Parking for several months.

[The Cream Dolphin]

'0̷2 ALH, any advice? It will likely not be insured again til fall, but it may do the odd little plateless jaunt late summer around town, but it will not move for at least 2½ months. I plan to disconnect the battery, I half filled the tank, and dumped the rest of my power service in (mind you it is winter white but whatever), and will do a solid clean with a power washer. Any other advice?

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• The Cream Dolphin
• Oct 17, 2023

After a suspension refresh/slight lift. 28" to all 4 fenders

 

[jmodge]

Leave the keys in it

 

[J_dude]

Mouse poison packets?

 

[turbodieseldyke]

Fill the tank all the way, not half. You don't want a huge surface area exposed to oxygen and leading to algae growth.

 

[Lightflyer1]

Where are you leaving it? Outside/inside, home/other location, power/no power available?

 

[J_dude]

Maybe leave a trickle charger/maintainer on the battery?

 

[Jr mason]

I've parked many diesel powered vehicles for 4-6 months over the winter over the years. Fill the tank, change the oil and pull the battery so that I can keep it on a minder. Never an issue getting them back going again.

Biggest problem i have with dormant vehicles/equipment is keeping rodents at bay. Just when you think you have them under control......

 

[The Cream Dolphin]

Where are you leaving it? Outside/inside, home/other location, power/no power available?

At home, outside. Power is available.

I have left it before, but figured I may as well make it as happy as possible. Reasoning for the half tank is so I have less old fuel in there upon start up, but that makes sense about the algae. Thanks!

 

[J_dude]

Yeah the diesel will be fine, it doesn't go bad that fast. Like @Jr mason I've left diesel vehicles for a up to year or two and they were fine.

 

[jmodge]

Leaving it outside the only issue I would be concerned with is sunroof drains plugging and getting the interior moldy

 

[oilhammer]

I'd be more worried about the environment... mice, squirrels, beavers, whatever... and trees' leavings.

Are you going to actually be away from the car for that long?

If it has to sit, I'd do this:

overinflate the tires, to whatever the maximum is on the sidewall. It'll help keep them from flat-spotting.

put any and all methods of critter prophylaxes in place... drier sheets, cayenne pepper, bags of human or dog hair (seriously, it works)

car cover (even a cheap tarp, properly secured, will help with the tree stuff)... and make sure it covers the wheels, to help keep the brake surfaces from rusting too quickly.

if possible, leave it UNlocked, or disconnect the ground side of the battery

 

[jmodge]

Or try to get the judge to commute your sentence to house arrest

 

[J_dude]

car cover (even a cheap tarp, properly secured, will help with the tree stuff)

I'd just like to emphasize this, as a tarp flapping in the wind for extended periods will likely damage the paint.

 

[Dalon]

I store my passat every winter in a garage for 6 months and just inflate tires to about 40 psi, battery tender, dryer sheets throughout the engine bay, interior, and trunk

 

[jmodge]

Tarps can actually hold humidity also. It’s an issue around here anyway. We vent those storage tent gables to wick moisture out of them

 

[The Cream Dolphin]

Thanks for all the info folks! I will indeed be away, so it will be fully sedentary for the two and a half months. Luckily tree gunk is not a worry. As for house arrest, that one might be tough @jmodge...