9 month storage of M37

[scubaasteve]

Any suggestions for laying up my truck for nearly a year?

I have "older michelin tires". Standard brakes. (which I just redid and bave bled). detroit 253 engine.

clutch is hydraulic as well with separate resevoir.

I probably don't have anyone that can drive the truck monthly for me. If it's really critical I may be able to adjust that. I can at least get wifey to start the thing and let it run for 20 minutes??


It's 12 volt with two batteries installed.


Steve

[JStinson]

I have a lot more experience with "pickling" of small equipment (lawn mowers, 2 cycle equipment, etc) than of larger things, but here are my suggestions:

Drain the gas tank.

Start the truck and run it until it dies. This will clear remaining fuel from the carb and the lines.

Remove the spark plugs and add a little lubricant to the upper cylinder. Marvel Mystery Oil works well. While you're at it, add a drop to the plug threads too.

Reinstall the plugs.

This might not be important for only nine months, but if there's a possibility that it will be longer, you might want to jack it up by the frame and set it on jack stands or concrete blocks. This will get the long term pressure off of the shocks and you'll avoid flat spots on your tires.

Make sure the tires are at the right pressure.

Remove the battery.

These are the basics. Maybe someone else can chime in and tell if the water needs to be drained or if something should be done about the oil. I'm not sure about these things.

Whatever you do, get the gas out. Ethanol blend gas will give you headaches galore if it sits.

[scubaasteve]

Thanks. This is actually 253 detroit diesel. Jacking up making sense. So sad, the City of Coppell, Texas would be on that in a matter of days. They sent me letter on that sort of thing a few months. Ago.

Steve

[JStinson]

Thanks. This is actually 253 detroit diesel. Jacking up making sense. So sad, the City of Coppell, Texas would be on that in a matter of days. They sent me letter on that sort of thing a few months. Ago.

Steve

Haha! That'll teach you not to listen to what I tell you.

The only thing I know about diesels is that they don't have spark plugs and they make fun black smoke when you get down on them. Someone else will have to chime in on this one.

That sounds like a really cool truck. You should post pictures of the truck and under the hood.

[scubaasteve]

whoops,,.meant it was a 353 detroit. I've contacted both previous owners...each quite capable mechanics...but it appears you have to go back 3 or more owners to find the orginal installer of the plant. but that installation has been modifed quite a bit ect.,

me? just want to keep it running.

[Gordon Maney]

Have your wife get in and pump the brakes, say five times, every three or four weeks. Do the same with the clutch circuit.

Can you put it on jack stands to get it off the tires?

Put diesel fuel conditioner in the tank and fill the tank. It would be OK to start it once a month. You don't say what your climate is like. Is it humid, or dry, or....?

A battery tender would help a lot. Maintain a good charge on the batteries. Not a charger, a tender.

http://batterytender.com/power-tende...v-at-2-5a.html

Make sure the cooling system is full. Make sure the vehicle does not leak coolant on the garage floor to cause pets to be at risk.