i have to drop the insurance/registration on my '96 Dodge Ram Van. it's in good shape and i plan on keeping it... since i have to store it outside, i want to get a car(truck?) cover for it. i'm sure someone here has kept one of their rides in short term/not so short term storage like this... any down sides? anything i need to know about doing this?

thanks :)

To quote the Corvette owner's video...

"Watch out for nesting creatures when you bring it out of storage"

LOL I love that line...

If you live in a cold weather area... drain the BLOCK! Use compressed air, or pull out freeze plugs, but don't leave the water/antifreeze in the block. Disconnect the battery. put it inside a building, on wood. Get some fuel stabilizer.
leave the windows cracked open about a 1/4 inch and cover the vehicle... will prevent mold/mildew.

More info on storage at: Choosing the right car cover (http://www.myclassiccar.com/MCCTV/006106/tip006106.html)

Good advice, Qtr that's what I've heard too.

Would you mind posting what to do when bringing it back out of storage? Should you put some oil in the cylinders/valvetrain, crank it by hand to get the oil moving, etc?

i forgot about cracking the windows http://geocities.com/red_rocket_rt/smilies/doh.txt thanks :)

Originally posted by PFDarkside
Good advice, Qtr that's what I've heard too.

Would you mind posting what to do when bringing it back out of storage? Should you put some oil in the cylinders/valvetrain, crank it by hand to get the oil moving, etc?

yeah qrt, what do you do on start up?

when i used to take a car out of storage, i used kero or what they call "liquid wrench" to lightly dampen the cyl walls before a start up. i also liked to pressurize the main oil gallery with an electric oil pump before i hand cranked it... just to be sure the oil is where it needs to be.

but i'm in no shape to do any of this just yet... i'll worry about this down the road ;)

I don't think I'd crack the windows. Last time I pulled the cover off my Buick I had a wasp nest under it ..... can you imagine if those ****ers got inside the car... that would suck

There are several things to do.

On a ford, you can remove the distributor and spin the oil pump with a drill to prime the block, or, remove the spark plugs and use the starter. Fill the radiator, and spin the car over to prime the water pump, and I'd start with a new oil filter, too.

Hmm...

I need to think about this....

all fluid levels and cleanliness
battery
fuel
I wouldn't actually DRIVE it until I had taken it right around the block a few times to wet the seals, check the gauges, check the brakes, etc...