Hello:

This is my first post to this forum. I have posted this question on the RV.NET forum and the alt.dodge.ram.diesel forum, but was guided to ask this forum because of the technical expertise of the members.

We recently bought a brand new Dodge Ram '05. We used it tow our travel trailer during the summer (what a blast; can't wait till summer again!)and now it will be parked for the next 8 or 9 months. In the winter we live near the sea, so the air is constantly humid and their is a significant amount of airborne "salt mist". The truck is parked in a garage, but the garage has two big windows that have nothing but metal bars on them (no glass) , so that the outside air circulates freely through the garage.

So my questions have to do with what should I do to ensure that our Dodge Ram CTD remains in top notch condition and is not harmed by the 8 to 9 months of being parked in a humid and saline environment?

1. How often should I start-it up?
2. When I start-up should I run it on the highway for a certain amount of time?
3. Is there anything I need to do to the fuel (like put a stabilizer in it)?
4. What about the engine oil? Do I need to change it before we embark on our annual summer trip?
5. Should I disconnect the batteries?
6. How about the tires? Should I put the truck up on jacks?
7. What should I do to minimize or prevent rusting of rotors etc?

Thanks in advance for your input

 

I dont know all the specifics to your questions but this is my advice. Just park your truck Every couple of weeks fire her up and take it for a 30 minute ride to keep all the fluids moving around inside the axles and tranny. This will help keep the bearings and seals lubed, the rings seated, batteries charged, and the tires round. It wouldnt hurt to fire the truck up and run it at 1000 RPM or more once a week either. Raising the RPM will be important to keep the cylanders from getting cool and causing wash down.
No matter what you do you are going to have the rotors rust. Give a little light preasure on the pedal when you first drive it after sitting and the rust will come right off. Mine have actually rusted up pretty bad in just one week of sitting.

 

We have a 95 ford F 350 flattie crane truck with 15K on it. It just sits inside a concrete block building with occasional doors open. The building is about 1/8 mile from the ocean and its always windy blowing into the bldg. The salt in the air is terrible. It gets coated with a haze that dulls everything but washes off. So, get a good breathable cover of some sort for starters. Id say change the oil before storage periods,keep the fuel tank full,adding some stanadyne to the fuel would help. If you can drive it every month or so that would help to circulate things. Invest in 2 battery tenders @ 29.95 ea and hook the batteries to them. Personally Id try to cover the windows with plexiglass or glass or wood if nothing else. rust hazing on rotors etc is gonna happen but it will burn off easy. Sure some others will have some advise also.
The other option is send it my way, I`ll take care of it for you

 

My solution,
Give your truck to me!!
It's a crime to own such a fine piece of machinery only to hide it in a garage.
Your the kind of person who would marry a supermodel only to never go out and sleep in different beds

 

I would at least put it on grocery getter duty and drive it somewhere at least once every week or two.... It will save you work on maintnance.

 

This part is not such a good idea. The problem being by only running it a little you'll likly not get it up to temp. The oil needs to at get to operating temp before shuting it down an extended period. It will however manage to raise the temp enough to cause condisation inside the engine. Doing this repeatedly will keep increasing the volume of water. If it gets to full temp it will evaperate the water that is there and you only have to worry about the fresh (new) condensation.

Randy

Just noticed you are in Sierra Vista. What state? I know ours sure doesn't have any salt air.

 

Huh?????? If I was married to a supermodel why would I want to go sleep in different beds?

I guess to each his own..... You certainly don't qualify for my planned CTD giveway LOL

 

I think he is trying to say owning the ctd and not driving it is like being married to a supermodel and not sleeping with her.....

DRIVE IT LIKE YOU STOLE IT

 

I'm new and trying to go throough and read stuff,I read that diesel can grow bacteria in ashort time and mess up lots of stuff. there are aditives maybe at a truck stop? read it in a hanes manual from advance,nuff said.