First start up after sitting for 6 months, turn the key and let her rip?

[afishinado]

Trucks been sitting since September, batteries out.. Gonna pull it out of mothballs next month, got a bunch of Mickey Mouse upgrades and stuff to add to it that I've been buying and collecting over the winter taking room in the garage...
So.... Anything you guys recommend I do after I put the batteries in before I fire it up or put it in drive?
Thanks

 

[mwilson]

I will be taking the '06 out of storage next month (if it ever stops snowing).

I will check the oil and antifreeze, look for any mouse or squirrel issues, check the air cleaner element, re-install the batteries and touch her off.
Check for leaks, let it idle in neutral to pump the transmission back up, check the tire pressure, give it a few minutes more and if all checks out drive it 200 miles to my house.
I always park it with a full tank of winter fuel as well to try and keep condensation to a minimum.

That's all that I do.

 

[MartyK]

I do what Mr. Wilson does minus the 200 mile trip home.

Marty

 

[afishinado]

Thanks guys..

 

[AHolbert]

I have a 95 that stays parked at the Albuquerque airport for extended periods of time and I've never had any mechanical issues with her as a result of sitting for long periods of time. I do top off the fuel on the way to the parking lot and other than my usual keeping the truck on a maintenance schedule of replacing all hoses, belts, filters, fluids, etc., the truck hasn't suffered any known effects as a result of her being abused in that manner. Batteries have always been my biggest concern but the Optima Redtops seem to handle the intermittent use just fine. The truck has been used in this manner for well over 5 years now.

On a related rant, as a result of sitting in the open like that in a parking lot shared with TSA agents, the truck has taken a beating. The body was somewhat pristine when I first started parking there and over the years has been run into several times, doors opened on her, etc., and not once has anybody tried to contact me for the damage they've done. I'm as careful as I can be in terms of where in the parking lot I park, end of a row, max distance from other vehicles, etc., and the truck has still taken a beating.......I still greatly enjoy driving that truck and plan on never selling her. I bought the truck new in July of '95 and she now has over 300,000 trouble-free miles on her and still gets a steady non-towing 20-24 mpg in easy mountain terrain driving.