Winter Storage

[Markh1254]

Hi,

Hoping once again I can impose on this fine group for guidance.

New to the diesel world and am not sure if I am creating a problem or not. Winter storage.

Last truck I had never saw snow. Owned it for 18 years and accumulated 42,000 miles on it. In winter, it sat on a concrete pad, covered, blocks keeping the springs and wheels unloaded with a battery tender keeping the battery float charged. Once a month I would uncover it and start it for 30 minutes or so.

Been doing the same with this RAM since November, but after reading about the issues with the exhaust (particulate) filter beginning to wonder if that is such a good idea. When it is driven, mostly highway miles towing a trailer.

Would I be better NOT starting it periodically, or continue starting it once a month until the weather breaks?

Appreciate everyone's input!

Thanks
Mark

 

[DonFitzwater]

If you are going to store for more than a month without use I'd recommend disconnecting the batteries, treating your fuel with an additive of your choice, changing the oil just prior to layup. It certainly would be a good idea to top off the batteries once a month depending on your climate.

 

[Larry Sciblo]

I have mine stored in the garage and take it out to drive into town 2-3X a month. We have some cold weather at 4800 ft elevation in SE AZ, but nothing below 20 degrees. I believe getting the fluids at operating temperatures and moving through all the drive train is a must (IMHO).
I am not an expert on the DEF situation in cold weather, so I cant really say anything. I am sure someone with more experience then I will chime in.

 

[DonFitzwater]

I am not an expert on the DEF situation in cold weather, so I cant really say anything. I am sure someone with more experience then I will chime in.

Not really much to do for the DEF system for cold weather as it freezes.

 

[Ltngdrvr]

Hi,

Hoping once again I can impose on this fine group for guidance.

New to the diesel world and am not sure if I am creating a problem or not. Winter storage.

Last truck I had never saw snow. Owned it for 18 years and accumulated 42,000 miles on it. In winter, it sat on a concrete pad, covered, blocks keeping the springs and wheels unloaded with a battery tender keeping the battery float charged. Once a month I would uncover it and start it for 30 minutes or so.

Been doing the same with this RAM since November, but after reading about the issues with the exhaust (particulate) filter beginning to wonder if that is such a good idea. When it is driven, mostly highway miles towing a trailer.

Would I be better NOT starting it periodically, or continue starting it once a month until the weather breaks?

Appreciate everyone's input!

Thanks
Mark

Where are you that you feel the need to store the truck for winter and not drive it as normal?

And, what issues with the particulate filter do you speak of?

Cranking the truck up periodically while stored is fine, but use the high idle setting when you do this. It is built into the cruise control, while idling turn cruise on and then push the set button, this will run the engine at 1100 rpm.

And, no need to fool with setting the truck up on blocks.

 

[bcbender]

It is good practice to start the vehicle(s) periodically to keep surfaces and lubricants distributed. Another purpose is it keeps seals conditioned. I drive all my vehicles at least once every few months to get a heat cycle on em (on the 70's cars); and another key point to consider it run the heater (defrost) or A/C while running. They defrost kicks on the A/C at the same time which circulates the refrigerant and lube oils keeps the seals in the fluid moving during winter months when the A/C is normally not in use, I was told that was why my A/C seals went out on one of my older cars.. I never drove in the winter and so the A/C system just never was used not saying that is the gospel, but has worked for me... X2 on no need to jack up on blocks.

 

[Cummins12V98]

In NW WA my 01 Sport can set for 6 mo at a time. I disconnect the neg posts and that's it. I hook em up and start it. Wouldn't do a bit different with my 15.

 

[bcbender]

yeah... I Bet you don't have as warm moist air and humidity in WA (My parents live there by Mt Rainier and it seems just cold and / wet). I never had issues with condensate, scale, surface rust, etc when storing vehicles in central CA, but here in NC, you leave em sit for a long period in a non-climate controlled garage or shop and when you come back you find things "growing", "moving" or worse.... Bonus moving em more frequently keeps the critters out..(I get tired of removing hickory nuts from the valve covers and air cleaners...

 

[RammerJam]

Where are you that you feel the need to store the truck for winter and not drive it as normal?

<snip>

Probably in Florida. The rest of the world is

 

[bcbender]

Probably in Florida. The rest of the world is

LOL!!!! I felt the same way when I mover here from CA to "get away", now our town has trippled with tech people who dont live here, just commute to the city for work and congest our roads on the weekends!! I heard that MT is also taking on a lot of people too... guess I may need to re-evaluate my retirement plan... Staying near Durham in NC is not an option!

 

[RammerJam]

LOL!!!! I felt the same way when I mover here from CA to "get away", now our town has trippled with tech people who dont live here, just commute to the city for work and congest our roads on the weekends!! I heard that MT is also taking on a lot of people too... guess I may need to re-evaluate my retirement plan... Staying near Durham in NC is not an option!

NC is changing. Not just population and not really in a good way.

Florida is growing. In a good way but the population growth is putting a huge demand on -- Everything. Especially the roads.

Florida wasn't a recipient of FDR's make-work projects. In the 30's they'd build a road to nowhere just to employ people. But not in Florida. We gotta build them all from scratch. Through swamps, over lakes and rivers and streams. So there's not a lot of roads but there's a lot of people wanting to use them.

People move down here and do the same things they did up North. Which is mostly Shop. All they do all day is get on the roads and go from one shopping center to another.

I guess it's better than them hanging out at the Pools. There's only so much cellulite any one place can take.

We did, however, cut down on the number of New Yorkers in Fort Myers when DOT put up signs on I75 that said, "Clean Restrooms Ahead"

 

[Markh1254]

Where are you that you feel the need to store the truck for winter and not drive it as normal?

And, what issues with the particulate filter do you speak of?

Cranking the truck up periodically while stored is fine, but use the high idle setting when you do this. It is built into the cruise control, while idling turn cruise on and then push the set button, this will run the engine at 1100 rpm.

And, no need to fool with setting the truck up on blocks.

I'm in Ohio and the roads are covered in Brine and even Beet Juice which is extremely corrosive. I take the weight off the tires so they don't get flat spots.

 

[Signal73]

Mine mostly sits nov-April for the same reasons. I leave a battery tender on, put some anti jell in the tank for some reason and might start it monthly if I don’t take it for a ride. if it rains and washes all the salt away it may make an outdoor appearance. I have a TDI winter/summer beater I drive unless I’m using the truck for its intended purposes. I thought flat spotted tires went away with the introduction of radial tires but if you want to get them up off the ground the more power to ya...

 

[JR]

I'm in Ohio and the roads are covered in Brine and even Beet Juice which is extremely corrosive. I take the weight off the tires so they don't get flat spots.

Not that it matters for this discussion but beet juice is not corrosive at all. It is actually gaining in popularity because it is not corrosive, does not damage roadways like rock salt and calcium chloride and is much more environmentally friendly when it ends up in the ditch. It Has been used as ballast for Agricultural tires forever.

I am in Ohio too and feel your pain. Specifically Ashtabula Co - right in the middle of the snow belt region. We avg 100+ inches a year. Our roads get lots n lots of snot this time of the year....

 

[Tuesdak]

I take the weight off the tires so they don't get flat spots.

X2 No kidding! Had to have a tire shop replace all four tires on a pickup that sat a couple years due to flat spots. You could watch the tires jump up and down on the balancer when spun. Weren't even 5 years old.

 

[Rob S]

Where are you that you feel the need to store the truck for winter and not drive it as normal?

And, what issues with the particulate filter do you speak of?

Cranking the truck up periodically while stored is fine, but use the high idle setting when you do this. It is built into the cruise control, while idling turn cruise on and then push the set button, this will run the engine at 1100 rpm.

And, no need to fool with setting the truck up on blocks.

Did not know about the high idle, tried it this morning and it worked like a charm! Played around with it and found I could increase the speed up from 1100 rpm with the resume button
Thanks for the info!

 

[Ltngdrvr]

Did not know about the high idle, tried it this morning and it worked like a charm! Played around with it and found I could increase the speed up from 1100 rpm with the resume button
Thanks for the info!

Yeah, you can increase it, don't recall the high setting, 1400 I think.
Most instances you don't need more than the base setting.

 

[C M McCormick]

I notice on my 2018 that after starting on a cold morning within a minute or two it automatically idle's up to 1000 RPM or so.

 

[AH64ID]

The problem with starting it and just idling it, even at high idle, is that the oil won’t heat up without a load. This will induce moisture into the oil and the block form the temp swings.

Cummins considers 3-5 minutes of cold idle the norm and anything over 10 minutes is excessive and should be avoided.

Long story short, if you’re going to park it then just park it and don’t do the idling to it.

Best case would be to take it for a drive every 60 days. Run thru a car wash and then park it again.

I notice on my 2018 that after starting on a cold morning within a minute or two it automatically idle's up to 1000 RPM or so.

It depends on the temp, if it’s cold enough it will go to 1,000 right away, otherwise it takes 2 minutes. It’s been this way since at least 03.

The 6.7’s also restrict the exhaust a little to help warmup, which is why I don’t bother with the exhaust brake as I don’t want that much back pressure on a cold motor.

None of this gets the oil hot enough to “dry” it out thou, that takes a load and driving.