So the military is having me leave on a deployment, and will be gone before spring starts (won't be able to drive it until spring 2017). The car will be mostly undriveable while I'm here (North Dakota winters). I have a mostly stock 08. What should I do to make sure nothing goes wrong while it sits? I have a garage for it to remain in, and a car cover to keep her under wraps. I usually make sure the fuel tank is relatively low, and start it and run for 10-15 mins every few weeks. Also kind of drive it forward/backwards so the tires don't acquire any flat spots. Any additives to put in it? What should I have family do with it while I'm gone? Thank's!
Deploying, whats the proper way to put car in storage?
- Thread starter Welfare
- Start date
Look into some VP Vintage unleaded racing fuel. I think the shelf life is something like 5 years. Even if you do not fill up the tank, run it all the way through the fuel system before storing. I add Stabil to my cars that sit, whether they get VP or not. Run it in, also. Fresh oil, no short idling before last shut down. Get enough heat into it that all the cold start moisture is cooked off. I would leave battery power on, with a Tender hooked up. If rodents are an issue, put some deterrent or protection in the area. I do not like leaving brakes sitting that long. If someone is going to do anything, pump the brake pedal, moving or not. I would block all sunlight off the car itself. That's about all I've got. Thank's for your service, keep your head down and come back safe.
I put my Shelby and F150 in extended storage twice during deployments. Good info here:
http://www.svtperformance.com/forums/showthread.php?1036103-How-Do-You-Store-a-Shelby
http://www.svtperformance.com/forums/showthread.php?1036103-How-Do-You-Store-a-Shelby
I like Railroad's fuel suggestion.
Here's what I would suggest:
- wash and wax exterior
- clean and condition leather
- replace cabin air filter
- oil change
- brake fluid flush
- coolant change
- full fuel tank, non-ethanol fuel, double dose Stabil
- Steel wool in tail pipes if you have rodent problems
- battery tender, or remove battery and put it on a tender
- car cover
If you're concerned about the fuel, upon your return you can get a tune to run the fuel pumps. Disconnect the fuel filter, attach a hose to the filter, drain the tank and add fresh fuel, good opportunity to install a new filter too.
Be safe!
Here's what I would suggest:
- wash and wax exterior
- clean and condition leather
- replace cabin air filter
- oil change
- brake fluid flush
- coolant change
- full fuel tank, non-ethanol fuel, double dose Stabil
- Steel wool in tail pipes if you have rodent problems
- battery tender, or remove battery and put it on a tender
- car cover
If you're concerned about the fuel, upon your return you can get a tune to run the fuel pumps. Disconnect the fuel filter, attach a hose to the filter, drain the tank and add fresh fuel, good opportunity to install a new filter too.
Be safe!
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I would suggest removing the battery and putting inside the house for the winter. Fully charge it before you leave, and it will suffer no negative effects during this time.
all ive done to mine when stored for long times is I changed the oil, cleaned the car, added some fuel stablizer, and the car was started once a month and ran for 15-20 min. This has gotten the car through two deployments and a year in korea. ohh yea we did put some moth balls under and around the car to keep rodents away
I would keep a Battery Tender on your car, removing the battery will not allow the windows to go down slightly when the door is opened and they will not go up/seal when the door is closed. If the doors are closed when the battery is disconnected, the window will drag against the upper door opening when you try to open the door, if the door is open and the windows are in the slightly down position when you disconnect the battery, the passenger compartment will not be sealed, the timing will be off on the windows and once you do connect the battery, the window timing will need to be reprogrammed. <<Sometimes you never get it back to the way it was when it left the factory...........
R
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I'd figure out how to remove the battery so ^^^^^ doesn't happen. If no one is watching the car, I'd never leave a battery tender unsupervised.
Thanks for all the help! I do have someone to supervise the car so I think I'll leave the battery in with my tender on it. Any recommendations for a fuel stabilizatior? Also I planned on doing a full fluid flush and clean already. Again, thank you for all the help.
I've always used Sta-bil, if the fuel in your area is E10 be sure and get stabilizer that is for ethanol blended fuel.
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I would just add, ace car on 4 jack stands , to keep the tires from developing flat spot.
Thank you for your service sir.
Thank you for your service sir.
If available get non ethanol gasoline. I would buy a couple of 5 gal cans of VP. It will be good when you get back. Top it off with a Stabil treatment. I do not know the humidity of your area, but I like the marine formula. I feel it is better at preventing damage or deteriotion from moisture. If you end up using pump gas. I lean toward Sunoco. Hope you can access the board while deployed and keep in touch.
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