my truck is gonna sit for a year! help!

Thank you for your service!

Jim

 

When I deployed to Iraq the second time, I put my WRX in a climate controlled storage, and they started it ever so often, as well as took off my rims and put factory wheels back on. Everyone's car that sat in the deployment lot had problems upon return, a lot of rust on the underneath and dead batteries. I would search extensively, it was money worth to me to store there. Good luck on your deployment and thank you for your service.

 

Also, you can go to the dollar store and purchase those little dehumidifier boxes they sell, put a couple in there, and your truck won't be all musty upon return

 

there are the mechanicals and the cosmetics...

I would do the following:

change the oil
run the gas tank as low as you feel safe doing and refill with NON-ethanol based fuel, add the marine stabil
air up the tires to the maximum allowed on the sidewall
make sure everything is clean under the hood
unhook your battery or place on battery tender, after making sure battery is fully charged

cosmetics:
wash and wax your vehicle
clean the inside as much as possible
put an open box of moth balls inside to keep the mice out
sprinkle mothball around the vehicle footprint

I routinely let vehicles sit for 9 months without use, I have a 62 Town Wagon, hasn't left the property in four years, but will start with a gallon of gas and a fresh battery.

My group routinely rotates to Mideast and we are required to have 10% of our manpower in the Mideast command at all times.

Do well

Howard

 

An interesting idea was mentioned here, and I for one would be a full supporter of this. We are all Tacoma owners and love our trucks. That is a given. What if we had a sticky or something for those who were deploying to find a local or semi local fellow Tacoma owner to watch their truck for the time they are away on deployments and such?

We start the truck once a week to keep the fluids moving, let it warm up, then move it a few feet to keep the tires off the same spot. Then when the owner comes back they know that the truck is ready to go without any issues to worry about.

If anyone at all is going to be deploying for military service, and are in Alabama I would be more than willing to store your Tacoma in my shop. Hell, for your service to our country I will have it waxed and looking shiny when you come pick it up, along with a nice lunch at Lotties down the road!

 

I would also put a little amount of oil in each cylinder to keep the rings from sticking to the walls.

 

sure, fog the engines with 10-10 oil, have someone rotate the crank every 30 days and so on...do we have an easy way of fogging the engine without pulling plugs and or screwing up the sensors?

 

I've deployed four times and have only put in fuel stablizer and unhooked the battery. Never had any issues.
My 74 corvette sits all year when I'm gone because my wife won't drive it. I think it is actually worse to start the car for a short period of time and not drive it around or get it up to temp.

 

thank you everyone for you help and recommendations, i think with all this info i will be all set for when i come back. i really do appreciate it.

 

id do it in nc

 

SiminaoleTRD that's awsome the Navy sets lots up like that for the Sailors. OP all was good with the wife and me. I just want to let you know that because of General Rule #1 and out of respect of the the other Soldiers without there wives my wife and I did not have sex the whole year we were deployed. Good luck to you Brother.

 

Corey, thanks for your service. Best of luck on your deployment.

 

thank you for your support, it is truly appreciated. i have been spit on before from a women because she didnt think what i did was right and i should feel ashamed of what i do to the poor innocent people over seas.

 

Unless they are starting it and actually driving it for an hour or so, this is doing more harm than good. It won't get up to full temperature at idle for 20 minutes. Anything less than a half hour or so at full temp is not sufficient to boil off the moisture and acids that build up in the oil.

The short running dumps fuel and more combustion gases into the oil, and gets the engine just warm enough to promote condensation.

It is best to just leave it alone.

 

@Mike92y I assumed every base/post regardless of branch did that. The HobbyShops are the ones that run the program and will do it for any service member no matter which branch you are in.

@Rich91710 I am aware and thank you. My first base would run your vehicle for 30 minutes and drive it around if you asked them too. They know everything they need to in order to preserve vehicles...hence why they do it. You tell them when you are returning and they will service and inspect the vehicle so that you could drive home. A flight back on a C-5 is bad enough, last thing you need is a dead rig. The facilities were locked for extra security on the base. My current instillation has the program but I am not sure what they do. Last deployment I had people help me out.

@OP Keep your head down and on a swivel. Best of luck and stay in contact brother.