Winter Plan for 8v71

[Midwilshire]

With the weather starting to cool off, I'm wondering what I should do to keep the 8v71 happy over the coming winter.  We're full-timers.  I was thinking I should start the bus and let it idle for 30 minutes per week or so -- in order to keep the parts lubricated, fuel flowing, batteries charged, etc.  Is that smart or a waste of time? 

[luvrbus]

Just charge the batteries and let it sleep it will wake up in the spring

[eagle19952]

Fill the fuel, keep the batteries full and charged.
a hundred contractors with dozens of Detroit's don't start them till someone pays them to.
they sit.

seeing how you only have one, i would kill the fuel and spin the motor over, without starting it maybe once a every couple month and run it up to temp for new years, depending on where you are, below 25 degrees...let er sit.

someone else will tell you different.

ps where does a fulltimer stay in DC ?

[Oonrahnjay]

...   ps where does a fulltimer stay in DC ? 

    Yeah, you parked up at Cherry Hill?

[Midwilshire]

Thanks guys.  Much appreciated.

In DC, we stay in campgrounds on military bases.  Ft. Belvoir and Andrews are the closest.

[TomC]

Diesels are not like gasoline engines. Diesels can sit for years then just start up fine. I put my Onan 6.0 DJB air cooled 2 cylinder generator in enclosed storage for 7 years. Then brought it out, pumped some Diesel into it (it has a built in hand primer), hooked up a battery and it started like it had been started just yesterday.
Don't start the engine at all until you want to go use it. Like Clifford said, let it sleep. Good Luck, TomC

[akroyaleagle]

As others have said:

Fill the tanks
Put a can of Stabil in each tank when you fill it. It will have Stabil up to the injectors by the time you park it.

Get a cheap trickle charger for the start batteries since you can't remove them and store them.

Plug the exhausts.

She'll sleep like a baby until you want to use it again. Don't need to do anything else.

[Iceni John]

I know the OP is asking about dry-liner 8V71s, but should us folk blessed/cursed with wet-liner 92s follow the same recommendations?   I've heard that 92s should not sit for too long because bad things can happen to their cylinder O-rings  -  is that true?   If I won't drive it for at least 20 minutes, I don't start it at all.

Thanks, John

[luvrbus]

John, the only time the o-rings are a problem on the 92 is when someone uses soap to install the o-rings instead of oil then they will cold weather leak and will turn to mush over time 

[Iceni John]

John, the only time the o-rings are a problem on the 92 is when someone uses soap to install the o-rings instead of oil then they will cold weather leak and will turn to mush over time 

Thanks, that's good to know.

[Midwilshire]

Put a can of Stabil in each tank when you fill it. It will have Stabil up to the injectors by the time you park it.

Can I use regular gasoline STABIL, or do I need the special diesel STABIL?

[akroyaleagle]

Use the diesel!

[Midwilshire]

Use the diesel!

Okay, thanks!