6 months CRD storage, what to do?

quebeccrd · **Posted:** Fri May 13, 2011 11:30 am

I'm gonna stay overseas for approximately 6 months, and i would like to know what would you do to your crd before letting it in the garage for 6 months.

I will probably come back home 1 or 2 times, should i go driving it these 2 times? Should i put any additives? should i put it on candles? What are the recommended things to do in this case, specifically with the liberty crd?

It will be in a non heated garage and it will be winter time here (approx 0 celsius degrees (32 f) in the garage, +/- -20 celsius outside(-4 f)).

Sir Sam · **Posted:** Fri May 13, 2011 2:14 pm

I've left my parts CRD sitting for over a year, outside, in temps down to ~ -25C. Put a fresh battery in it and it started up right away.

I would say just starting it and getting it good and hot when your back is sufficient.

Canadian tire has some "engine fogger" stuff that you use to coat the intake with oil prior to extended storage, but I don't think thats nessesary, adding a little power service to the fuel wouldn't hurt though.

mikey1273 · **Posted:** Fri May 13, 2011 5:24 pm

2x on power service in the fuel to stabilize it. if your battery is good it should be fine. the electronics, just sitting around idle might drain it and make it too weak to start it after 6 months of sitting but if the battery is still ok a jump start should get it going. I would park it with all fluids full and check them before starting it again too. Don't think anything else would be a problem. I had my brother's car stored in my driveway outside when he was away at college years ago for a year setting through all seasons and only driven once or twice. it was ok. when he came back home and got his lisence back I got the car going again, got a new state inspection as well. he took it only days after that from Pennsylvania to Colorado Springs with no problems.

papaindigo · **Posted:** Fri May 13, 2011 5:39 pm

Check the owners manual or the FSM or ask the dealer or independent Jeep mechanic; on today's vehicles there is usually a fuse or 2 that you can pull that turn off those little current drains that can run a battery down over time. I'd be inclined to park it with a full tank of fuel to minimize condensation if you think there may be significant fluctuations in temperature. If you do get home a time or 2 by all means drive it long enough to get up to full operating temperature and maybe put a charger on the battery to top it off. Otherwise you should be ok. I kept a 1993 D-250 Cummins in more or less dead storage for like 4-years with only a brief monthly or less drive of say 2 miles (not even full operating temp) with no storage related issues.

warp2diesel · **Posted:** Sat May 14, 2011 9:55 am

Pull the white plug out to where it stops and it will shut off all the power drain, just remember to push it back in before you try to start up.

Power Service is a good idea to use, it will help protect the fuel system and prevent gelling if you have summer fuel in the tank if you come home in the winter.
Fill the tank so you don't get condensation, water in the fuel sucks to ay the least.
Taking the CRD for a drive when you come home to visit will reduce the chance of getting flat spots in the tires.
Sometimes the tire flat spots go away in a couple blocks and some times they never do with the older bias ply tires. I have had it both ways.
Besides, driving your CRD will be a joy after driving other crap like some rental cars.

quebeccrd · **Posted:** Sat May 14, 2011 5:45 pm

Ok, thank you very much for all your advice!

Indeed, i Will look forward to drive my jeep, but driving all these little european diesel cars Will be surely fun!

bhc04 · **Posted:** Sat May 14, 2011 7:51 pm

i've stored a couple of other cars for several months while traveling. What I do is;

Full fuel tank with stabilizer
Disconnect battery
Jack car up onto blocks just enough to get major weight off suspension parts
Cover with a good fitting cloth cover
Spray some heavy duty bug killer around perimeter
Store a key with a friend or somewhere just in case someone has to access the car for emergency.

dkenny · **Posted:** Sun May 15, 2011 3:07 pm

I agree with most.
except for the fuel stabilizer..why? its not gasoline. diesel can sit for month/years without problems.

i park my boat in the fall...well that was 7 months ago..its a diesel. the boat has a 3 stage charger for the batteries. its been plugged in all winter..I did nothing to the fuel..

if you're worried about water in the fuel add something to kill the algae that might start growing..but you should have that much water to start with.

fill the tank with fuel.

-dkenny

geordi · **Posted:** Sun May 15, 2011 9:56 pm

I wouldn't worry about running it unless you can drive it for at least 20 minutes to get it good and hot - Otherwise you WILL be causing more condensation in the exhaust than you are getting rid of.

As for the fuel - Its a diesel. Fill the tank up with diesel fuel, and park it. No additives needed, especially over the winter. If you want to be extra-special-careful, a 16 ounce shot of PowerService White Bottle will guarantee that the fuel won't even cloud while you are gone.

Rather than messing with the fuses, I would just leave the hood up and pull the negative battery cable. OR, get a 2-amp motorcycle charger and leave that plugged in. Those things almost always have a special "storage" mode that they will automatically go into, and will work JUST FINE on a bigger battery - They just take a lot longer to fully charge a big battery if it needs it. The storage float is the same no matter the size. I've used one of those on my own motorcycle when it has sat for the winter, and it started right up when spring came.
On the bike, I didn't even do anything to the gasoline, and it was fine.

DieselJeepLuvr · **Posted:** Mon May 16, 2011 2:47 am

Get Startron Diesel fuel treatment. It's by far the best. Make sure your tank is full before you leave to minimize condensation. Also get a box of mothballs and put some in a glass jar with some holes punched in it for the interior and put some in the engine compartment to ward off rodents.

Drewd · **Joined:** Mon Feb 06, 2006 12:24 pm **Posts:** 902

No need to spray an oil based engine fogger into the intake to coat the engine internals for storage. Our CRDs have a built in system that does that automatically....its called a CCV system ;-)

6 months CRD storage, what to do?

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