MY SON HAS JUST LEFT FOR IRAQ AND HAS GARAGED HIS CAR WITH ME.
1. HOW OFTEN SHOULD I START AND RUN IT TO KEEP THE JUICES FLOWING?
2. HOW OFTEN SHOULD I ACTUALLY DRIVE IT, AND HOW FAR?
THANKS
Start it once a week (you may be able to stretch it to 2 wks) and drive it for at least 10 miles to recharge the battery. I’m not too sure about the driving distance/time, anyone else please correct.
You can increase the interval to monthly if you get a small battery charger ($25) and plug it into the cigarette lighter socket to keep the battery charged.
First, send your son my sincere thanks for serving.
Now, to the car. Take it for a good spin every few weeks, making sure to warm the engine up to full temp.
You might also add some gas stabilizer to the gas tank. It’s available at any parts store.
You can increase the interval to monthly if you get a small battery charger ($25) and plug it into the cigarette lighter socket to keep the battery charged.
That will only work if you have a cigarette lighter that is always powered when the car is off.
I recommend you get a trickle charger, fuel stabilizer, and drive it once a month for at least 30 minutes. I also recommend that you change the oil at least once every six months even if the mileage doesn’t require it.
Same thanks for your son from me and the same advice. I am going to guess it is going to be more than one year. So I do suggest taking it for a drive every few weeks. You might want to add a battery tender to the mix, some cars use enough current when not running to wear down a battery in three weeks.
Doing it for less that a full warm up plus a little can cause more damage than good and more often than about every three weeks is not at all necessary.
Good luck to him.
I’d take it out once a month and run it for 10 miles or so to get it fully warmed up and the exhaust dried out. Keep the tank full and some Stabil in it, and charge the battery every couple of weeks and should be fine.
Get the code for the radio and don’t lose it. Disconnect the battery and start it every month or three. Put fuel stabilizer in the tank and drive ten miles. Vote for…
Drive it for a half hour every four months; no more than that is necessary.
Park it with a full gas tank each time.
Make sure that the oil is changed at least once per year and park it with a fairly recent oil change.
Make sure that the garage is ventilated well so the brake rotors don’t rust too much. A little rusting and even a little locking of the rotors to the brake pads is harmless; just give it a little gas and it will break free and quiet down with a few brake applications.
Use a $25 battery tender, not a charger and then you don’t need to disconnect the battery.
If you live in a winter salt area, drive the car on a day when the roads are clear and dry so it won’t get exposed to road salt.
Keep the tires set at normal tire pressure.