[jimbrigcycle]

Hi, I need to store my GQ wagon (TD42) for approx 18 months. Other option is to let my brother -in-law drive it once a week. He is not a passionate GQ man, so I dont know if he would love it like I do. So, what do I need to do to store it properly and secondly, what do I need to do when I want to start it again. I would have no worrys having it towed to mechanic when I return, if that is necessary. Any advice would be appreciated. Cheers

 

[outback]

Just disconect your batteries thats all, Diesel wont go stale like petrol so you wont have any fuel problems

 

[LordBug]

What outback said I reckon.

I dropped an old SD33 into my girl which had been sitting in a shed for at least two years untouched, and she turned over first go.

Make sure no water has gotten anywhere dodgy, and she'll be right.

 

[Giddyyarp]

Give her a good wash inside and out and spray the underbody with lanolin or something similar...

Make sure you change the oil before you store her..... The acids in the oil created by diesel combustion can harm bearings etc..... Other than that sitting it on stands will help preserve your wheel bearings.... And will stop the tyres flat spotting....... Go nuts with the grease gun as well.....

Other than that a projecta float charger will help keep the batteries in A1 condition........

She will be fine for 18 months.......

 

[Giddyyarp]

Also... Make sure the cooling system is correctly dosed with inhibitor and demineralised water.....

 

[GQSWB4.2]

Place vehicle on stands so the tyres don't flat spot

 

[Giddyyarp]

Another last minute one..... Armour all all your weather seals etc and stop them from drying out......

 

[BeNos]

yeah no real dramas. id almost say if you disconnect batteries they might even hold charge till you get back. just when you get back run her for a bit with some chemtech diesel power or the likes fuel aditive and replace the fuel filter after about a week. fungi kinda stuff likes to grow in diesel.

 

[Giddyyarp]

Good point Ben... Best to leave tanks either chocka block full or dead empty.. Fungi (Homiconus Resinae) only grows in a diesel water interface....... So if you can eradicate the interface the fungi wont grow...... I personally would fill tank fully then as Ben suggested use chemtech to bring your cetane (Like octane but for diesel) rating back up and change the filter after a tank or two.....

 

[MikeH]

I'd drain the coolant. take the bung out at the back of the block. Give it a flush to get any scale out before you start it.
Just disconnect the battery, it might last but probably not, be ready to buy a new one.
change the oil as said.. and take it for a 2 hour drive with the new oil in and get it nice and hot.

If its not a dry area bag up the intake and exhaust with a hamburger sized bag of dessicant inside each. you do NOT was rust in the bores.

drain the fuel tank and leave the bung out. water sitting in the bottom will at least make a stack of growth, at worst will rust the tank out. and it WILL get condensation in the tank.
leave the fuel filter in as-is full of fuel. then replace it before starting.

axle stands is a definite, unless you want to replace the tyres.

What I've said is the paranoid way of doing it, just leaving it on stands and changing the fuel filter is the bare minimum.

 

[MQ MAD]

Change the good tyres for some crappy ones just for storage
Whack something either over the exhaust pipe or in it
Stops anything makin it home
Disconnect the battery/batteries

18 months or more wouldnt the diesel be stale
A full system flush and filters would be in order

Dont forget to keep rego paid and upto date
OR a RWC will be in order

 

[Ghost]

Do NOT put your car on jack stands or blocks under the chassis. This lets the suspension droop and puts the springs and bushings in an unnatural state. If you want to prevent flat spots on tires (not a problem with modern radials anyway) support the car at the outermost points of the suspension so the springs and shocks/struts are in a natural state.

 

[jimbrigcycle]

Cheers, great advice

Cheers Guy's, All great advice. Very much appreciated.

 

[purplebus]

if you are storing it inside make sure it has some type of ventilation inside eg leave a window/s open a little so that the interior doesnt " sweat". any moisture inside the truck will sweat if vehicle is sealed up so to speak. this is why they rust in the roofs as the moisture will sit there and it rusts from the inside out.