ends up corroded inside with water in the bottom. Seen many of them.
Do the same with my boat and the marine battery in it is now almost 20 yrs old!
Ive seen temps as low as -55F
The bad thing about an empty tank is as temps rise and cool, air expands and contracts. That means all winter long damp air will suck in and out, condensing the moisture inside the tank. Tank ends up corroded inside with water in the bottom. Seen many of them.
Re: Winter storage suggetions
if your going to fire her up in spring, I wouldnt waste my time draining tank. Especially if its kept in a building. I dont even put stable in, never had a problem in the 30 years Ive had my car. All I do is disconnect neg. battery cable.
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- Sweptline.ORG Member
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Re: Winter storage suggetions
The first year that I stored it I changed the oil and put stabilizer in the fuel tank and brimmed it. When I got to where I was storing it I sprayed fogging oil into the carb and the cylinders, disconnected the battery, put the truck up on blocks, and lowered the air pressure in the tires.maxmac wrote:Those of you who live in areas where there seasons actually change, what do you do to your trucks to prep them for extended periods in storage? Do you drain the gas tank or simply add Sta-Bil or other additive? I have a trickle charger for my battery and will be pulling that. Just wondering what you guys have done to minimize the work once the weather turns again in the spring.
This will be the first winter since I got my Town Wagon where it wont be in a thousand pieces and I want to ensure I'm not overlooking any simple methods to ensure I can get it out of storage relatively easy come spring. There may also be a few days mid winter where the temps warm up and the roads dry where I likely will want to take it for a drive... They don't salt the roads here so I don't have to worry about that!
Let me know what you guys have done in the past! Thanks as always for the input!
The next year I was crazy busy the weekend we were supposed to put it away, so all I had time to do was put stabilizer in the tank and brim it, and disconnect the battery.
It started just as easily in the spring, so this year all I did was put stabilizer in the tank, brim it, and disconnect the battery.
1969 D100 w/an A833 & a 318
1984 W150 w/a 7.5 Fisher Speedcast, an NP435 & a slant six (because slow but unstoppable!)
1984 W150 w/a 7.5 Fisher Speedcast, an NP435 & a slant six (because slow but unstoppable!)