long term storage

[viperbaron]

I'm scheduled to deploy to Iraq. I plan to park my XJ while away. May be a good year before I can play with it again.
What recommendations would you suggest for long term storage of the vehicle? No one will be driving it while I'm away. I plan to have my brother keep it at his house and he'll start it up once a month.
Up on blocks? Full gas tank? disconnect battery?
Thanks.

 

[Quarterwave]

You pretty much got the basics right there. Just put the vehicle up on axle stands if you can, add in some fuel stabilizer (I think "Stabil" is the brand) to your tank of gas and take out the battery. A breathable car cover is a good idea if it's being kept indoors.... if it's outside, I'd just coat it in wax, and forget the cover.... once water gets underneath the fabric, it does more damage than just being out in the weather.

As far as I know, I think it's ok to not drain the oil, but just remember to change it out along with yr filter, spark plugs etc.... before you start it up on your return.

Most importantly, STAY SAFE over there !

Quarterwave

 

[RichP]

jack stands, all 4 corners, pick a dry spot, get a 12ft 4x4 and lay it lenght wise, lay a thick plastic ground sheet over the 4x4 and park the jeep on top, jack it up off the ground, pull the plastic tight and stake it down. The tight plastic will drain off any water under there, otherwise it evaporates and rusts the bottom of the body out. Fill the tank, change the oil, add stabil to the tank, run engine to get stabil into the fuel lines and injectors. Remove battery, cover with a good quality cover. If you brother is going to run it once a month [better every two weeks] leave the battery in. It is actually better if he does not run it as he won't get it up to operating temp and the combustion byproducts won't burn off in the oil and neither will the moisture that condenses in the oil pan.
When I was making 110 day submarine patrols I stored it once at a chiefs house who had a farm and a BIG barn, 32-30 guys would store their cars/trucks there and his kids would fire them up on a regular basis and drive them around the property for 20 min, they made like $20 a vehicle. Usually a week before we came back the kids would top them all off with new gas out of a 250gallon hand pumped tank he kept.
When I first got my van I had to store it, once I started customizing it my parents would keep it while I was gone and take trips to florida, maine, out west.

 

[grahamtwatson]

When the boat yard used to lay my boat up for the winter they used to spray some special "winterizing" oil down the air inlet - it would coat the insides of the cylinders so that they didn't rust. Each spring when I started the boat back up there would be clouds of smoke as the oil burnt off.

Oh, and we used to take out the drain plugs and drain out all the water so the block didn't freeze and crack - less of a problem on a car, where you can add anti-freeze, but you might want to make sure the antifreeze mix is good and strong, depending on where you live.

Good luck out there, and THANK YOU!

 

[viperbaron]

Thank you, and I will pass on your THANK YOU to those who deserve it.
I've done my time in the service; I'm a contractor now-a-days.

 

[Matthew Currie]

When the boat yard used to lay my boat up for the winter they used to spray some special "winterizing" oil down the air inlet - it would coat the insides of the cylinders so that they didn't rust. Each spring when I started the boat back up there would be clouds of smoke as the oil burnt off.

Oh, and we used to take out the drain plugs and drain out all the water so the block didn't freeze and crack - less of a problem on a car, where you can add anti-freeze, but you might want to make sure the antifreeze mix is good and strong, depending on where you live.

Good luck out there, and THANK YOU!

Some people recommend a little Marvel Mystery oil down the plug holes for storage, to help prevent valves from sticking as well as to coat the cylinder walls. I've had good luck with this for mowers and other machinery that would always seem to need the head pulled in spring to unstick a valve.

Don't leave any windows open or the mice will get in. A little bit of screening over the exhaust and the air intake might be wise too.

 

[RichP]

You all are missing the point that his brother will be firing it up every few weeks or so. That leads to a different path and method. The way he's planning it is more like you would store your specialcar or hotrod for occasional use. Forgot about the plug over the exhaust for rodent and insect blockage, thats a forsure thing, it amazes me how quick they find that taipipe and move in. A piece of nylon screen rubber banded over the tailpipe, that way if you forget it the rubber band will melt and the screen will blow/fall off. You have to remind him that he will need to top the tank off after the first hour or so of running, keeps any moisture to a minimum. A 5 gallon blitz can treated with stabil should suffice.

 

[smccollamjr]

Letting it run for a few minutes won't do any good. It needs to get up to temperature and be driven. If I were you I would let him drive it to work once a week or once every other week. That is if you're keeping insurance on it while you're gone.

 

[Highmiles]

If you are going to store it and leave it, then do what RichP stated. The only two things I'd add are: buy one of those de-humidifier cans from your local home-depot or lowes. That'll dry up any moisture that gets in and keep the insides from smelling musty. I would also check with your insurance company. I'm not sure if your car insurance would cover a car in storage or if it would be your brother's home owners insurance.

If your brother drives it once a week I would especially call your insurance to work that out. My personal experience is that the insurance covers the vehicle, not the driver (I found this out when my uncle bumped somebody's car while backing my truck out of his driveway. My insurance took the hit, not his).

 

[viperbaron]

Yes, I was planning on keeping the insurance up on it so it could be used as a back-up vehicle for family. It won't cost me that much $$$. I just hope I don't get back and find that a nephew took it out 4-wheeling (broken parts from unknown origins)or deer hunting (deer guts & blood) and never cleaned it up afterwards.

 

[langer1]

When the boat yard used to lay my boat up for the winter they used to spray some special "winterizing" oil down the air inlet - it would coat the insides of the cylinders so that they didn't rust. Each spring when I started the boat back up there would be clouds of smoke as the oil burnt off.

Oh, and we used to take out the drain plugs and drain out all the water so the block didn't freeze and crack - less of a problem on a car, where you can add anti-freeze, but you might want to make sure the antifreeze mix is good and strong, depending on where you live.

Good luck out there, and THANK YOU!

Thats a good idea, that layup oil is Seafoam.

 

[Root Moose]

Make sure it is parked on pavement/concrete. Morning dew and/or snow will make it rust faster.