Tips for storing?

Putting the Benz in storage for the winter, which is at least 6 months around here. Any procedures,other than disconnecting the battery and a full tank of diesel, that I should be doing? Its an 85 300TD. Thanks in advance.

In addition, you may want to change the oil and filter, take the car for a short drive to get the new oil circulated and up to temperature before you shut it down. Put rat poison under the hood to keep the field mice from feasting on the wiring harnesses.

[ymsin]

Jack the car up to keep the 4 wheels of the ground. It helps to keep the well-flated tyres in shape.

[1991 560 SEC]

WE have long winters here as well. What I plan to do is;
1. Change the oil, put stabilizer in the gas, 45 psi in the tires to prevent flat spots.

2. I intened to start the car at least twice a month, using a oil heater before starting. Let the car warm up and move it around the drive way to work the transmisson and steering. If and this is a BIG IF, there is no salt on the roads a short ride once in a while.
I don`t have the problem, but Decon is a good idea, mice love wiring.
Having said this, I`d like to hear from others who are more expirienced then I am

John

[ymsin]

Wouldn't "draining the fuel from the tank, carbs and lines" lead to drying (and subsequent cracks) in the lines?

[ymsin]

I could be wrong too.

My experience stems from "storing" my brother's W123 but ended up replacing most of the lines and hoses which dried from lack of lubrication (from fluids running through).

[G-Benz]

The drying out of lines, etc. is a lesser evil than the varnish deposits left on the carbs after an extended storage. Especially unleaded fuels (don't know about diesel though), which destabilize in a period of weeks.

I once stored my Bug in a warehouse temporarily until I could get settled in another town I lived in. Well months became years, and it was at least five before I was able to get back to the car. It took months to get the car back in shape!

The carbs had to be rebuilt due to the deposits left from storage, the batteries were dead, several wires in the harness had corroded so they had to be cleaned, the tires replaced, the brakes and drums replaced, the oil pressure gauge lines replaced. I didn't have mice eating anything, but they probably would have done less damage!!! And this was a SHOW car, not a driver!!!

The car never was right since the storage, so one day I will have to rebuild it.

Six months isn't a lot of time for deterioration, so most of the tips already posted will be just fine. But cars are meant to be driven, not sitting, so unless you go through extreme measures for long-term storage, you are doing more harm than good by letting it just sit there.

When I store a car for a season, I usually change the oil right before putting it away. If it's carbureted, I "smog" the engine with Rislone. That keeps the internals (rings etc) nice and lubed up. Pull the battery, crack a window, add some moth-balls to ward of mice and say good-bye.

Agreed. I think letting a car sit can do more harm (unless it's to avoid salt saturated winter roads). A few years back I looked at a BMW 2002 that was only had a few thousand miles on the clock -literally a time capsule car. It was stored correctly, but the guy who ended up buying it, had to put tons of $$ as nearly every gasket and hose had to be replaced. From the motor all the way back to the rear end.

[Ron Johnstone]

Since it is a diesel, be SURE to add a load of diesel fuel conditioner AND a load of fuel biocide to the tank, mix it with the fuel and drive the car 10 miles to be certain the protectorants have fully circulated through the engine. Then top off the tank and hope for the best over the winter. A load of algae in the fuel is to be avoided at all costs. In the spring, I'd add another shot of biocide first thing.
I'd also do an internet search on the general subject of storing cars and possibly speak to an auto museum curator. Every input helps.
Don't forget to drain the windshield washer tank and lines.

[ranger]

Why do you want to drain the window washerfluid and lines?

[ymsin]

I would vouch for this entirely:

"But cars are meant to be driven, not sitting, so unless you go through extreme measures for long-term storage, you are doing more harm than good by letting it just sit there."

Everytime I leave the daily driven car at home for 2 weeks when we're away, there always seem to be a problem somewhere when I return. Well stored or not, something just had to be changed. The more I drive of the 300SE, the lesser the replacements would be. There certainly is a correlation.

[Ron Johnstone]

The fluid in the windshield washer is usually just water and a detergent, therefore it will freeze and perhaps break a line, pump or bottle when it does.