keeping a truck on the driveway

[TimberXX]

I will not be using my 06 Toyota Tacoma for nearly 3 months. I have put fuel stabilizer in it. What else, if anything, should I do? Would it be best to run it weekly?

 

[crbr]

I will not be using my 06 Toyota Tacoma for nearly 3 months. I have put fuel stabilizer in it. What else, if anything, should I do? Would it be best to run it weekly?

Battery Tender from Battery Mart . com

 

[Bird]

I will not be using my 06 Toyota Tacoma for nearly 3 months. I have put fuel stabilizer in it. What else, if anything, should I do? Would it be best to run it weekly?

I've known of vehicles that sat for longer than that with no special preparations at all and no problem when they went back to using them, but personally, yes, I'd rather run it once a week. I did learn long ago to run the generators in my motor homes once a week under load to prevent problems. My '01 Ford Ranger had not been started in about two and a half weeks, so I drove it today just because I didn't want to leave it much longer without being run.

 

[streamin]

When You let things sit too long you may have seals drying, surface rust(brakes), fluids not circulating, etc.When you sit in one position for a long time don't you feel a little stiff???I've had cars at my shop sit for months and after they are back in service, things start to go out(Ex. waterpumps).I would recommend running it every so often.

 

[Z-Michigan]

Make sure you run the engine a bit after putting fuel stabilizer in. Doesn't need to very long with an EFI engine, but at least 30 seconds or so. (With older, carbureted engines you need to run long enough that the float bowls have a dose of stabilizer.)

If you're going to be around and just not using it, I would drive it every 2 weeks for at least 10 miles, preferably more. If this isn't practical, I would use a battery tender and would put in cheap, clean oil before storage and replace that oil after the storage period.

 

[john_bud]

If you just start the engine and run it for 10-15 min, the exhaust will rust out. Water pools in it and that's that.

For just 3 months, I wouldn't do more than add stabil, fill the tank to the top, change the oil, air the tires and park it in the shade. No big deal. 3 YEARS is more of a chore.

 

[ktm250rider]

do what ever you can to keep the mice and rodents out of the engine.

 

[Renze]

You might want to put the axles on stands, so that no flat spots will occur on the surface of the tire it sits on for 3 months...

At work we have a rental trailer, which had been sitting in the yard with a 2 ton load on it for 2 months. I used it to pick up my tractor. After 150 km the tires still bounced, then i loaded the tractor and the bouncing stopped after 20 km with load, when the tires became hot enough.

 

[Bird]

Renze, are those by any chance nylon corded tires. I haven't had a tire flat spot from sitting unused in a long time now. But back before radial tires, steel belted, etc., nylon was about the strongest and we bought a new Winnebago motorhome in 1973; smallest Class A motorhome they made and it had nylon bias ply tires. And in cool weather, it would really rattle the dishes in the cabinets for the first 5 or 6 miles.

 

[RichM96067]

do what ever you can to keep the mice and rodents out of the engine.

Have a friend with a Yorkshire Terrier visit. My friend was over once with his Yorkie. I have an older Volvo I use about 6 times ayear. One day that little fella ran to that car and went wild. My friend says,"mice have a nest in your engine compartment". Sure enough, he was right.