Hi all,

First of all I have done much searching and reading threads on winter storage. Enough to learn I want to change the oil, add power service to prevent gelling and start her once in a while to prevent the compressor from freezing up. I am parking her in a unheated pole barn for the winter and putting 3/4 inch plywood underneath her. Using moth balls to prevent small critters from making a home in her and steel wool in the exhaust and intake.I would like to start her about one every 7 days or so and move her around to prevent tires from getting flat spots.I do have a couple of questions and any input would be appreciated. I think if I run her I should bring her to operating temp. Will this be possible just sitting there at idle? Also will all that idle time be a detriment to her? The car has never been driven in the winter and has no block heater. I estimate strorage time to 12-14 weeks.

Thanks for any input......Jim

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Jim Messina

1983 300 SD
2006 Silverado Z71

I prefer to not start a vehicle unless it can be driven. The engine coolant will get to running temperature at idle, but the oil won't, the transmission won't, the exhaust won't, ... driving is what it needs and not idling as you'll be adding moisuture and fuel to the oil and exhaust without the heat necessary to evaporate it.

Just let it sit and it should be fine. If you want to crank the engine wth the stop lever down you can do that until the oil is circulated.

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Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

Jeff,
Thanks for the comeback. So I guess i should put her on jacks stands and pull the battery and just let her sit like you advised. Any concern with the compressor seizeing in a 14 week period?

Jim

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Jim Messina

1983 300 SD
2006 Silverado Z71

We have a 1978 300SD that we store in the winter. I prefer to start the car often, hopefully weekly. If I can find a salt free road I will drive it but that is a rare option. When I do start it I put it in neutral with the parking brake set, set the idle knob to high idle, run the heater and air-contitioner and cycle other mechanicals that I can (radio antenna, hood release, windows, etc.).
This year I may try a new tactic by putting the car on jacks and running the drive train. My research favors using the car or simulating use as the best option for storage.

Jim W.

No don't start it, you would do more harm than good. I put a junk set of wheels and tires on mine, or you can put it on jack stands.

These engines don't need much work to store. I store mine about 6 months of the year, and don't need to do that much. I winterize mine just like I was doing a marine diesel. Change the oil, change the fuel filters, add some Biobor, top off the fuel, remove the battery. Come back 6 months latter, install the battery, change the oil and your good to go.

Thats how we store boats up here for months on end, never have issues.

Mice are going to be a problem, I have been told they hate dryer sheet's.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

I store my boat in the same place, I moth ball the hell out of it. In 14 years I haven't had 1 dropping in the boat. I would be kinda afraid to run it on jackstands. I let my bud store his suburban in there last year and he had no rodent problem. Going to be a sad day when I put her away.



Jim

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Jim Messina

1983 300 SD
2006 Silverado Z71

May I also suggest a full tank of fuel with a product such as Sta-bil in it. An empty tank invites condensation and untreated fuel might go bad. Worked for the boating and camping crowds when I had a weekend job in a NAPA store up North way back when.

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1983 300SD "Guderian"
1987 MR2
2015 Camry
2015 Chevy Spark
2006 Hyundai Tucson

Hatterasguy,

U change the oil after it was not used? Are U out of your mind? No wonder there is an oil shortgage.

Why do U change the fuel filters?

I agree with the biobor only if U only ever had a fuel fungus problem.

I have been storing my '80 300SD in the winter for 16 years and don't do anything to it but park it in the garage. When its time to get it out in the spring, I charge the battery if necessary, start it up and go. Almost 300,000 miles now and no problems.

P E H

My 240 sat for two years before I bought it with zero done to preserve anything. After the clutch was fixed, the reason for parking it in the first place, it fired up like it was running the day before. Put some Power Service in the fuel and filled the tank. Drove it for about 100 miles, then changed the oil. Thats been 3 years ago and she seems to have suffered no serious consequences from being stored for so long.

EDIT: My 300TD sits all winter with no special treatment. Runs fine when the salt is gone.

Cheers,

Bill

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Cheers,
Bill

Alamo,

Diesel fuel does not need Stabil. That's only for gasoline

P E H

Oil is changed every 6 months regardless of mileage. The clock starts running on oil as soon as you pop the seal. If I drove the car all year round I could probably do one year changes like MB specs on the new cars, but I don't want the old oil sitting in the pan all winter. The acids can attack the bearings.

I change my fuel filters once a year, so its easy to do them at the end one less thing to do in the spring.

I prefer to not get stuck on the side of the road late to an appointment in an expensive suit with a $20 clogged fuel filter. Because I don't carry the tools to change it, so that means a call to MB roadside, and me being pissed off. On a boat that $20 fuel filter can be the difference between you getting back safe, or ending up on the jetty. Losing power because of clogged filters happens rather often in boats. Trying to restart a fuel starved diesel as large breakers push me towards the rocks is not my idea of fun.

This stuff is cheap, and I don't have time for problems.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Hatterasguy,

I've heard of people that over-maintain, but U are a gem. Me, I don't like to throw my money away on unnecessary things so I have more to spend on other things I want. I also don't like to waste resources either.

Ever hear of "If it ain't broke, don't fix it"?

P E H

I have read your posts for years, and I know exactly where you are coming from. My grandfather is the exact same way.

Over maintain, probably, but I'm the kind of guy people line up to buy used cars from. Well at least the ones I care about, buy my beaters at your own risk.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Amen on the boat maintenence, I fish the Great Lakes and its no place to mess around eithier. Ditto on the over maintain too, I would rather spend a couple of bucks than have bigger problems. Fuel filters have 19 k on them so will change before storage and fill the tank. Thanks for the input.



Jim

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Jim Messina

1983 300 SD
2006 Silverado Z71

Hatterasguy,

When I'm finished with my beaters, nobody wants them, not even a junk yard. So I keep them for parts and eventually haul them to the scrap yard. They take anything, only interested in the weight. They go to a shredder and in a day or 2, they are in little pieces.

I recently junked a 300SD. It was rusted so bad the doors didn't close right. Ran good, though. Its last ride was from NM to PA with no problems. I hated to give up on it, but there is a time when they reach the end of their life. With me, that is much longer than most.

Engine went into another 300SD and parts worth hundreds have been used from it.

P E H