I am currently deployed and I have a couple questions about my truck while it's sitting outside at home.
Is running the engine for about 5 minutes once a week OK, or do I need to have my wife let it run longer? It's not insured to drive while I'm deployed, and my wife can't drive a stick anyway, soletting it idleis about all she can do.

Before I left I backed it into the driveway up close toa wall so somebody couldn't steal the tailgate, but I didn't realize my Dodge bedliner (truck came with it) doesn't have any drain holes in it.My wife now says it's filling with water.
If I havea friend go over and drill a couple of 1/4" holes through the plastic bedliner, are there drain holes already in the bed underneath that will let the water drain out? I don't want him blindly drilling holes through the bed.

 

I would have her let it run till it at least gets to operating temperature so that it would heat up and evaporate the condensed water that will collecct all over the place inside the motor. If your buddy climbs underneath your bed he will see the drain holes that are already in the metal of the bed, if he can find them from the top he can drain through them as well. You out there for 90, 120 ro 180? I did 135 in Balad. When you get home take it easy on the first drive, let the fluids circulate really well before getting back into the motor too hard. I might even recommend a change of oil shortly after you get home.

 

I changed the oil the day before I left and used Royal Purple 15W-40 diesel oil, hoping that would give the best protection since it just sits for a week at a time between startups.
What I'm most worried about is how long does it need to run to make sure the batteries stay charged so it will start the next time? I know as it gets colder, the grid heater will run. Just run it until the temp comes up? It doesn't have the high idle feature (yet) so when it gets cold this winter, I don't think it will ever warm up to 180.

If my buddy drills holes in the bed liner, the water will drain into the bed and out the factory drain holes, right? I am now thinking that if the bedliner traps moisture under there, it will promote rust, but at the same time I don't want big water rings forever etched in to the bedliner.
Tommygunz--you're a 462? I'm at Baladdoing the 180 day thing. I'm the Weapons flt chief down here in Viper land.

 

Well I would recommend he try to line up his drill holes with th facrtory bed holes, not everything will drain you may end up with some water marks regardless, good reason to spend some of that deployment cheese on a linex when you get home. As for warm up, it will; eventually get tp 180 its just gonna take some time. Thats id really what is needed to get the condednsation out fo your motor. What is the best thing to do ( what I did) get a buddy you trust to drive it once a week around town or on the hiway for a few miles, also you may end up with issues with your summer fuel gelling in the winter months unless you get an additive in their. I have also heard of the diesel growing like a mold or something liek that if it sits too long without an additive as well.

I am not sure what a 462 is, Here at Malmstrom I am a 2M071A, ICBM Electronic Maintenance Technician, currently serving as a Team Training instructor. As a matter of fact today I am doing lesson plan reviews which is why I can get on the forum between LP's. When I was over here I was doing escort duty. It's really the only way my AFSC can get over there. I have a coworker in BIAP right now too.

 

All those premolded plastic bedliners do is rust out the bed of your truck. Rip that thing out and go get a spray in bedliner. As for idling in the winter, go get the high idle feature programed. That way the engine will get to op temp. As long as your getting the engine to ops temp then you should be good on the battery charge.

 

Iknow the Power Service in the white bottle is the winter formula and will stop the fuel from gelling.. but does it also stop algae from forming in the tank? I have a feeling my truck will be sitting for long periods this winter also. I wonder how long it lasts.. Would one bottle in the tank last the six months and keep the fuel fresh?

 

Well, his issue is that he is already gone too.

 

If I were you, I'd have my buddy turn it around so that the water drains out of the back of the truck just as it should. Even if you hafta run the front end up on blocks to get the pitch right. Then just have him remove the tailgate if you're that worried about someone stealing it. It's not hard to take off at all. All's you need is a flathead screwdriver.

Problem solved !!

As far as the batteries go, hook them up to a battery tender. They're pretty inexpensive. If you don't want to run it all of the time, put it on a timer to just run a few hours a day. If you are deployed for a very long time, have your friend check the water level in the batteries in a few months just to make sure they're full. You should be fine though.

 

well, super dave has likely gone to bed. If I remember right its quite late over there

 

Thanks all. I am going to have my buddy turn it around. One of the reasons I had it turned around was when it's nosed in, the duals make it a tight squeeze for my wife to get her car in and out out the driveway and I didn't want her hitting my truck. I guess she'll just have to be careful.

I put the winter PS in when I filled it up just before I left so condensation and gellingshouldn't be a huge problem.

Missileer--gotcha.I wear the pocket rocket too (2W1) because I have worked and loaded ALCMs and other guided missiles on jets. Currently I supervise an F-16 weapons loading shop.
I wouldn't have thought they'd send a maintainer for FP duty. I don't trust the TCNs any farther than I could throw them[>:]