My older F250, 1989 with 7.5L engine is sitting most of the time because I need it rarely. How often should it be driven - once every few weeks? Once per month?
How often to drive a truck?
- Thread starter pacem
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I would drive it at least once a week to help prevent corrosion in the cylinders. You may want to consider "winterizing" it like you would a lawn mower if not driven for months at a time.
Whan you drive it, make sure it's for at least 20-30 minutes to burn off fuel and moisture. My buddy thinks that just starting and idling his seldom driven car for 4-5 minutes in 5 degree weather is smart
Makes sense. I think I will drive more often that I have (1/month), maybe at least bi-weekly or even weekly. What are some other issues to think about when you have a parked vehicle?
The previous owner drove it 5,000/year, which works out to 400/month but not sure how long it has been sitting. It was garaged however.
It gets really humid here in the South, so I wonder if that humidity affects something.
[ November 27, 2003, 07:36 PM: Message edited by: pacem ]
The previous owner drove it 5,000/year, which works out to 400/month but not sure how long it has been sitting. It was garaged however.
It gets really humid here in the South, so I wonder if that humidity affects something.
[ November 27, 2003, 07:36 PM: Message edited by: pacem ]
I have seen the tires develop flat spots when a vehicle sets too long without being moved, but that takes manys months.....maybe even years.
I'd take it either once a month with a charge on the battery every week or two or least before you hit the road. Better to go on the road every week or two.
Going two weeks between driving is fine. That's how often my 91 dakota gets out in the winter-- going to the dump. It's got a walmart DT-3 battery ($40), nothing special. It's not how little you drive it, it's how far you drive it once you start it.
I use Rotella synthetic 5w40 and plan on going the whole year/3k miles.
I use Rotella synthetic 5w40 and plan on going the whole year/3k miles.
It would also be a good idea to check the pulleys as well (alternator, idler pulley, etc) to make sure that they are not stuck. I've seen a few vehicles (one of mine included) that had the alternator stick and when the engine was started up, it ended up heating up the pulley and burning through the belt!
It may also be wise to pull the dipstick to make sure that you haven't developed a basepan leak since the last time you drove the truck. This is assuming, of course, that you don't do this already!
It may also be wise to pull the dipstick to make sure that you haven't developed a basepan leak since the last time you drove the truck. This is assuming, of course, that you don't do this already!
I try to drive the F-150 to work once a week, 35 miles round trip, running the A/C for at least a couple of minutes a month. That keeps everything lubricated and seals from hardening from sitting in one place too long. Since it is a 4x4, I lock the front hubs for a few miles if I have not used 4WD in over a month to keep the gears in the front driveline lubricated.
Kestas
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I've always had a winter car and a summer car. I have 30 years experience storing cars. I try to run them once a month, but admittedly I'm sometimes so lazy that I only drive them once during the season. I don't fuss much. I don't do anything to the fuel.
There are two main things to worry about while storing cars -- the battery and the brakes. Some cars will drain a battery in as little as 3 weeks. Once shop manual suggests trickle charging a battery every 3 months if a car isn't driven. I highly recommend this. And don't wait until a battery is dead. Deep discharge drastically reduces battery life.
During storage the brakes develop corrosion on the rotor/drum surfaces. Not a big deal if stored in a garage, but a big problem if stored outdoors. The vehicle must be run as often as needed to wipe the corrosion off the rotors.
Once a week may not be necessary. Obviously, the more often the better. When you DO run the car, make sure it gets a good run. Let it warm up, run the a/c through a few cycles. Ideally it should be run on the road through all gears and given proper exercise.
One of my summer cars is a $30,000 vehicle. It's been sitting quietly in the garage for two months now. Last winter it sat quietly for 4 months while I was doing some repairs on it. But the battery was always regularly trickle-charged. The car didn't suffer any ill effects from storage.
There are two main things to worry about while storing cars -- the battery and the brakes. Some cars will drain a battery in as little as 3 weeks. Once shop manual suggests trickle charging a battery every 3 months if a car isn't driven. I highly recommend this. And don't wait until a battery is dead. Deep discharge drastically reduces battery life.
During storage the brakes develop corrosion on the rotor/drum surfaces. Not a big deal if stored in a garage, but a big problem if stored outdoors. The vehicle must be run as often as needed to wipe the corrosion off the rotors.
Once a week may not be necessary. Obviously, the more often the better. When you DO run the car, make sure it gets a good run. Let it warm up, run the a/c through a few cycles. Ideally it should be run on the road through all gears and given proper exercise.
One of my summer cars is a $30,000 vehicle. It's been sitting quietly in the garage for two months now. Last winter it sat quietly for 4 months while I was doing some repairs on it. But the battery was always regularly trickle-charged. The car didn't suffer any ill effects from storage.
I have a 2002 car that sits in the garage from October to April every year. I don't touch it. I have being doing this for some 15-20 yrs and never have done anything but park it and let it bet.
Starting them up just for the sake of it can often can more problems then it solves. My uncle is like that, drives an older car in the winter and keeps the newer Olds in the garage. He can't leave it be, he will start it and run it just about every week. Yet on several occasions in the last 10 yrs, he has had to have the GM dealer come and tow the car to the shop in the spring because it won't start. After one or two of these no starts, I don't even get involved anymore. The dealer staff told him the same thing, park it and leave it be but he thinks he must run it every week or it will never start again. Last year cost him around $1000 to take the car out, dead battery, rusted out exhaust system (from moisture froming during idle) and other problems brought on from all the hours of idling during the winter.
So either let it be or sell it it you do not use it.
Starting them up just for the sake of it can often can more problems then it solves. My uncle is like that, drives an older car in the winter and keeps the newer Olds in the garage. He can't leave it be, he will start it and run it just about every week. Yet on several occasions in the last 10 yrs, he has had to have the GM dealer come and tow the car to the shop in the spring because it won't start. After one or two of these no starts, I don't even get involved anymore. The dealer staff told him the same thing, park it and leave it be but he thinks he must run it every week or it will never start again. Last year cost him around $1000 to take the car out, dead battery, rusted out exhaust system (from moisture froming during idle) and other problems brought on from all the hours of idling during the winter.
So either let it be or sell it it you do not use it.
During storage the brakes develop corrosion on the rotor/drum surfaces. Not a big deal if stored in a garage, but a big problem if stored outdoors. The vehicle must be run as often as needed to wipe the corrosion off the rotors.
I don't store my vehicles in a garage. I have several daily drivers and this truck which I hardly ever use. It seems in this situation, it makes sense to drive it rather than store.
park it and leave it be but he thinks he must run it every week or it will never start again. Last year cost him around $1000 to take the car out, dead battery, rusted out exhaust system (from moisture froming during idle) and other problems brought on from all the hours of idling during the winter.
Correlation is not causation. If he has problems, they are probably not related to him starting it once per week. These problems would occur anyway. Old cars develop a multitude of issues: Electrical problems, rubber deteriorates, and so on.
Condensation forms in the engine in our humid climate. And comes out of the exhaust when started. I always warm up the vehicle for 5-10 minutes before I hit high RPMs on the road. But if is sitting for months, other evil things happen. Gaskets start leaking.
If you drive a car every day - it wears out. If you don't drive it - it starts rusting and leaking, whatever. ****ed if you do, and ****ed if you don't situation.
Really, the proper way to store something is in a climate controlled environment, with weight off wheels, etc. Given that it is not an option - the car is too old and does not deserve special treatment, I have to accept second best.
It is a 93 Capricewith almost 170K miles, on the other hand a 96 Impala with low miles would deserve garaged treatment.
P.S.
I had a 70's Dodge Dart, with relatively low miles. It sat for a few years, not even covered. Under snow, rain, everything. Weeds grew around it. Ants lived in the trunk and mice in the engine bay. The body deteriorated and rusted threw in several places, with every rain I would get a puddle under the dash and in the trunk.
Worse, the 318 engine which I heard was the best was really worn out by 140K miles, which is when I gave up on it. Smoked blue, had no power and got abysmal mileage. Probably not related to storage, but I always suspected there was a connection. I think that if not stored properly in a garage, it is better to drive it.
[ December 09, 2003, 02:38 AM: Message edited by: pacem ]
I don't store my vehicles in a garage. I have several daily drivers and this truck which I hardly ever use. It seems in this situation, it makes sense to drive it rather than store.
park it and leave it be but he thinks he must run it every week or it will never start again. Last year cost him around $1000 to take the car out, dead battery, rusted out exhaust system (from moisture froming during idle) and other problems brought on from all the hours of idling during the winter.
Correlation is not causation. If he has problems, they are probably not related to him starting it once per week. These problems would occur anyway. Old cars develop a multitude of issues: Electrical problems, rubber deteriorates, and so on.
Condensation forms in the engine in our humid climate. And comes out of the exhaust when started. I always warm up the vehicle for 5-10 minutes before I hit high RPMs on the road. But if is sitting for months, other evil things happen. Gaskets start leaking.
If you drive a car every day - it wears out. If you don't drive it - it starts rusting and leaking, whatever. ****ed if you do, and ****ed if you don't situation.
Really, the proper way to store something is in a climate controlled environment, with weight off wheels, etc. Given that it is not an option - the car is too old and does not deserve special treatment, I have to accept second best.
It is a 93 Capricewith almost 170K miles, on the other hand a 96 Impala with low miles would deserve garaged treatment.
P.S.
I had a 70's Dodge Dart, with relatively low miles. It sat for a few years, not even covered. Under snow, rain, everything. Weeds grew around it. Ants lived in the trunk and mice in the engine bay. The body deteriorated and rusted threw in several places, with every rain I would get a puddle under the dash and in the trunk.
Worse, the 318 engine which I heard was the best was really worn out by 140K miles, which is when I gave up on it. Smoked blue, had no power and got abysmal mileage. Probably not related to storage, but I always suspected there was a connection. I think that if not stored properly in a garage, it is better to drive it.
[ December 09, 2003, 02:38 AM: Message edited by: pacem ]
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