Putting my Buicks up for a long nap

T

turbotroy

Active Member
Joined
Jul 27, 2012
Hey all! I'm going on tour again for work, and I have to leave my cars for a while, maybe a few years. I'm a Pipefitter that builds America, bought a house and garages for my 3 TR's, but ran out of work in AZ, so got to hit the road to pay for it all.
My questions are how to preserve my cars so waking them up from their slumber will be easy for all of us.
I'm going to put them on jackstands, run them out of fuel, and maybe pull the plugs and shoot some oil in the cylinders. I hate the idea of pulling#6 plug 3 times, but I will. Any other ideas? Thanks in advance! Cheers!
 
I would start with changing all the fluids and use the stuff Nick sells for a cooling system additive. Then I would fog the motor with marvel mystery oil. Put the cars on stands and maybe have some varmint (mice) detergents around. Wax the car and leave the windows down a little to allow air movement. Remove the valve covers and take the rocker arm assemblies off so you don't leave the lifter and spring in the same position. Then remove the spark plugs and squirt some marvel mystery oil in the cylinders.
 
depends on how much work you're up for... Battery tender for all three... suspend on stands and drop tire psi to 15-20.. a mix of MMO,stabil and seafoam for the gas tank and have it around 3/4 full...run it for several mins to get into lines and injectors ..RNI25 for the rad with distilled watrer...if you have rodents around i would decon bait the hell out of the area,and or any other trick you can think of as this could potentially be the worst thing to happen. If you think you will get a vaca ,can get home and wish to go for a cruise... these things are easily reversed. Fwiw..the mix for the gas has worked in my carbed (4cy.) bike for years when sitting for long periods,without fail.
 
Thanks for the replies, guys. I'm gonna do a mix of "all of the above". The pack rats here in the desert are one of my biggest concerns.
 
I would disconnect the batteries. Most fires from cars in storage are caused by electrical issues. I store my cars in the winter and always disconnect the batteries.
 
Fill the fuel tanks to the top with race gas & a fuel stabilizer of your choice. I like Marvel Mystery Oil, Sea-Foam, Lucas, Honda or Yamaha brand. Race gas is more stable & won't degrade with age as badly as pump gas.

Remove the batteries & place on a wood shelf, or piece of wood on the floor. Is there anyone that can rotate a Battery Tender through the batteries once a month or so? Don't think I would like to leave it on full time even with the Tender's internal protective circuitry.

I've heard that Bounce type of fabric softener sheets are supposed to repel rodents. Don't know how true that may be.

Good luck.
 
turbotroy said:
Hey all! I'm going on tour again for work, and I have to leave my cars for a while, maybe a few years. I'm a Pipefitter that builds America, bought a house and garages for my 3 TR's, but ran out of work in AZ, so got to hit the road to pay for it all.
My questions are how to preserve my cars so waking them up from their slumber will be easy for all of us.
I'm going to put them on jackstands, run them out of fuel, and maybe pull the plugs and shoot some oil in the cylinders. I hate the idea of pulling#6 plug 3 times, but I will. Any other ideas? Thanks in advance! Cheers!
Click to expand...

I feel your pain brother I’m a fitter here in Washington DC I hate having to travel to work good luck out there let me know if you need to help looking for work I know I am far away but I can ask around


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Nicholas Maiers said:
I feel your pain brother I’m a fitter here in Washington DC I hate having to travel to work good luck out there let me know if you need to help looking for work I know I am far away but I can ask around


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Click to expand...
Thanks Nicholas! Luckily there's work all around the country, except AZ. I'm trying not to go north, as winter is almost upon us, as I travel with my 5th wheel.
Biggest bummer of all is we're at the time of year in Southern AZ when it's cooled off enough to play with Buicks, and I have to miss it!
 
You can bring them to my place and I'll play with them for you

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turbocamino1 said:
depends on how much work you're up for... Battery tender for all three... suspend on stands and drop tire psi to 15-20.. a mix of MMO,stabil and seafoam for the gas tank and have it around 3/4 full...run it for several mins to get into lines and injectors ..RNI25 for the rad with distilled watrer...if you have rodents around i would decon bait the hell out of the area,and or any other trick you can think of as this could potentially be the worst thing to happen. If you think you will get a vaca ,can get home and wish to go for a cruise... these things are easily reversed. Fwiw..the mix for the gas has worked in my carbed (4cy.) bike for years when sitting for long periods,without fail.
Click to expand...
Please enlighten me more on the mix,and what ratios. Thanks!
 
Last edited:
Common practice in the motorcycle world is to fill the fuel tank as close to the top as possible with "Clear Premium" (Ethanol Free). This helps minimize any surface area for condensation to develop. I've never used Stabil 360. I used the original Stabil, but it makes the exhaust stink bad.
 
~JM~ said:
Common practice in the motorcycle world is to fill the fuel tank as close to the top as possible with "Clear Premium" (Ethanol Free). This helps minimize any surface area for condensation to develop. I've never used Stabil 360. I used the original Stabil, but it makes the exhaust stink bad.
Click to expand...
Thanks, JM, my biggest concerns are,
1. Packrats here in AZ, and
2. Fuel systems.
If the Stabil works, I don't care how the exhaust smells, cause that tank won't last long:cool:.
Hey, did you get moved down to AZ ok?
 
I use sta-bil 360 or Lucas safeguard for ethanol

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Boost231 said:
I use sta-bil 360 or Lucas safeguard for ethanol

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Click to expand...
What kind of ratios, Brent? I have a stone stock 40K miles D-84, a Poppa Lou Monster with a Nick fuel system in it, and my beater clone GN. I may be gone a few years, and all of this stuff is new, except for D-84. As usual with TR'$, don't mind spending the$$, just don't want to have to start all over again!
 
With that much downtime I'd take the batteries completely out of the car and give them to someone that can use them.

They'd be flakey as best when you got back home. (That's if you were patient enough to slow charge them for about a month).

No reason to have those corrosive vapors stagnating around a dormant car for years.
 
turbotroy said:
Thanks, JM, my biggest concerns are,
1. Packrats here in AZ, and
2. Fuel systems.
If the Stabil works, I don't care how the exhaust smells, cause that tank won't last long:cool:.
Hey, did you get moved down to AZ ok?
Click to expand...

Yep!
 
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