Vehicle Storage

[BlueOvalFitter]

Thanx everyone for the input. As I stated in my opening post I filled the tank with gas and added STABIL 360. http://www.sta-bil360.com/
As far as the ankle, recovery is going great. I am in a skilled nursing facility recovering and doing 1.5 hours of physical therapy every day, except for weekends. The staples and stitches were removed earlier this week and I was allowed to bear 40 lbs. of weight on my foot. My doctor stated I should be FWB in about 2.5-3 months.

 

[outoforder]

Just adding stabil is all you need to do. I left my car sit for 6 months while on deployment. Had a dead battery when I got back. Probably should have disconnected before leaving. Lesson learned. Glad your recovery is going well.

 

[gofast182]

Originally Posted By: Sawdusted
I would put the vehicle on jack stands unless you're having it driven around once a week.

Tires will develop a flat spot after a month (especially older tires) not to mention 3 months or 9 months.

You will never be able to get the flat spot outs afterward DAMHIK. It'll cause steering wheel vibration.

No jack stands. Unless it's for long-term storage (like well over a year) the suspension components need to be loaded to hold up as best they can. The car was designed to sit that way for most of it's life. Think about it, you drive your car for what, between 20 minutes and 3 hours a day on average. So at least 21 hours per day, 147 hours per week, 588 hours per month, 7,056 hours per year over the life of the car it's sitting loaded.

Additionally, if you inflate the tires to a reasonably high pressure like 40psi, which I always use, the flat spots will work themselves out in no more than 20 minutes of driving when the car sits for 4 months.

 

[gofast182]

Originally Posted By: outoforder
Just adding stabil is all you need to do. I left my car sit for 6 months while on deployment. Had a dead battery when I got back. Probably should have disconnected before leaving. Lesson learned. Glad your recovery is going well.

6 months is on the borderline of even needing something like Sta Bil. If you turn the radio, dome light, HVAC, cruise, off and don't use the fob to unlock it when you come back you may not even need a battery tender, either! But hopefully you're home for good and don't need to worry about that anymore.

 

[fdcg27]

In your case or the OP's, I'd fill the tank before I parked it and either put the battery on a float charger or maintainer and leave it or put it on a regular charger at least every few weeks.
Other than that, no worries.
I don't know that Stabil actually does anything and I've never bothered with it in stored cars.
Don't start the engine unless you intend to drive the thing.
Starting and idling does nothing positive for the engine or battery.
Storage for at least a year and probably longer doesn't seem to do any harm, at least in my experience.

 

[k24a4]

Never had a flat spot problem storing the Miata for 3-4 months; I inflate the tires to 10lbs over the manufacturer recommendation, 40 vs 30psi.

I cover the intake and exhaust with foil and plastic bags to keep critters out, and also use dyer sheets inside and in the engine bay for the same purpose.

I take the battery out and put it on a tender.

I fog the engine, turn it by hand with the plugs out, and disconnect the CAS. Plugs go back in.

No emergency brake.

I do not start the car while it is stored. It does more harm than good.

Some of this procedure may be overkill (eg fogging the engine), but I've never had a problem in 7 years starting it up come Spring. This year it started on the first crank despite longer than normal storage.

 

[Pop_Rivit]

Originally Posted By: Sawdusted


Tires will develop a flat spot after a month (especially older tires) not to mention 3 months or 9 months.

You will never be able to get the flat spot outs afterward DAMHIK. It'll cause steering wheel vibration.


My pickup and Durango regularly sit for months at a time. The tires have never developed "flat spots".

 

[Tdbo]

This is how I store my Mustang every winter.

1. Put Stabil in (probably overkill but I do it). Fill tank.
2. Hook up my C-Tek charger.
3. Put cover on.
4. Car starts up without issue in Spring. Have had no issues with flat spots in tires either.

 

[eljefino]

I broke my ankle a couple years back and didn't drive my volvo for two months.

It started right up, no sta-bil, no battery tender, nothing.

But the water pump seal started leaking! I'm guessing it dried out, wasn't lubed, something.

Or it was coincidence on a 21 year old car that's known for eating water pumps anyway.

Hard saying.

Buck the trend!

Heal up.

 

[k24a4]

Forgot to add I use Stabil and top off the fuel tank.

 

[jimbrewer]

I'm astonished that no one on this forum said this: Change the oil. Its right there in the Ford manual, and I assume others. Ford is real paranoid about lack of use and has their IOLM programmed accordingly for the same basic reason. It will commonly tick off three percentage points just being parked for a week. I doubt 3 months requires a change, but if you can get an el cheapo change with an oil that meets spec, its probably worthwhile even for three months. For this purpose you wouldn't have to change the filter. I would at least definitely get it good and hot before storage.

In my area people commonly have problems with vermin eating the electrical wires. I'd go to the feed store and get the rat poison stuff that looks like an extra large energy bar and put it on top of the engine with a prominent note to myself to remove it taped to the steering wheel.

 

[supton]

We didn't drive our Civic for a couple of months, and a drum hung up. Needed I think all braking surfaces turned.

Engine was fine though.