Hey all thanks for the input i appreciate it! To answer some questions you all asked :

-Yes the car will be stored outside, on a sand/rock surface. No way around this one gents, its free storage so beggars cant be choosers. All i can do is hope for the best and that the Mopar electronics can hold strong through the moisture( already nervious). Car cover will NOT be used. Im a strong believer that these things do more harm than good during prolonged outdoor storage.

-Intake and exhaust will be blocked and secured thanks to the rubbermade/zip tie method explained earlier.

-And for all the other ideas ill pretty much be using all of them but my main issue is still the fuel.

Some of you have stated draining the tank is the way you choose to store vehicles. I just have some concerns with emptying the tank. Wont this allow moisture to build up in the tanks? And without fuel in the system, do i run the risk of dryrotting seal, hoses, etc?

Thanks again everyone

 

As far as the fuel, if it were mine I'd never put Stabil in it.

Put a can and 1/2 of seafoam in the tank, and fill it 100% and park it like that as far as the fuel goes. Minimal condensation will develop and the seafoam will help as well. I definitely wouldn't empty the tank (not the gas at least).

Otherwise I'd pretty much go with what everyone else says.

Thank you for your service, take care of yourself over there too.

 

wonder if you should do something with the brake rotors to keep them from rusting? not sure what you could do that wouldnt hurt them once you went to drive it

 

Brakes are getting an Overhaul(Rotors, Calipers, Pads, Shoes, Lines) when i get back so im not worried if they get rusty

 

Maybe someone could enlighten us on why Sta-Bil is so bad? I've used it for years in many applications and never have had an issue. My lawn mower, weed eater, and Camaro all fire right up after sitting all winter with Sta-Bil in the tanks. Down in South Florida we (my father's industrial and marine hydraulic business, we also dabble in outboards and generators) use and recommend Sta-Bil on a daily basis. I've been on several calls where customers complain of power loss/rough running outboards. Most of them are in disbelief when I tell them the fuel has gone bad after sitting for 6 months (most guys don't take their boats out very often). I then refer the customer to an outboard specialist to clean the fuel system. Between my service call and the outboard specialist, the customer is out A LOT more than the few bucks a little Sta-Bil would have cost them.

We actually recommend using it on every fill up. Fuel tolerances are a lot less strict in ship yards and marinas (including ethanol content) than if you were to pull into a gas station to fill up your truck. It's even worse if you're out of the country in a place like the Bahamas, there's no telling what's in the fuel that is being pumped into your vessel. It's cheap insurance that's proven itself time and time again.

With all that being said, put half a tank of gas in it with the appropriate amount of Sta-Bil, and remove the battery. The truck will be fine. 12 months really isn't that long for a vehicle to sit. The Louisiana weather will be a little tough on it but that's unavoidable. The only thing that would greatly reduce the degradation of the truck would be to have a friend/family member start and drive the truck a couple times a month.

 

A little research yielded this :

What Happens to Fuel When it is Stored?
Any fuel, be it gasoline, diesel, or heating fuel, is made up of many different organic compounds. These organic compounds are constantly changing over time becoming new compounds that change the characteristics of fuel. The same molecules that make up the best parts of gasoline can react with oxygen and other elements in the environment and form new molecules that build up to form gummy residues or varnish-like films that can clog up passages in fuel lines, carburetors, and injectors. Some fuels are treated with oxidation inhibitors to allow them to be stored for up to 3 months without generating excessive deposits. Other fuels have no inhibitors at all. In any case, storage of equipment requires some special consideration for the fuel system.
Why Can't These Problems be Avoided by Draining Fuel?
One way to avoid most of these deposits is to completely drain the fuel tank and fuel lines. This procedure poses a number of problems. First, it is *******ly impossible to get every drop of fuel out of the system by simply draining. In order to remove all fuel, lines must be blown out and dried, or enough fuel will remain to cause problems. Second, draining the fuel exposes the bare metal in the tank and fuel system to air and moisture which, together, can result in the formation of rust and corrosion and which can allow gaskets to dry out, crack and shrink, leading to fuel leaks when the system is refilled. Third, drained fuel is a fire and safety hazard and represents an environmental problem. Properly disposing of this fuel is difficult. For these reasons, draining is not the solution.

Does Fuel Stored in a Tank or Can Cause Problems?
Fuel stored in cans or tanks will also oxidize with many of the "bad acting" unstable molecules remaining in the solution. Using this fuel next season, greatly increases the likelihood that deposits will form in fuel systems while the equipment is used. In other words, stored fuel needs treatment too.


Basically, SEAFOAM and STA-BIL do the same thing, they prevent the breakdown and degradation of fuel. One may work better than the other but ill just have to let y'all know how it works out later. I have no experience with either, but i do know that I wont be leaving the tank dry to sit for a year. Thanks for the Input JR. MECHANIC, I wish i could have someone start up the truck and move it around once a month but thats not a possibility because my family will be moving out of state for the year while im gone

 

How I prep a motor for storage

Run motor till warm, Oil change, Fog it (make it smoke when you do this) you can buy fogin (outboard motor fogin oil)oil in spray cans that will screw on the shrader valve on the fuel rail or pull spark plugs and put small amount of oil in the cyld and turn over the motor without the plugs in it then reinstall the plugs, pull valve covers and back off the rocker arms spray with fogin oil and put covers back on, check all fluids and top up, anti freeze 50/50,Grease all zerks, spray the motor down with wd-40, put a small pack of desiccant in the dist cap, plug intake and exhaust with stainless steel wool, Disconnect the batt and check the fluid level and charge it to max, a good layer of petroleum jelly on the cable ends and the batt terminal, pull batt and wash down the tray and batt with baking soda and water, I would also pull the belt off. As for fuel 1/2 tank with your choice of additives(must be added before the above work is done) just bring new gas with you to top up the tank before you start it when you get back.

Note: Try to avoid gas additives that have any alcohol in them, some types of alcohol attract moisture. When you get back you can add some 99.9 isopropanol alcohol (at your drug store). this will absorb the water and burn it off.

 

I would use stabil in the gas tank and have it filled all the way up, we use stabil in our boat and have never had a bad gas problem, which with ethanol in gas now has pretty much screwed anyone with a boat, also let a 3wheeler sit for 6 months without treatment had to completey go through the carb, this time put stabil and started it up after sitting for 5 months with no probs